A grey blanket covering the Nature Reserve this morning, the thick fog limiting the wildlife sightings to the very close, however the sounds seemed to be amplified as I walked around.
From various patches of scrub came the loud scratchy songs of the Common Whitethroat, a very distinctive noise and very different to the fluty song of the Blackcap which was singing from deep within the Blackthorn scrub – so I wouldn’t of seen it regardless of the fog.
From just near the Centre the tinkling calling of a small group of about 5 Goldfinches, these close enough to see the golden and red flashes.
As I looked at the Hereford Cattle a young calf bounded across, startling a Roe Dee which was gently browsing on the Bulbous Buttercups. These cattle are busy munching the Tor Grass in the Saxon field.
In the meadows many of the flowers have decided not to open yet this morning. The closed buds of Pale Flax hang off the tall stems, the sheaths of Goatsbeard also covering the large yellow flowers while on the downs the spikes of the Early English Gentian are showing.
Down to the cliffs were the sound of the Guillemots could be heard well before they were seen. These brown and white seabirds have now got many eggs with the first hatching due next week.
On the water 2 Razorbills, other are on the cliffs again hopefully on eggs, while the long-necked Shag floated amongst these raft of auks.
Soaring close to the cliffs were 3 Fulmars, such amazing control from these birds, as they almost touched the rocks a cackle came from another Fulmar on the cliff.
In places the cliff tops are becoming shrouded in the pink of Thrift – also known as Sea Pinks and Pin Cushion. As well as the pink there is large section of yellow from the lumps of Kidney Vetch and Horseshoe Vetch flowers – both named for fairly obvious reasons of shape if you have a bit of imagination!
Arriving back at the Centre the sudden yaffle of a Green Woodpecker caught the ear.