This morning a beautiful sunrise glows across the park, casting long shadows which sway with the trees above. Evergreen Holm Oak leaves dapple the sunlight, whilst a break in the canopy alights a stone bench – a tempting seat if they weren’t still wet! A chirpy Robin bellows out its song. Occasionally it flutters from tree to tree, commanding a new stage each time.
I walked down towards the Observation Point, and was delighted to see the bright yellow Daffodils in bloom outside the Castle. All sorts of birds crowd the cliffs – Herring Gulls and Woodpigeons perch on grassy ledges, Fulmars soar in a loop with their outstretched wings, Shags patrol low against the sea, and Jackdaws squeak as they burst into flight.
Plenty of Guillemots can be seen rafting on the water below their ledge. You can hear them splish-splashing around, as they preen their feathers and awkwardly take flight with their stubby little wings. Through my binoculars I spy some juvenile birds amongst the group – identified by their white feathers which run from their tummies all the way up to their beaks.
I spent a short while scanning the dew covered bank above Tilly Whim. A morning like this may have been tempting for an Adder to bask in the sunlight, but no such luck today.
Next I traipse across the downs, slipping and sliding as I traverse the steep slope. I find level ground along a cattle track which makes my boots squelch with every step, as they sink into the mud. These efforts are rewarded with the sighting of two Goldcrests. Each of them flit around an Ivy-covered Hawthorn. The red haws mixed with Rosehips adding a refreshing burst of colour into the other drab patch of scrub.