Robins are singing
Every singer is different
Bird freestyle rappers
I started the morning with a game of spot the bird as I heard the loud trills of a Blue Tit as I exited my car. After a short search I located it in the heart of a Hawthorn. Next I crossed the car park hoping to catch sight or sound of a Green Woodpecker by long meadow, where they can often be heard, if not seen in the morning. None were to be found but I did notice a Robin with very puffed up plumage. This is a common behaviour for birds in cold conditions, it traps air and helps insulate them. Anyone who’s used a feather duvet can vouch for its effectiveness.
Returning to the visitor centre I admired the bright red stems of some Dogwood in the hedgerows, a pleasant source of colour over the winter months. All around the squeaky, two note calls of Blue Tits could be heard. Passing by the weather station a Green Woodpecker emerged from the scrub and fluttered off without a call. Seen but not heard for a change.
Heading past the Learning centre I entered South Field to the sounds of a Dunnock’s call, the bird itself flitting around a Bramble patch. A couple of walkers I met reported sighting a Skylark earlier that morning over the meadows, but I was unable to track it down.
I made my way along the wildlife trail and crossed round down to the lighthouse, where a Shag was circling by the cliffs. Further up the coast path there was a very healthy turnout of Guillemots. I counted around fifty on the ledge and probably twice that number in the water. They seemed much more comfortable with the cold than I.