Another warm sunny morning, with a gently north-easterly breeze, perfect I felt for a wander out towards the downs.
Lots of butterflies to watch, with the black and white flashing of the Marbled White as it flutters above the long grass, very different to the buzzing wing movement of the orangeish Small Skipper.
The local speciality, the Lulworth Skipper requires a close look to see the delicate wing markings (in flight it could be said to look a bit dull!)
Later, almost flowing above a patch of tall Bracken was a Ringlet, a velvety dark chocolate brown, the wings with a row of silver rings underneath, only visible when it settles – which I always have to wait for.
Wildflowers galore, with Wild Carrot now taken over from Ox-Eye Daisy as the most abundant of the white coloured flowers, along with Hogweed, Rough Chervil and Corky-fruited Dropwort.
Hedge Bedstraw has delicate white diamonds, while the closely related Lady’s Bedstraw is yellow and Wild Madder a pale green.
A I listened to the glorious song of a Skylark dropping down from high above, the dark dot just visible against the perfect blue sky, a flash of bright pink brought my attention to a Bullfinch just landing on the prickly thorn encrusted stem of a deep pink flowered Dog Rose.
The pink chested adult Linnets, flitting around with the Common Whitethroat and Goldfinches all seem to have young at the moment.
The tall pointed spikes of Goatsbeard, some sheathed in pale green covers, other in full bloom, the small flowerhead looking like the sun with rays coming out of it, formed by the opened sheath.
Over the sea some Common Terns, heard and seen while Guillemots and Razorbills bobbing on the glistening water just below the cliffs.
Swallow swooped by as I was looking in the moth trap, containing both Large and Small Elephant Hawkmoths.