Today's weather: Slight spots of rain, cloud, strong breeze
Last night after 6pm, despite good sunlight, I heard the call of a Tawny Owl from the shelter and shade from the “Castle woodland”. This morning whilst initially focusing upon the high pitched calls of a small mammal I turned to see a Kestrel also seeking out such prey! Landing atop an electricity pole with a Vole in its talons, the Kestrel proceeded to devour its meal by holding it in its sharp talons and ripping pieces of fresh meat off with its razor sharp beak. Surprisingly it was no long before our Kestrel was hunting on the wing again!
An impressive Bull laid amongst his harem of female cattle and an equally relaxed number of calves in field 10. A Bull is harmless when in the company of his harem. Another mammal was that of a Sika Deer Roe partly hidden in the tall sward of Saxon Field.
On arrival I was treated to the easy sight of a Pyramidal Orchid close to the Nature Nursery sign in the car park. I have been amazed at the wealth of recent flowering of Common Spotted Orchids which stand beside the withered stems of the Early Purple Orchid neighbours. I managed to pass a Bee Orchid stem near the Lighthouse Green and the Mile Marker posts. Beneath the Lighthouse we have Holly Berries although looking brown and unripe to me! Sycamore was displaying its “spinning jenny” or “helicopter” seeds with wings yet to dry out and bee dispersed upon the wind.
Within the gully yet another thick carpet of Old Mans Beard and Bryony has further engulfed and weighs down the trees and scrub beneath them. This is to the advantage of many small birds such as the young Chiff Chaff apparently responding to a parent’s call. Amongst the gorse of the Gully I caught site and sound of a Lesser Whitethroat, briefly glimpses and pair of Long Tailed Tits and observed and heard a male Stonechat from the scrub.
Near the Lighthouse I was able to make out five Guillemots on the sea off Tilly Whim. Two Cormorants headed east off the cliffs.
Inland four Skylarks were heard whilst Magpies, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw and Blackbird all made an appearance.