The clear skies, although hazy nearer to the sun, showed a waning gibbous moon. There was quite a strong breeze this morning which meant the Swallows and House Martins were even more dramatic than normal. They travelled east with the wind, but direction changes were more of a challenge. A trio of Goldfinches were briefly seen amongst the scrub. Jackdaws cackled from the Holm Oak near the walling centre. Beside the road there were a few Apple Blossoms remaining in the hedgerow. Meanwhile, Wild Madder had many empty stalks suggested the fruits had been shed or harvested by birds.
Passing under the Holm Oak tunnel a Grey Squirrel scampered up a tree stem. Shafts of sunlight beamed through where there was a break in the ever-green canopy. With wings spread a Woodpigeon smoothly and silently navigated between the branches. Upon a Bay Tree brown fruits were seen.
From the diagonal path I looked out to sea at the light swell with many white wave crests. On land a quartet of Jackdaws perched upon a leafless Hawthorn crown and the birds “bobbed” as the tree was moved by the wind, almost mirroring the seas movements. A brave unidentified butterfly crossed the diagonal path and battled against the wind to reach the goat plot. Later a pair of Speckled Wood butterflies danced in the sunny eastern margin of Saxon Field / Small Copse.
Only Rock Doves were fleetingly seen off the sea cliffs today and a Rock Pipit heard near Tilly Whim. Close to the cave steps two Golden Samphire flowers were still to be enjoyed. Rock Samphire plants at the gully mouth held many swollen seed pods. Waves created light spray and foam each time they hit the lowest ledge. Off shore dark patches floating in the swell were clumps of seaweed that had been wrenched from their anchorages.
The seaward facing Lighthouse complex wall had seven Sea Campion flowers at its base. Around the westward facing and shaded wall a few Thrift flowers also persisted. I had my second view of Autumn Ladies Tresses today, but it helped to kneel to “get my eye in”. They were less obvious and perhaps numerous and were on the lower end of the short turf slopes. Still they resembled asparagus!
After I pondered why the Lighthouse Bridge Pear tree showed no fruits, I found a discarded fruit on the nearby limestone slope! The fruit had been clearly pecked by birds and I believe came from a second hidden tree.