From behind the Isle of Wight the sun rose, the sky a dark pink and orange while the island was slate grey in colour just edged with the coloured glow – what a sight.
The hedgerows are now starting to look at their best with a covering of white Blackthorn blossom making it almost look like its snowed. Contrasting with this pale backdrop was a male Bullfinch, the stunning pink chest facing me as I looked. This bird is one of the smartest we have with lean cut lines separating his different colours of pink, white, black, grey and white.
As I admired this finch a small flock of Goldfinches dropped into the Cherry Plum, a mass of gold, brown and red.
Skylarks again singing beautifully from above the meadows, this small bird hovering above its preferred spot while marking its territory and attempting to attract a mate.
On the ground the Cowslips are starting to come through in earnest, the stems still fairly short and pale yellow heads only partially out, there full glory still to come.
The seeping song of a Greenfinch rose up from the Gorse, while a Rock Pipit was singing loudly as it dropped towards the cliffs, wings and tail closed up.
From the Horse Chestnut, whose large sticky buds are just opening to reveal their three bright green leaves, came the chittering of a family of Long-tailed Tits. It is always a pleasure to stand and watch these lollipops flitting through the branches.
Other birds song heard this morning included Robins, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Dunnock, Song Thrush , Chaffinch and Chiffchaff, a definite sign that spring is here.
Along some of the hedgerows the purple Ground Ivy is appearing, as is Dog Violet while on the downs the more delicate Hairy Violet is to be found. Keep an eye out for the tiny white flowers of Whitlow Grass and along the coast for Early Scurvy Grass.