Sat in the doorway, dazzled by the new dawn, the cloudless blue sky brings early warmth from the sun. The strong wind of yesterday has wained but a cooling breeze still takes a little heat away.

There’s a background rumble from the sea, an undertone to the scene, but the birds have the stage laid out in fields, sea and mainland hills.

The wren plays its song from crags behind the house, while linnets chirp as they flit their way past. The wheatear chortles on the rough stone wall and the meadow pipit rises and falls above its ground. The choughs call as they dance in the breeze and the skylark claims its land from a height.

Not long until the day’s work starts; visitors today? We’ll wait and see.