Birds look down on man
For they have tasted the skies
Walking is for chumps
I entered the park this morning through Long Meadow and was accompanied on my walk by a Blue Tit, darting from tree to tree alongside me and pausing to sing. Quite the fanfare. In the carpark I stopped for a close look at a Robin in mid song, its throat pulsing deeply. What sounds to me like a moderate whistle is clearly a great exertion to the small bird.
Walking through the car park I spotted a Blackbird beside the zebra crossing, and the trees outside the castle shook as I passed indicating the rapid transit of a Grey Squirrel. I also noticed some emerging Lords and Ladies. As I continued past the castle a Wren darted out in front of me, alighted on a branch and began to sing and shake its tail rhythmically. Then it was off again.
Further along the Clifftop Trail there was a large flock of around 50 Jackdaws circling above the cliffs. Closer to the waves several Guillemots skimmed low over the water’s surface before landing in the raft of around 30 of their peers. On closer inspection, around 10 of these turned out to be Razorbills. Above them a Fulmar circled repeatedly, apparently trying to gain height before resuming its stiff winged glide along the cliffs.
I stopped briefly inside the Dolphin watch hut and spent a moment gazing out to sea. The stillness of the air mixed with the gentle sounds of waves and birdsong was incredibly soothing, and after a minute I continued on my way greatly relaxed.
Two Shags flew past the cliffs, one holding something in its mouth. I’m not sure what it was, but they were both keeping pace with one another. Apparently the air speed velocities of laden and unladen Shags are equal.