A few swooping Swallows, a wonderful sight, as were the Stonechats as they stood on the branches of Blackthorn, a few youngsters recently fledged as well as male and female adults.
Fluttering around the grasses were lots of Lulworth Skippers, these small and fairly dull orangey-brown butterflies the most numerous species on my walk, closely followed by Marbled Whites and Gatekeepers.
The dark purple of the Greater Knapweed standing out beautifully alongside the white of Yarrow and Wild Carrot, plus the yellow of Lady’s Bedstraw and Common Toadflax.
My patrol was halted by the electric fence, which is there to stop the herd of Hereford cows, calves and bull from walking onto the footpath. The fence was lying on the ground, wire and post no longer attached. As I strung it back together the glorious sound of a Skylark was coming from the blue sky above me, while the squeak of a Bullfinch came from the scrub in the gully. After a little while the pink chest of the Bullfinch was spotted perched on the twig of a Hawthorn, the berries of which were green.
Returning past the Mile Markers, two large black Ravens were standing on top of the higher one, croaks loudly to each other (and everyone else!)
The Guillemot colony has mostly now left the ledges, last night the upper ledge contained just 12 adults and 4 chicks, while today it is empty. Hopefully those left to join the other chicks and adults bobbing in the safety of the open sea. The lower ledge still contains a few birds – have a look on our website for live action.
A tinkling of Goldfinches overhead, plus a Common Whitethroat on the Elder tree, but otherwise quite quiet birdwise.
The sound of Meadow Grasshoppers in the grasses, and by a gateway a Roesel’s Bush-cricket spotted – the yellow crescent shape on its side very obvious and easy to see!