The sight of a Common Whitethroat moving amongst the prickly twigs of the Hawthorn was a great start to the day, the bush covered in bright red berries.
Above me the twitter of a Swallow as it contacted the others flying overhead, the flutter of bluish wings and pale underside seen as they passed, soon followed by some Sand Martins and more Swallows.
As I stood on the top of the downland ridge, looking inland I could see that the farmer was in yesterday cutting the meadows, the cut grass will be baled in the next few days as used for feed for our cattle over the winter if it is needed.
Parts of the meadows remain uncut, providing some habitat for the insects and small mammals. Fluttering over a section of this was a Common Blue butterfly, the blue wings of the male showing as it flew, but then once perched on a grass stem almost impossible to find, the dotted underwing blending in so well.
Down the slope and the sound of Stonechats coming from the Gorse, the chatting call alerting me to their presence. As they perched on the green spines they bobbed up and down, patches of white to be spotted on their wings and neck, as well as some with an orange chest.
The piping call of a Rock Pipit heard as it flew along the clifftops, where I was searching for spiral flowers of the Autumn Ladies Tresses, but no sign of them at all.
However, I did spot some Carline Thistles – a golden brown flower amongst the brown dried vegetation. Also the purple heads of the Stemless Thistles and a few pink and white pea flowers of Restharrow.
The dull yellow head of Ploughman’s Spikenard alongside the bright yellow of Golden Samphire and the green of Rock Samphire, perched on one of these flowers was a Clouded Yellow butterfly.