I awoke from a late night having had Maiden Oak’s Barn Dance in the Gallery. Some 40 folk were active for over 2 hours! Some dozen Goldfinches with a few Great Tits greeted me from a leafless Sycamore beside the Centre. Below Elder and Sallow were ahead in the leaf opening race! A Chaffinch and a Chiff Chaff were heard as two Carrion Crows communicated, one sat on the upper car park notice board the other beside the Chalet. The former bird tilted back its head before releasing its call whilst the later flew off showing some white in its wings. A reliable (not Reliant!) Robin sat expectantly on the grass / scrub interface.
I had a mission to inspect the coast-path below Anvil Point as Natural England have suggested some works. On my way, as often I heard a Green Woodpecker and the reassuring call of a Wood Pigeon. At the walling centre an incoming Blackbird appeared to deliberately land upon another in the scrub. Fortunately no squabbling as this seemed to be a nest building pairs exchanging of duties. From below in the gully a Peregrine appeared and ventured a little inland. A score of Jackdaws gathered near the mile markers whilst a borehole machine provided a variety of sounds from the Lighthouse Grounds. The intention is to bore to an aquifer to provide water to the holiday cottages!
The corpse of a decapitated Blackbird laid upon the downs perhaps abandoned by a Peregrine. Deep in the gully scrub drifted up the melodies vocals of a Song Thrush. I disturbed the Raven pair beside the lower mile marker. Yesterday I had seen them both transporting nest material near the castle which may not bode well for Guillemots. A score of Guillemots sat on the sea whilst a pair of Razorbills sat separately nearer the cliff base. The Peregrine flew past again “eastward” above the coast path. With time the falcon gradually passed lower between cliff and sea level. Coconut scent came from Gorse flowers whilst a quad of Fulmars rode the cliff side thermals. Both Herring Gulls and Shags were heading westward off shore as did a Lesser Black Backed Gull and Greater Black Backed Gull. I believe I heard a Yellow Hammer from between the coast path and diagonal path. The gully bridge area had the most bird sounds including our Song Thrush and possibly a female Blackcap. Finally two Green Woodpeckers skimmed past at ground level beside the weather station.