The thick early fog was being burnt off from the Cliffside as my early patrol began, producing a glorious lighting effect, and patches of chilly cloud and warm sunny patches.
Out onto the farmland to quickly adjust a gate latch, around me the sounds of small birds could be heard, with the ‘quick-quick-slow’ warble of a Chaffinch answered by a second Chaffinch which was perched on the top of an Elder Tree.
The squeaky calls of a Dunnock were coming from the lower reaches of the Blackthorn scrub. Amongst this one of the many calls of a Great Tit could also be heard while the churring of a Blue Tit.
My highlight of the day however was from out on the Downland, the sight, perched on the top of a patch of Bramble and Hawthorn scrub a Yellowhammer. This fantastic bird showing off his brilliant yellow head for all to see. It uttered a couple of short utterances then flew into another scrub patch, showing its coloured rump as it went.
Ahead on the ridge a Roe Deer stood, silhouetted by the sun, not a surprise to see this creature as there are many two slotted prints in the soft mud on this area.
Along the cliffs 13 Razorbills, bobbing on the water, most in pairs, knocking their beaks together all dark black and showing well, the more chocolate coloured Guillemots far outnumbering them on the water. More