It felt very chilly this morning as I set out under the shaded canopy of the woods, Ash and Sycamore leaves falling all around. The cold prompted me to head towards the cliffs, where a brightly lit seascape opened in front of me as I stepped out into the warmth of the Sun.
In the foreground, a pair of Stonechats quietly preen themselves atop some straggly branches of Wild Rose. The female is first to fly away, but the male stands proud; undeterred by my presence, and ruffling the black feathers on his head.
A couple of Swifts pass overhead, ducking and diving with impressive agility as they dart through the sky. In the distance, a Kestrel shoots up awkwardly into flight: breakfast clasped tightly between it’s talons.
An unidentified scurry headed into the hedge draws my attention to a small group of Bees swarming around the Gorse; most of it’s yellow flowers gone over, with only a few remaining for the Bees.
The two Stonechats return, this time sitting upon the post and rail fence, their rosy orange chests ablaze in the warm morning Sun.
To my left, a Red Admiral butterfly flutters in circles around a grassy clearing, before settling on the ground. It’s black wings with the red bars and white dots spread wide, automatically rotating south to bask in the sunlight.
The sea at Tilly Whim is clear, revealing the great chunks of rock submerged under the water’s surface. Three Pigeons loop around the gully in flight, returning to their perches above the caves. Here a single Rock Pipit can be seen hopping between the Samphire, occasionally picking at insects with its beak. An early morning dive boat passes by, also heading west, keen to make the most of the good visibility.
I walk towards the Great Globe, where a charm of around 40 Goldfinches chatter as they pass between the Elm Trees. Over to the East, six large cruise liners dominate the view; Aurora, Celebrity Apex, and four Royal Caribbean ships; Explorer, Allure, Anthem, and Jewel of the Seas.