Under the mostly grey skies a few Swallows were flying, a couple swooping low over the pond just in front of the hide, lovely to watch as they took beaks of something from the pond.
A small charm of Goldfinches flitting between the Elder and Hawthorn trees, both of which are now bereft of flowers, the gold, red, white and black colours of the adult Goldfinches making them easy to recognise, some less well marked youngsters accompanying them.
A Common Whitethroat scratchily calling from a Field Maple, spotted as it perched near the top, its white throat moving in and out as it sung.
Overhead the melodious song of a Skylark once more filled the air, a good number of young chicks have fledged so far, but please continue to keep yourselves and your dogs to the mown paths, to enable more chicks to leave successfully, thanks.
A wonderful display of late spring and summer flowers to enjoy, ranging from the contrasting colours and shapes of Meadow Buttercup, Corky-fruited Water Dropwort and Red Clover, along with Pale Flax, Tufted Vetch, Hay Rattle, Pyramidal Orchid, Bird’s Foot Trefoil and Red Bartsia.
Then there are the array of grasses such as Yorkshire Fog, Upright Brome, Wall Barley, Rye Grass, Tor Grass and Crested Dog’s Tail, many an happy hour can be spent identifying these.
In amongst the plants a selection of bugs and insects found including the showy butterflies – Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Small Skipper, Common Blue and Marbled White.
The orange Soldier Beetles can be spotted often on the white Wild Carrot flowers, Solitary Mining Bees on the yellow Rough Hawkbit, plus the iridescent green Thick-kneed Flower Beetle and drops of Cuckoo Spit surrounding Froghoppers.
Returning along the coast, no sign of the Bottlenose Dolphins I was lucky enough to see yesterday afternoon. A group of 10 or more were swimming just off Tilly Whim, probably feeding on the shoals of Mackerel which have, according to the fishermen, been around recently. So keep your eyes open down there!