Another hot day, with the Gatekeeper butterflies flitting along the hedgerow, in the field adjacent Meadow Browns, Lulworth Skippers and a flurry of Painted Ladies.
Ahead of me, two ears spotted, the young Roe Deer then took a few bounds across the brown dry grasses, then standing still to watch me as I continued my wander.
Looking more closely at the plants, Crested Dog’s Tail and Quaking Grass alongside Yorkshire Fog, and gripping tightly to the stem a Meadow Grasshopper. This one bright pink along its abdomen, its wings just small flaps, as I watched it hopped to another stem.
Continuing to look, a Dark Bush-cricket clambered onto the large leaf of a Burdock allowing me a great view of the long antennae and yellow belly!
Heading off towards the downland, I was delighted to see a flock of Linnets, the pink caps of the adult male still showing, while the tinkling calling of a Goldfinch flock was tracked to the clump of Teasels and Bristly ox-tongue.
A Common Whitethroat moved amongst the leaves of the Sycamore, where another also perched, while two Bullfinches landed in the Pear Tree, where the fruit is small and hard.
Although still in July, bird migration has begun with a Grasshopper Warbler spotted skulking in the tall grass, and yesterday a report of a Wheatear. Both of these birds will be stopping here for a feed before heading south across the Channel and onto southern Europe and Africa.
Returning to the top of the hill a Clouded Yellow butterfly landed on the purple Greater Knapweed, making for a lovely colour contrast. Meanwhile hovering around the dull pink of the Hemp Agrimony a Hummingbird Hawk-moth.