The rays of life fall on the land and stir it from its slumber
A wave of colour ripples fourth, rising from the umber
Nothing ever truly dies, just sleeps and changes hue
Ashes to Ash trees, Dust to Dunnocks, all things are made anew
A half dozen Goldfinches were gathered on a Sycamore outside the Learning Centre and enthusiastically broadcasting their calls, with a Great Tit beside them for backup. I crossed the Car Park and headed towards the Castle, noting the presence of a particularly vocal House Sparrow in a patch of Blackthorn. Primroses are becoming more abundant now, with several more in flower along Caravan Terrace. Another spurt of growth was visible in the form of fresh young leaves sprouting from a Willow. I’ve long admired the Willow’s lust for life, they’re always sending out new whips and refuse to lay down and die if they’re blown over in a storm.
The Coast Path was my next port of call, with a Fulmar tracing the edge of the cliff alongside me, a Shag engaged in its usual ungainly eastward flight to gather nesting material, and a suspected Stonechat clacking away out of sight in the trees. I counted about 45 Guillemots and 10 Razorbills on the water, their saurian cries wafting up with the sea air.
At the Tilly whim caves I was again treated to the sight of a basking Adder, stretched lazily out across the sun drenched bank. Upon leaving, I managed to disturb a quartet of Rock Doves, who disappeared westward in a flutter of brilliant white.
Taking the Butterfly Transect route again I hoped to spy some interesting avian activity, but again it was not to be. The Rabbit from yesterday was out again as well as a prominently perched Chaffinch and a Blue Tit or two, but no rare species put in an appearance.
I paused at the bridge over the gulley and looked a while longer. I didn’t need binoculars to notice the Jay nestled in the undergrowth, its loud calls and equally loud plumage made it a pretty conspicuous resident. Returning up the Lighthouse Road I noticed a slightly odd shape perched on one of the power lines, The wrong colour for a Carrion Crow but too large to be one of the usual cable sitters. Binoculars revealed it to be a Sparrowhawk. Unsurprisingly, it was the only bird sitting on the cable, the others apparently having better places to be.