The glorious sound of a Song Thrush the first thing to greet me this morning, the bird itself perched amongst the newly emerged leaves of the Blackthorn, the blossom of which has sadly now mostly gone over.
The call of a Chiffchaff from the leaf covered Hawthorn, the little brown bird eventually spotted, as was a more yellow tinged Willow Warbler – the difference only positively identified by me while they were both singing – such different songs!
Patches of what some people would call ‘weeds’ in blooming flower, with Garlic Mustard (white flowered) and Green Alkanet (blue flowers), Ground Ivy (purple) and White Dead Nettle.
A tinkling flock of Goldfinches, flashes of red and yellow as they fly were disturbed by a Kestrel as it swooped across the sky.
From amongst the brilliant yellow flowers of the spiky Gorse, the twitterings of a flock of Linnets, a pink chest visible occasionally as they peeked above the points.
A Yellowhammer spotted, the bright yellow head of a male, as he perched on the highest twig of Bramble, I was delighted to also see its close relative the Cirl Bunting, which has a stripy head, as it sat for a moment in amongst the pink and white blossom of the Apple Tree. A good few sightings, with both male and female seen, so hopefully they will stay and breed.
A wonderful display of Cowslips in Centenary Meadow, the yellow carpet, but now with other flowers coming up including Bulbous Buttercups, Hay Rattle, the pink pea flower of Common Vetch,
Down in the woods the loud cawing coming from our new Rookery, at least 9 nests spotted in the tops of some spindly Sycamores, up until now Rooks were an occasional visitor, so an interesting development.
Arriving from the south was a Hobby, this bird of prey just passing over as probably it heads for the heathlands. A couple of Swallows also sweeping in.
On the cliffs the first Guillemot eggs are expected any day now, so pop into the Castle to watch them live on the television.