I was able to get rather close to the Blue Tits which were exploring the Elm and Bramble beside the road islands. Parts of the woodland coast path have been cleared so that they are becoming pleasant open Woodland rides. This meant birds could be seen crossing between the woodland cover and more easily observed at the margins. Many of the usual suspects were seen including Great Tits, Robins and Blackbirds. Indeed three Blackbirds occupied the same tree for a while. However, at the path margin amongst Bramble I spotted a Firecrest close to ground level.
It was most exciting to see a fly like swarm of Guillemots departing from the cliffs. It certainly was one of the biggest movements of the birds I have seen for some time and it may have been influenced by the passing of the rowing pot fisherman. More than one hundred Guillemots were upon the wing, some of which stayed in groups of thirty plus, circling in an anti-clockwise direction between cliffs and sea. The motorised pot fishing vessel E499 had a following a half a dozen Herring Gulls and a pair of Great Black Back Gulls. Hamish reported the cliff top fly past of a Peregrine Falcon.
As usual Jackdaws were seen clinging to the cliffs whilst a good dozen perched upon the overhead wires that serve the Lighthouse complex. In the gully a trio of Rabbits were seen grazing the sward which was criss crossed with cattle tracks.
Eventually I managed to establish that it was indeed Long Tailed Tits which passed through the Small Copse. A trio were seen amongst the Copse’s Hawthorn and Sycamore branches, but they were to travel on into the lichen clad Blackthorn in South Field. In said field one Jay was exploring the grassland near the copse possibly recovering acorns from a stash.
When recording the weather, I heard and saw a Blackcap beside the wildlife garden.