As we set of on a cold January morning we saw a Robin beside the learning centre singing a warning to another possible four Robins. About the car park a Magpie hopped upon the ground in search of food. Another proud looking Robin broadcast from the top of a bare Elm tree. About a score of Jackdaw flew above the coast path and a pair of Greater Black Backed Gulls glided above long meadow.
We turned around to the direction of the castle and saw a Carrion Crow sat alone in a tree above the path to the castle, we looked again and he disappeared into thin air. We started walking across long meadow to get onto the coast path and there were two Black Birds looking for food together and chasing each other around. Two Wood Pigeons in the Holm Oak, got spooked then flew off into the distance.
It was a rather gloomy day such that we could see the Needles Lighthouse flashing in the distance on Isle of Wight. A few Jackdaws started roosting in the Ash tree next to the Reynolds bench. We saw a fishing boat off Durlston Head that was so far out that it looked like a dot in the water. As we got to the bottom the castle we felt a few spots of rain but it didn’t turn into anything more than that.
We looked at some of the plant life along the path and saw it was riddled with Madder. We saw a Cormorant flying west towards the lighthouse but lost sight of it as it hugged the cliffs. From the observation point we could see it raining very far out to sea which did not fill us with excitement, however, beyond the clouds the end of a very good sunrise.
We spotted another Greater Black Backed Gull and there were Guillemots flying west, very low to the water. We counted about 60 Guillemots bobbing around on the water, cleaning themselves and diving for food. Among them we saw at least three Razorbills. Some eighty Guillemots occupied their ledge. As we got to the mile markers we spooked around a dozen Rock Doves. Two Herring Gulls were flying over the gully whilst two pairs of Jackdaws sat on the mile markers. We saw Ben going out to do some brush cutting whilst an illuminated Britany Ferry left Dorset.