It was a joy to see puddles, hear dripping and to splash a little. However, after two soggy notebooks my excitement was dampened. Previously dry powdery soil now damp adhered to my boot. Deep cracks in clay remained. The Pleasure Grounds Winterbourne was active, so I set off for the gully, expecting little.
Roadside flowers included Rest Harrow, Dwarf Thistle, Greater Knapweed and Bristly Ox Tongue. Teasel and Fleabane appeared but sadly no Common Toadflax thanks to the premature and unauthorised excavation undertaken by a Trinity House contractor.
As anticipated a Garden Snail was out upon the gully cutting sides. More of the species were seen, one upon the frame of the Tilly Whim interpretation panel, another amongst Gorse needles alongwith two sheet webs (that collected rain droplets). A Banded Snail appeared on the coast path; however, no Slugs were found!
Conker sized Apples then Pears were found on the way to the Horseshoe Bridge. Black Bryony fruits resembled Grape Vines as they drooped amongst Blackthorn. A Bank Vole raced over the tarmac road from one verge to another. Today wet, shiny slate rooftops made be think of Wales. Still in flower was Sea Campion at the western corner of the Lighthouse complex. There was spent Thrift cushions. I was cautious walking on wet, polished Limestone. At the gully mouth three succulent still showed flowers: Golden Samphire; Rock Samphire; Sea Aster. A dozen Feral Doves landed near the “skull eye sockets” of Tilly Whim caves.
Offshore a Greater Black Backed Gull flew west, soon followed by a Herring Gull quartet. A solitary Cormorant perched on a white scat-stained ledge by the sea. Up above one Greater Black Backed Gull occupied a higher ledge. In places clusters of cliff hugging Rock Samphire resembled waterfalls. Rain ladened Tamarisk branches dropped into the coastpath where milky puddles sat. The Gallery guttering gargled. In castle woods tiny rainfalls streak tree trunks and patches of Harts Tongue Fern had been flattened by rainfall.