30th January from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth
Chilly but fresh. The sea is calm and tenderly smoothes the brow of the beach. Long streaks and raggedy mackerel bubbles of grey cloud hide the sun. They give the illusion of heading fast for the horizon. Go faster stripes for the heavens. A pigeon flies fast overhead. Some important mail to deliver obviously. A strange toothy blue plastic flower on a shiny bush. Despite the cold weather, a patch of nettles have decided to get on with spring.
From 30th January 2022
Greenfinches usually start singing in March but here is one wheezing away like a pensioner climbing the stairs before January is out. The greenfinch is a pretty olive green bird with bright flashes of yellow and can be heard from every bush and low tree on the West Cliff. It is is so common here that I think of it as our signature bird and while it is sharp decline elsewhere it seems to be holding up here. And within a couple of paces I can see a pair of coal tits racing excitedly round in the branches of a pine whilst making their distinctive two note call. The sun is shining down from a sky lined by high feathery trails of cloud and reflects brightly off the sea with the brilliant sheen of a panto dame's cloth-of-silver walk down frock. #Bournemouth #westcliff #winter #January
