Mushrooms grow, spray spores and die, their lives are quite laconic.
Then they’re rotted by other fungi. I wonder, is that Ironic?
Departing from the Learning Centre, I witnessed a mini flyover by a group of six Goldfinches, who passed over my head before scattering and landing in a variety of locations. Also about were several Green Woodpeckers, heard but not seen. The sky was lit up by a rich orange sunrise obscured by a patch of low cloud, which softened its rays rather nicely. A waning crescent moon was also on display, and I caught a nice view through my binoculars.
I made my way down to the castle, checking the patch of Glistening Ink Cap in the woodlands along the way. It had gone over, and the mushrooms had almost completely decomposed. Down at Caravan Terrace I spied a few flowering Herb Robert plants, their pinky flowers a welcome sight now that winter has set in.
The Coast Path had a very healthy population of Blackbirds, Robins and Jackdaws. They seemed to be around every corner and sitting on every Tamarisk plant. The Guillemots were also out in force, with over one hundred out on the ledge, and a single solitary bird on the water. I respect its assertion of its individuality. Also on the cliffs, I spied a Peregrine Falcon perched prominently on a little crag. It appeared to be sunning itself in the rays of the morning and as I watched it bobbed its head up and down.
I set myself up at the gulley for a little while to see what other bird life I could spy, but there was a disappointingly low turnout. After ten minutes of observation the best I’d managed to see were a couple of Blue Tits and Great Tits. Better luck next time I suppose. As I walked back up to the Learning Centre the imposing form of a Raven flapped lazily towards me, the diamond shaped tail and distinctly large body distinguishing it from the other Corvids. Its flight was extremely unhurried, and I watched it alternately flap and glide its way over to the downlands, seemingly without a care in the world.
Katie was out and about this morning as well and caught a couple of good sightings, including a Red Admiral on the diagonal path, presumably waking early from its hibernation. Also a Black Redstart down by the Tilly Whim caves, which I arrived too late to see.