Yesterday afternoon, in the sun, butterflies we active, Hummingbird Hawk Moths and Wall Lizards were about the castle. This morning was cloudy, windy with signs of grey in the western sky. As we can expect for Autumn…
Nevertheless, there was Swallow and Martin activity about the car parks and gully mouth. Surprisingly, over the centre’s solar panels, one Butterfly battled with the wind. On the gully slopes a a faded Bee clung onto a Greater Knapweed flower. Corky Fruited Water Dropwort showed white flowers beside the “AllSort’d” garden fence. Both Honeysuckle and Ragwort showed flowers, whilst the later also had seeds for the wind to spread.
Initially I noticed the Pelagic Watcher with scope hunkered down against the southeastern corner of the Lighthouse. At the northeast corner a Kestrel was upon an out build wind sill perch. Years ago I recalled a pair mating in that location. Offshore I saw a few Gannets heading west, including a juvenile. A Cormorant would fly high in the opposite direction. Both froth and swell, with occasional spray, were at the sea cliff foot. Whilst Jackdaw activity was initially off the observation point, a train of thirty was later around the Lighthouse. Still the Kestrel hunkered down despite the chatter. A Raven “cronk” and passage caused another flurry of activity, eventually a few settled on the electricity infrastructure. Rock Samphire held seeds beside the bedrock steps whilst, Golden Samphire bloomed below.
Yellow Wort bloomed between the measure mile markers. On the downland slopes, Ox Eye Daisies flowered. Privet held berries, some in clusters like giant Blackberries. Vines of Black Bryony held unpalatable ruby fruits too. Orange fruits of Stinking Iris peeped through swollen pods. Hemp Agrimony had fluffy seed heads, whilst in South Field, one palmate leaf of Spear Thistle had turned yellow as the others remained green. Faded yellow of Lady’s Bedstraw was seen in places. Again, the Raven was seen, this time riding an updraft at the meadow / downland interface. Odd leaves drifted from trees.