The morning began with the mystery of was hidden in the mist! I could not resist visiting the wildlife pond to see the progress of the Frog Spawn. Unfortunately, all that remained was a mushy jelly with no sign of the little black embryos inside. My suspicions were confirmed as Newts will eat tadpoles and spawn! Today at least a score of Smooth Newts were observed where algae was not blocking my view into the water.
Beside the garden gate Hawthorn buds had begun unfurling leaves. Reliably Chaffinch and Green Woodpecker were heard. First a pair of Long Tailed Tits were heard then observed flitting between branch tips of Blackthorn and Buddleia tips and even visiting the bird feeder. A Blue Tit with an incomplete “breast stripe” was perhaps mimicking a male Great Tit, however, its stripe did not reach the collar! I departed leaving a pair of Dunnock to continue their banter. Either the pair of Long Tailed Tits followed me or was this my second pair. Later a third sighting would be recorded amongst the gully bottom scrub.
As I progressed down past the mile markers, slipping over once, a male Great Tit wore a much defined broad “kipper tie” breast stripe. Worm casts were visible as were Dog Violets in flower! Daisies were seen upon trampled short grass. Upon the wares one saw that the sea mist as it formed where it met the land. This happily meant lower down the slope the clifftops, lighthouse and sea could be seen. Appearing from behind the clifftop drystone wall a Great Black Backed Gull, appeared and flew west. I was also to see a Fulmar near the gully mouth. Above the Tilly Whim entrance I discovered three Adders this morning. One an easy spot amongst the bare soil. Another slithering towards it through marginal grass cover. However, I spotted another deep in grass higher up than the other two with only its Zig Zag showing.
One blow hole was active at the gully mouth and occasionally produced very fine spray but mostly noise. Back inland a Wheatear flitted amongst the short sward then perched on a protruding rock for a while. A male Stonechat put in an appearance, but it was a tiny Chiff Chaff I focused upon as it flitted on the ground then performed aerial aerobatics, I assume to catch food. Catherine reported seeing a Greater Spotted Woodpecker.