My last patrol before Christmas was accompanied by thick grey clouds and drizzle, but this was lightened by the wildlife and the views.
Along the clifftops, I lifted my binoculars to my eyes and was greeted by the stunning sight of 2 gleaming white Gannets flying by, their long wings moving stiffly as they travelled.
On the water a bizarre of Guillemots bobbed, a quick count revealed that 40% were in ‘summer’ breeding plumage while the others still had the white face and neck of ‘winter’. On the ledge hundreds more birds all packed in closely.
Gliding past magnificently were 3 Fulmars, only just returned having spent Autumn somewhere else, these birds wheeling in and out of the bays in the cliffs, just wonderful to watch.
In the woods a variety of wreaths hanging from the bushes, giving a festive theme to our Christmas Trail, added to be the Robin which was perched in the centre of one of them – missed with the camera!
A mature Oak tree was being walked up by a Treecreeper, the white belly catching my eye as it changed direction, the delicate markings of its back making it well camouflaged as it foraged through the lovely Lichen fronds.
Also flitting amongst the branches of this tree were a number of Goldcrests, the yellow flash on the head occasionally visible while the high pitched calling made them easier to follow through the mixture of Sycamore, Oak, Horse Chestnut, Elm and Dogwood.
The understorey is covered in places by the large dinner plate sized leaves of Winter Heliotrope, the spikes of almond scented flowers sticking out.
A few white balls of the Snowberry and the tall stands of Bamboo add to the interest for the morning, as did the patch of Yellow Brain Fungus on the rotting Holm Oak.