Another glorious early morning with a few white clouds streaked across the beautiful blue sky, against this backdrop the dark shape of a Raven captured the eye, the long wings and triangular tail alongside the deep croak making this an unmistakable sighting.
The low sunlight producing long shadows across the gully, where numerous small birds were flitting and moving, catching the sun’s rays then disappearing amongst the swathes of scrub.
As I watched, Chiffchaffs were the most active, the greeny-yellow bodies flying out from the Blackthorn flipping to catch a passing insect and then returning to another section of shelter.
The greyish Blackcaps also popping their brown or black caps into the open every now and then, sometimes just the crown appearing before sinking once more amongst the now browning leaves.
A sudden burst of song made me turn my head to watch a Robin bursting forth, this was soon followed by a dash of a second bird and they chased through the bushes for a few moments before all returning to peace and quiet.
Along the coast, the water was virtually still, a deep blue disturbed only occasionally by the ripple of a boat and group of juvenile Herring Gulls and Great Black-backed Gulls who were bobbing on the water, their dappled brown bodies very different to their smart parents.
On the seaweed covered ledges an Oystercatcher was spotted, the bright orange bill being stuck into the wrack in search of food. This black and white wader, one of my favourites, then took flight with a loud distinctive call.
In one Tamarisk ‘tree’ a flock of 40+ Jackdaws, while in another just around the corner was a Garden Warbler along with more Chiffchaffs.
On the bare earth a Greater Bloody-nosed Beetle slowed wandered and a Wall Brown butterfly basked. Buzzing around there were also many many small Flies with brown marking – I have yet to identify the species. On some of the Ivy flowers were the striped Ivy Bees.