Once more the sound of a Green Woodpecker yaffling began my early patrol, with more birdsong to listen to including that of a Goldfinch which was perched in the top of an Elm, the sun shining on its yellow wing flash, as I admired the red head marking also came into view as did 6 more of these birds as they landed on mass in the twigs.
A large Bay tree is covered in small cream hard spherical globules, and singing loudly from this was a Chaffinch, the ‘quick-quick-slow’ tune ringing out across the meadow. Nearby in the Field Maple a Blue Tit was churring and a Robin strutting its stuff, red breast obvious for all to see.
The loud squawk of a Jay came from near the woods, as I looked up the white rump could be seen and then a flash of blue from it small wing bar.
Basking on the trunk of an English Oak was a Red Admiral, surprisingly well camouflaged, the red flashes very similar to the lines on the bark.
Down to the cliffs where the water was littered by Guillemots, 40 or so bobbing in the slight rippling waves. In amongst these were 19 Razorbills, many in close pairs, with a few bobbing alone.
Gliding past me was a Fulmar, this bird moving by at the same height as me, allowing a really good view of the ring of black feathers around its eye and of the stubby tube beak.
At Tilly Whim the sun once again bringing the Adders out of their winter hibernaculum, four female snakes were spotted in amongst the roots and branches in which they are very well camouflaged. As I watched the very long knot of dark and pale brown body, I spotted that in fact it had two heads! Tracing the knot I then also found the two tails!
On a clump of Blackthorn scrub perched tow Stonechats, the male flicking his tail and calling, the female looking on (with distain?) This pair of birds then moved to a nearby patch of flowering Gorse and continued with their flirting.