Out across the sea a large container ship was backlit by a glorious pink glow, a very thin slither of light amongst the thick grey carpet of cloud. The rest of the sky was a dark grey mass, with some even darker patches providing a magnificent contrast on this strange morning.
The sea was flat calm, not surprising as the maximum gust over the last 24hours has been just 1mph. Skimming above the water were 3 Shags, these large black birds easily spotted on the otherwise empty water.
Looking on the cliffs the ledge was on again stuffed full of Guillemots, the lovely gargling calls wafting up the cliffs, almost the only sound to be heard, the other being the cackling of the flock of 50 or so Jackdaws which were showing off their acrobatic antics by tumbling around the rock face.
Perched one of the outcrops was a Peregrine Falcon, the deep grey back turned towards me as I watched, his head moving as a Feral Pigeon flew past, but the Peregrine didn’t spring into action.
Out towards the downland a Green Woodpecker took flight, the yellow rump disappearing into the long grass as it ditched, just the back of its head then visible as it probed the ground.
In the scrub along the diagonal path were 2 Chiffchaffs, these small yellowish warblers hopping through the branches of the yellow flowering Gorse on the banks.
A little nearer the top, a flock of Long-tailed Tits was flitting through the long trailing fronds of Old Man’s Beard, a mass of white wispy seeds heads. Joining these Tits were some Blue Tits and Great Tits also moving between the branches.
A bright yellow patch of fungus on the branches was Brain Fungus, while nearby the black fingers of Dead Man’s Fingers and white tipped tops of Candlesnuff fungus also spotted.