A glorious morning out on the National Nature Reserve with the sound of Common Whitethroats rattling and scratching from the tops of the Blackthorn bushes, what a wonderful start to the day.
Down past the Castle a patch of Bugle, the square stemmed blue- purple flowers interspaced with small flowers poking about 4” up out of the ground.
The warm sun bringing out some of the butterflies including a Dingy Skipper (despite its name close inspection of the wings sees a patchwork of markings and brown, white, grey colours). More showy was the vibrant Adonis Blue, whose wings reflect the light, producing shocking turquoise as it flew. Basking on the limestone, a tan chequered Wall Brown, while the two-tone of Small Heath flitted amongst the grasses. I was also delighted to spot a Small Copper as it sat of the earth for a few moments.
Along the cliffs the Guillemots are packed on the ledges, many now sat on their single egg, while scattered across the water below over 170 more of these chocolate brown and white auks. In amongst these 2 Razorbills, with a few more on the cliffs (hopefully also on the ledges).
As I scanned the water a Gannet was skimming low over the water, shining white wings tipped with black, while a large group of Herring Gulls was circling offshore – must have been some sort of fish convention below the water.
As I admired the clumps of pink Thrift on the cliffs a movement below catch my eye and a Grey Seal slowly swam past, dappled patches of grey and black on its body, the flippers gently waving in the water, this Seal then dived and disappeared from view – not to be spotted again.
The bright yellow flowers of Horseshoe Vetch covering the short downland turf, with the blue Chalk Milkwort, the tall stems of Salad Burnet and a few emerging globules of Kidney Vetch.
A couple of Swallows swooped overhead, while the calling of a Linnet caught my ear.