The woods are lovely, lush and green this morning, with a heady tang of Cow Parsley filling the air, and the green boughs of Beech, London Plane, Ash and Sycamore shed fat, sparkling drops onto the paths below.
Speckled Woods dogfight in pools of brightening sunshine, with a Sandwich Tern, folding pointed wings, like knife blades in to it’s body, to plunge into the bay.
Ramsons, Three-cornered Leek, Bluebells and Herb Robert dapple the woodland floor, as Honeysuckle starts to scramble it’s way up the edge of a sunny glade.
A squadron of Swallows whizz by as I walk along the Drove, their tail streamers almost brushing the top of my head! Alongside me, the shiny, heart-shaped leaves of Bryony (covered in yellow buds) entangle the stems and branches of sweet-scented Elder.
My first Painted Lady of the year flutters above South Field, with Common Blue, Small Blue, Small Copper and Small Heath also on the wing.
The meadows are covered with a haze of blue Pale Flax, and yellow Bulbous Buttercups, with patches of vibrant pink Sainfoin. Below them, Yellow Rattle and Common Vetch form a dense tangle of leaves and flowers.
A Bloody-nose Beetle plods mechanically along the path in front of me, while overhead, Skylarks flutter and wheel.
A pair of Ravens call to each other from the Mileposts, while the surrounding turf is carpeted with Early English Gentian – one of the best years I can remember for this rare and beautiful little plant. Birdsfoot Trefoil, Horseshoe Vetch and Chalk Milkwort are also flowering on the short turf, along with Green-winged and Early Purple Orchids.
The cliffs are bustling with noise and activity, with Guillemots, Razorbills, Fulmars, Peregrine Falcon and Shag all on the wing.