Cold and Sunny.

It has been another sunny day but with a very cold wind blowing. It felt almost like summer if you could find a sunny spot that was out of the wind. My garden thermometer went right up to 26C and I was sorely tempted to stay sitting outside and read but I did do some work in the conservatory and made a prototype rain diverter from lead sheeting and wood, to stop the water from the overflowing back gutter pouring on to the porous stone back wall of the house. The steep roof at the back of the house causes the water to pour down and over the gutter there. We've tried re-siting the gutter but we may have to fit extra deep gutters to solve that damp problem. However we had already been for an invigorating walk around Morte Point where the sheep and lambs were back and enjoying the sunny conditions. 

The low temperature kept the air clear and the visibility was excellent. As well as being able to see buildings on Lundy with the naked eye we could see the mountains of central Wales across the Bristol Channel. 

We only saw one seal, in the usual spot but right at the Point there were lots of sea-gulls resting on the water.  It was beautifully warm on the sheltered side of the headland and as we walked through the flowering gorse we could smell the strong coconut scent of the bright yellow flowers.

It seems to have been a day for wildlife spotting. Back home I glanced out of the window on the stairs and saw a long brown creature on the stones by the edge of the stream. At first I thought it was a squirrel but then I realised it was a stoat. It's the first time I've seen a stoat in the wild and Peter and I were able to watch it through the windows of the back room as it walked all the way along the stream and down to the lake. 

Later on I looked up from my computer to see a deer in the woodland beyond our garden. It stayed there long enough for me to go out and get some shots from the garden. His tiny antlers identify him as a young red deer stag.