The meadows a delight to walk along the edge of, the grasses swaying in the breeze and insects popping out. The included the Dark Bush-cricket, easily spotted on the large Burdock leaves and on the wild multi-flowered head of a Wild Carrot, the thin orange bodied Soldier Beetle.
Difficult to distinguish were at least four species of hoverfly, while the velvet brown Ringlet fluttered before landing on the bright green Black Bryony leaf, showing off its delicate yellow rings as it closed it’s wings.
Singing from above was a Skylark while another two were standing on the dry-stone wall, great views and these subtly streaked birds.
A quick glance across the downland and it looked like an odd male deer lying down, however on inspection with binoculars and it turned out to be a large limestone rock with a juvenile Peregrine Falcon standing upright!! Amazing how the eye can deceive!! This youngster was sporting a blue beak and as it took flight the pale tail band also became obvious.
Some wonderful flowers to enjoy, with the superbly named Corky-fruited Water-dropwort. Upright on its thick sturdy green stem, while the delicate pinky-white Field Bindweed is using this as a support.
The deep purple Selfheal flowers, combining with the yellow of Bird’s-foot Trefoil and the dull pink of Red Bartsia.
A tapping sound was traced to a Song Thrush standing on the dry-stone wall, with a Garden Snail in her beak, banging it on the stone.
In the shelter of the woods the elegant white flowers of Enchanter’s Nightshade are alongside the dark purple of the Woody Nightshade, and the Garlic Mustard is draped in white bubbly globules of Cuckoo Spit.