The Ravens this morning were making right racket from high in the woodland canopy. As I walked up through the woodlands the contrast between sea and sky was amazing, a perfectly clear horizon between a deep dark blue and a crisp grey. Walking out across the meadows the morning bird song rang out beautifully as did it for the entire walk.
In large Copse amongst the Corsican Pine, Elm and Sycamore the sounds and sights of Blue Tits, Great Tits and Chaffinch filled the air. Watching and following what was thought to be a pair of Goldcrests high up in the Pines, hard to establish a positive identification as they were silhouetted from our low angle. Doing what Grey Squirrels do best the sound of one scampering up a nearby Sycamore took our attention away from the high canopy, a welcome movement from a strained neck.
Hidden in the long grasses a Carian Crow rummaged around and 2 Magpies flew up to a nearby Hawthorn. Many Robins were seen this morning, at least 1 in very field we pasted. The clouds today were amazing, Autumn is a fantastic time of year to capture great skies and contrasting natural lighting.
In the East West drove, a lovely mix of Plantain, Yarrow, Knapweed, Bedstraw and Wild Thyme cover a little mound, while Brown-lipped snails move slowly around the bare earth. Hawthorn berries are a deep red now and Blackberry’s are leaving skeletons of their yummy fruit. Approaching the end of the drove 3 Goldcrests flew right in front of us, giving us a beautiful view of their colourful plumage.
2 Hereford cows were poking their heads over a dry-stone wall, and as we walked the hedgeline Chiffchaffs flew within its deep web of Clematis and Bramble. Saxon field was a delight of short rich grasses with sprinklings of Field Scabious, a lovely Robins pin cushion was high in the Wild Rose. A female Kestral was perched on a Hawthorn tree, flying off over the downs as we watched it and on our way back to the centre, Chaffinch, Blackcap and Blackbird were all seen within an old quarry now covered in scrub.