The blue sea, sparkling in the sunlight, and sailing towards the east a flotilla of grey sailed boats. Skimming past them were a couple of long winged Gannets, the white colouration gleaming in the sunshine.
A superb view of a Kestrel as it hovered then dropped before hovering again, the grey and chestnut back and head stunning, below on the rocks a group of young Herring Gulls, the speckled brown backs so different to the grey of the adults, now pairing up higher on the ledges. Soaring overhead, emitting a loud ‘cronk’ as it passed was a Raven.
The water scattered with Guillemots and Razorbills, while the ledges were also packed with birds – to watch these amazing creatures at home, log into our webcam on our website, finally now showing!
Patches of the round-headed pink Thrift starting to open up alongside the Danish Scurvy Grass and Sea Campion, while on a Smooth Sow Thistle was a brilliant long green beetle, iridescent in the light.
Basking on a piece of limestone was a Wall Brown butterfly, and buzzing about a Dotted Bee-fly, the long proboscis looking to probe a flower.
A great morning for watching and listening for small birds, the Blackthorn scrub a perch for a Wheatear while another flew onto the Gorse, the white rump flashing as it went, on landing a superb view of this masked traveller.
The scratchy call of a Common Whitethroat to be heard, and the birds spotted as they perched on the top twigs of an Apple, the blossom all around. Nearby a Lesser Whitethroat poked up its head before skulking away again.
Near the Quarr a male and female Cirl Bunting were both in the same Blackthorn bush, the greenish-yellow head marking fairly easy to spot. Also the stunning yellow head of a male Yellowhammer spotted – such a great bird.
Other sightings included Stonechat, Linnets, Blackcaps while yesterday Pied Flycatcher and Ring Ousel were both recorded.
The Orchids are looking marvellous with the Early Spider Orchid in good numbers, along with Early Purple and Green-winged, while Salad Burnet and Chalk Milkwort are also beginning to flowering.