The wind whipped around to the north, and despite a good level of census coverage, it was clear that birds were keeping a low profile. Totals were down on yesterday, with five
Manx Shearwaters, one
Gannet, five
Cormorants and nine
Common Scoters offshore. Two female
Merlins were on the south end. Wader totals came to 83
Oystercatchers, 13
Purple Sandpipers, 12
Dunlins, 8
Snipes, two
Curlews, 14
Redshanks and five
Turnstones. Other sightings included a
Little Owl, the long-staying
Great Spotted Woodpecker, 71
Meadow Pipits, 18
Rock Pipits, two
Stonechats, two
Wheatears, two
Chiffchaffs, a
Willow Warbler and six
Goldcrests. Three
Chaffinches, six
Goldfinches and five
Linnets were the only finches recorded.
Even when the birds aren't necessarily performing, there always seems to be something else of interest to look at.
Glittering Wood-moss (
Hylocomium splendens) was living up to its scientific name on the mountain. It almost appeared to be glowing amongst the dead heather and grasses.
Glittering Wood-moss
At the other end of the size scale, you have to really squint to notice Tortula cuneifolia growing on the eroded soil banks down by the lime kiln. It may not be spectacular to look at, but this moss has only been recorded from a few other coastal sites in the whole of the UK!
Tortula cuneifolia
Tortula cuneifolia habitat
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