It must be fun being a bird on a windy day. This morning I spent a while watching the Fulmars - they hop from the cliffs and are immediately lifted into flight. They keep their wings outstretched; a natural curvature creates a difference in air pressure as it flows past, causing uplift, and so the ability to glide and soar effortlessly.
In flight, the Guillemots are not so gifted. They appear frantic as they hurriedly flap their wings to gain even smallest change in elevation, even on a windy day like this. Their bodies are built for diving, apparently being able to reach over 100m depth, where those short stubby wings come in their element.
There must have been about one hundred Guillemots spread far and wide across the water this morning, as opposed to their usual compact raft. As I write this diary, I can see hundreds more of them packed on their ledges from the view of our new cliff-camera in the Visitor Centre. This live feed is now on display for everyone to come and see – perhaps the next time it is raining, I could just do my morning ‘walk’ from here?
As I’m watching the bobbing heads of freshly bloomed Thrift, Sea Campion, and Ribwort Plantain which adorn the clifftop, a Kestrel suddenly appears in flight in front of me. It flies over towards the lighthouse, getting mobbed by a few Jackdaws on the way. The Jackdaws continue to chase one another, squeaking as they swoop in playful dives, before returning to their nest somewhere on the cliff below.
A couple of days ago, I found a Pipistrelle Bat outside the Castle. It looked healthy and was very active in crawling across the entire path. Worried that it might get stepped on or eaten by dog, I put it in a nearby tree where it settled, clinging on upside down. I’ve revisited the bat for the last two mornings and it’s still there, still alive, but in the exact same place. It's still quite chilly outside so it may just be torpid, but I'm slightly concerned about it being so exposed, so I'm going to call the National Bat helpline to get their thoughts.