A quite magnificent morning, after yesterday’s heavy rain and strong winds today was calmness. The sea, instead of a seething mass of water smashing against the cliffs, was a gentle swell with barely a white wave to be seen.
Bobbing on water was a group of Guillemots, a short line of black and white birds, the sound of their wings and feet could be heard as they took off. On the ledge, halfway up the cliff, another 100 or so Guillemots stood about, many facing outwards showing their white bellies.
Skimming low above the water was a Shag, followed almost immediately by a larger Cormorant. When you see the two together, their differences are fairly obvious to see – bigger, bluer, longer head.
On the top of the cliff a small flock of Feral Pigeons stood, before taking off with a rush, the sound of air tearing as they went. Nearer the headland the head of a Peregrine Falcon could be seen poking above a rock outcrop, the dark mask over its eyes.
On the downland the tufts of grass covered in a coating of white frost, a slight crunch audible as I walked across it.
A loud squawking and a Pheasant took flight from the bottom of a hedgerow, which was also home to a Dunnock and a Robin, the grey-headed Dunnock skulking near the bottom of the hedge, while the red-fronted Robin was parading halfway up.
Nearby a Green Woodpecker was standing on the top of a Yellow Meadow Ant hill, its long beak making this bird look a bit front heavy!
On the ground the few tiny blue flowers of Chalk Milkwort were visible, these were in a closed tubular shape. Dwarf Thistle, Black Knapweed, Wild Thyme and Carline Thistle also still have the occasional flower in bloom.
From the woods came the hooting sound of Tawny Owl – maybe it too was admiring the half-moon in sky to the west.
Scampering up the trunk of a Black Pine was a Grey Squirrel, as it ran up it disturbed a Blue Tit which was perched on the branch.