Yesterday morning a Roe Deer emerged from the Small Copse and crept virtually unseen, after 10am, past the car park edge. It also marked the last working day, before retirement, of our postman Alan. No longer will we see him in his post van feeding the Robin on his break! However, as a keen naturalist we hope to see him in the future, moth trapping perhaps!
Today an unseen Green Woodpecker was heard calling near the centre whilst a Rabbit scuttled past a water trough.
It was a surprise to see two Horse Chestnut buds opening, beside Long Meadow, to reveal white flowers. But where had its two conkers gone? neighbouring Dogwood held berries whilst white Snowberry fruits were to be seen in the beside the woodland woodchip path. Pale Privet fruits had formed in the gully.
A solitary Shag flew east over the sea whilst Herring Gulls called from the Gully Mouth. Several small wavelets decorated the sea. Beside Tilly Whim steps were a few Sea Aster blooms and the feint scent of charred wood, but no sign of campers upon the ledge. The Gully Mouth still had the best show of Golden Samphire flowers. Dwarf Mallow and Dwarf Thistle flowers were at the edges of the coast path. A Wheatear flew up and landed on the Lighthouse boundary wall. I then discovered an abandoned split bin bag of kindly, which I relocated, suggest someone might have attempted to light a campfire last night. There were plenty of “see me if you can” small bird flights amongst the gully scrub. Robin song snippets were heard. Several chattering Blue Tits seen and of course a Blackbird. Upon reflection the washed out / faded “Stonechat” I had seen might have been a Whinchat. A pair of unmistakable Goldfinches perched briefly. A good dozen shiny faced Jackdaws moved regularly from Lighthouse Green to gully exploring the ground.
Underneath reptile sheet 2 it was a Bloody nosed Beetle that was seen. Both the odd Bumble Bee and few ground hugging Meadow Browns were seen. Swooping and diving about the edge of the Small Copse was one solitary Swallow.