The chitting call of Wren coming from the top of a dry-stone wall, the dark brown feathers tinged with chestnut marking and the eye striped and tail cocked, a great view, before it flew off.
A young Stonechat was chatting from a patch of sloe covered Blackthorn, the white blocks on its wings easy to see from a distance.
Despite the dry weather, there are still lots of wildflowers to enjoy along the coast, including the Golden Samphire, with its bright yellow flower and thick dark-green leaves, alongside the paler and shorter Rock Samphire and some wonderful examples of Teasel.
The Ploughman’s Spikenard in full flower, the smallish yellow flowerheads in upright sheaths, while the pink and white colours of the Yarrow and Wild Carrot add to enjoyment.
Field Bindweed and Lady’s Bedstraw combine along the edges where Wild Thyme, Squinancywort and Kidney Vetch can all still be found.
Strutting around the Lighthouse a family of Rock Pipits, with a Kestrel using the electricity wires across the gully as a vantage point.
Crawling up the thick stem of Cocksfoot was a fantastic Great Green Bush-cricket, this our largest insect, was about 3” (7cm) long and despite being bright green and with long wings remarkably difficult to spot in amongst the grasses. This one identified as a female from her long ovipositor, through which she will lay her eggs.
While I was on my haunches watching, Dark Bush-Crickets, Roesel’s Bush-cricket and Lesser Marsh Grasshopper hopped past.
The West Butterfly Transect yesterday recorded 405 butterflies, comprising 14 species, including Small Blue, Common Blue and a single Brown Argus. Gatekeepers (or Hedge Browns) were the most numerous with 154, followed by 99 Meadow Browns and 52 Lulworth Skippers.