A change in the weather this morning, as the still, humid conditions yesterday have been swept away by a gusty south-westerly wind, carrying with it a few spots of rain early on. Before long, patches of blue were starting to show through, promising a bright, but windy day ahead.
Bird-watching is a little challenging this morning, due to the wind, but still a few goodies to be found in more sheltered spots. Just behind the Bungalow, a Spotted Flycatcher darts out of the hedge to snap insects from the air, with another seen by local birder Warren in the Gully. Redstarts are also around on the Downs and on the Gully slopes, with a Wheatear also seen sheltering in a quarry hollow below the downland ridge. Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers also seen this morning, though most birds are keeping their heads down!
Along the cliffs, some wonderful displays of late summer flowers, including Sea Aster and Golden Samphire. Surprisingly quiet at sea, with Fulmar, Gannet, Shag and a passing Razorbill seen.
Inland, as the meadows start to turn to more autumnal shades of bronze, the downland is a picture, with oceans of purple Knapweed, lilac Field Scabious, yellow Bristly Ox-tongue and Ragwort, Ladies Bedstraw and Field Bindweed making a colourful picture and providing plenty of nectar for butterflies. On the shorter turf, tiny white Eyebright is in bloom, along with purple Autumn Gentian, candy-striped Restharrow and Dwarf Thistle, to name just a few.
Although most butterflies have been grounded by the wind, still plenty of insect life to spot. Bloody-nosed Beetles plod across the grassland, with a Great Green Bush Cricket stalking the verge at the edge of the Wildlife Area, as Meadow Grasshoppers skip around my feet on the downs, with Harvestmen, Speckled and Dark Bush Crickets and a spectacularly coloured Magpie Moth also seen this morning.