A wonderful windy start to the day with the west-south-westerly wind turning the sea to a churning mass of grey and white, as the water rises, turns and crashes onto itself.
Skimming along just above this water were a selection of Gannets, the colour of the huge wingspan (out largest seabird) depending on the age of the bird. The adults a stunning white with black tips, while the youngsters are a variety of brown and white. As I watched the Gannets gliding by against the wind, it amazed me their power and precision.
The first strong wind of September also brought a couple of sea-watchers to the hide, their reports of a few Kittiwakes and a Manx Shearwater … so far…
Continuing onwards a few flowers showing themselves, with the lilac coloured Sea Aster alongside the yellow Golden Samphire, while below against the cliff-face the greenish Rock Samphire showed well.
A bit of movement caused me to zoom in with my binoculars, to find a Rock Pipit strutting amongst the plants, its streaky grey plumage blending in well.
After the splashes of recent rain I was hoping that our Autumn speciality flowers might have emerged better, and I was pleased to see a scattering of Autumn Ladies Tresses, their greyish green stem covered in a spiral of delicate white orchid flowers.
I was less successful in finding either Autumn Gentian or Harebell – both sadly absent from my search. However a few Carline Thistles and Burnet Saxifrage were seen.
Chatting away amongst the Gorse was a Stonechat, while a chestnut brown capped Blackcap flitted through the leaves of the Willow. Most other birds difficult to see with hiding out of the wind deep within the scrub.
However I was delighted to watch a Wheatear bobbing on the top of a flat stone, eventually taking flight, flashing its white rump as it went.