What a very British mid-summer! Garden Snails and Leopard Slugs make their way across the footpaths revealing the damp ground, and few runners enjoy the cooler morning air. Last night we were treated to the wonderful world of live music, it’s been so long I’d forgotten how magical it is to watch a live outdoor performance. The first night of their UK tour the Cabinet of Living Cinema, ‘Hundred Year Tour’ was emotive, entrancing and mystical with a mix of instruments, poetry, stories and installation, performed around an adorned sailing boat in the perfectly situated Aviary Glade. Even being in the location itself was encapsulating as we sat and watched and listened. Above tall trees and silhouetted leaves of Ash, Sycamore, Hazel and Elm framed the blue cloudless night sky, as Carrion Crows and Herring Gulls flew over and Bats weaved through the audience, and the sound of a nearby Tawny Owl really topped the evening off. Don’t worry if you missed it tonight they are coming back on Saturday 31st July, I highly recommend it.
The air was damp and humid, fresh dew slipped through the Horse Chestnut leaves and the melodic sound of waves lapped against the shore making the atmosphere calming and tranquil. A family of Great Tits moved around a Holm Oak tree and the Juvenile’s made a sound I wasn’t sure off until I saw them. Two Wood Pigeons sat on top of the Corsican Pine, a Chaffinch called from a Holm Oak, Blue-tits moved around a Bramble bush and a Chiffchaff sang from within the undergrowth. Near Caravan Terrace a Jay called out and down on the ground, Robin and Blackbirds pecked around in the earth.
On the cliff top the sound of Rock Pipits was a delight and out to sea huge rafts of Guillemots and Razorbills were spread across the water. The Great Black-backed Gull chicks were wondering around a ledge and as the other adult appeared, they all rushed over to be fed from its latest catch. Further along the smell of the Guillemots was quite overpowering. As I watched a bird that I wasn’t quite sure of, it was circling the cliffs like a Fulmar and had the same shaped wings but the colour on its back was white with an ink dipped edge like a Gannet, I thought it was a juvenile Fulmar but the pictures don’t look quite right, I will have to look it up again when I get a moment.
Pink Bindweed, purple Wild Thyme and yellow Kidney Vetch all add a lovely colour to the cliff edges. A pair of Linnets sang from a Tamarisk tree, a Stonechat sang from the top of the Gorse and a Whitethroat sang from a Bay, all enjoying this lovely quiet morning.