As I began my patrol I watched a small flock of tits moving through the Blackthorn tree, which now has buds almost ready to burst to open. The blue capped Blue Tits chittering to each other while a black topped Coal Tit moved in the slightly lower branches. Arriving on mass was a flock of Long-tailed Tits, each landing and swinging as they retained their balance on the flimsiest twig.
Down towards the gully a Chiffchaff was perched in the Yew tree, the slightly greeninsh tinge and dark legs making for an identification.
The Meadows are awash with water, about 50mm of rain has fallen in the last week on what was already really soggy and waterlogged ground. The sound of a Skylark was gloriously singing until the rain started when it abruptly stopped! In amongst the grass the Cowslips are starting to show their yellow heads, some now grown more than 1 inch high.
Towards the northern boundary, suddenly there was a red flash and a Black Redstart hopped between the bushes, the dark grey back contrasting with the red tail.
Pecking at a huge Yellow Meadow Ant hill was a Green Woodpecker, the gorgeous green and yellow colours of its back and head caught by the sudden burst of sunlight. On closer inspection the red moustache could be seen as well.
A few Hairy Violets out on the downlands, these small purple flowers are low on the ground, once you’ve found one the others miraculously emerge.
Out at sea a Gannet was gliding spectacularly, the white wings with black tips slightly kinked as it skimmed above, how it doesn’t clip the churning sea as it travels is beyond me.
On the water 7 Razorbills bobbing along with Guillemots, the differences in bill shape and colour clearly visible.
Bounding up the gully two female Roe Deer, the smaller one a lovely chestnut colour, the larger, darker coloured and still with tufts of fur to moult out.