Coat weather continues with a crisp wind still blowing from the East. The Sun shines through deceptive bright blue skies, but warms just the more sheltered spots; in lee of a hedgerow or dry stone wall!
A group of Rock Pipits flit around below the Mile Markers, squeaking to one another as they scour the grass for a morning snack.
My route took me down the rocky coast path at Tilly Whim. Fresh flower heads of Sea Thrift bob in the sea breeze, their closed flowers almost ready to reveal their pretty pink petals.
The path through the lower gully is lined with Celandines and the occasional Bluebell. The scrub here gleams bright white with a blanket of Blackthorn flowers. Hawthorn branches are now covered in leaves, ready for the ‘Mayflower’ bloom in the next few weeks.
Dancing between the branches; a couple of Stonechats, a Wren, and a Great Tit. Further along I’m greeted by a group of rosy-feathered Linnets. One by one they all take flight, chirping away as they follow one another over the hill.
Somewhere amongst the scrub I can hear the tunes of a Whitethroat and Songthrush, broken only by the harsh tones of Crow.
As I’m traversing my way along one of the cattle tracks, a set of orange butterfly wings flash next to my boots. It quickly settles on a fresh shoot of Bramble and tucks its wings together, concealing the bright colours inside.
Dull brown and motionless whilst it warms up in the morning Sun, it would be impossible to spot had I not seen it in flight. A gust of wind separates it’s wings for a split second, once again reveals the orange and the black dots of a Small Copper.