The sound of bird migration greeted the beginning of my early patrol around the National Nature Reserve, from overhead came the twittering contact calls of Siskin, Linnets and Goldfinches amongst others.
Towards the cliffs, a flock of Bullfinches passed overhead and then dropped together to land amid the spiky twigs of the Blackthorn, a wonderful sight as the bright pink chests were highlighted by the low sunshine.
The Holm Oak woodland attracting Grey Squirrels, these mammals taking advantage of the acorn bounty, scampering through the leaves and up the trunks.
A flash of movement in the Willow, close inspection found a Firecrest, the white face mark on this tiny bird my first indication that it wasn’t a Goldcrest! As I watched it flit through the twigs the fiery crest was spotted also. The same area was also home to a few Goldcrests as well.
Half-way up the cliffs, Guillemots were once again packed onto the ledges, but unusually, they were completely silent, not a gargle or growl coming from them.
A flock of Herring Gulls were crying noisily whilst the pronk call of the Greater Black-backed Gull added to the morning.
Back near the ‘centre’ a Green Woodpecker was standing on the top of a Yellow Meadow Ant hill, probing down into the mound with its long beak. A superb chance to admire the beautiful markings of this birds, the red head stripe, green body and yellowish rump all shining in the sun.
A flock of Wood Pigeons passed overhead, this was only a small flock of 50 or so, the numbers will build massively as they go through their winter migration.
On the ground a few flowers still to spot including the purple heads of Sea Aster and Lesser Knapweed, yellows of Ragwort and Rough Hawksbit and the pink of the Centuary and tiny Wild Thyme.