At 7:30 arrival the sun was seen rising up from Durlston Head where it broke through the clouds and gave a warming golden sky glow! More sky gold in the form of hundreds of Goldfinches passed overhead, frustratingly not stopping to rest to enable observation. Some five House Martins and three Swallows put in an appearance as well as a fleeting glance of two pairs of Pied Wagtails overhead.
In Durlston Bay an infrequent sighting of some eighty Black-headed Gulls sat on the sea close top shore mid-way round the bay. Amongst them were three Greater Black Backed Gulls. There was plenty of cliff side passage of Greater Black Backs (more than ten individuals) and Herring Gulls, both adult and immature. Travel up and down the coast suggested a circular movement by the birds. One Shag was seen to perform almost half-hearted shallow dives, perhaps more preening that fishing orientated! Both Tilly Whim and Gully mouth ledges had frothy white water beneath.
A pair of Raven circled about me before each taking occupancy of its own mile marker perch. Later I would see one of them being sent off my three Jackdaws whom were parts of sixty strong mass including Carrion Crows.
It was overcast / cloudy such that both Peveril Ledge marker buoy and Lighthouse lamps were seen illuminated. Whilst visible, the Isle of Wight looked slightly like an Isle in the sky due to sitting in sea mist! It was whilst looking island ward that I caught sight of a Peregrine Falcon, perched cliff top (where stone met grass) with its back to the sea. Earlier I had seen it round Durlston head gliding with its talons presented in advance of its body!
As I climbed up the gully slopes a Kestrel swooped in front of me skirting the down land whilst the electric lines crackled overhead.
Four Long-tailed Tits and a Chaffinch appear from the coastal Tamarisk whilst possibly a tiny Fire crest too. Robins made many appearance whilst the machine gun fire of a Wren was heard. One butterfly put in a silhouette appearance, sure to be a Red Admiral.