A very foggy start to my walk, making my binoculars fairly useless in the gloom!
However the sounds of birds catching my ear included the fast trilling of a Chaffinch accompanied by the loud blast from a Wren.
From amongst the Blackthorn came the weak song of a Dunnock, while perched somewhere amongst the twigs of an Ash was a Chiffchaff. This bird so recognisable when calling, the chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff ringing out loudly.
Rising from out of the grey fog, splashes of white blossom on the Blackthorn, looking almost like a sprinkling of snow. Most of bushes though are still in bud – waiting for some sunshine!
From above one of the very wet (and in places muddy) meadows, the wonderful song of a Skylark was wafting down, another of these early songsters took flight from the ground.
Having watched the Skylark my eye was caught by a dash of yellow and there a few Cowslips were just raising their pale lemon tube-like flowers.
Towards the coast path the bank covered in the leaves of Kidney Vetch – lets hope for a good show this year), while Danish Scurvy Grass flowers providing a scattering of white.
On the water, below the cliffs, the sight of 10 jet black Razorbills bobbing, 8 in 4 pairs, tapping their thick, white streaked bills together, the other two floating more independently. In the group were also 3 Guillemots, a paler colour and the longer bill shape to be seen.
Gliding along in large circles 4 Fulmars, the thin wings barely moving as they wheeled, this a stark contrast to the larger Herring Gulls who were flapping their wider slightly curved wings, while travelling more slowly.
Along the ridge, which is markedly drier than most of the rest of the Park, small mounds of fine soil have been excavated from the bare earth, the product of Mining Bees emerging from their shafts.