My first task for this mornings patrol was to meet up with a visiting moth trapper. Staying with him for half an hour we found a few interesting specimens, including an Orange Swift, several Angle Shades, a Willow Beauty and Light Emerald.
Moving away from the base I was struck with how quiet it was, wondering if the hot humid weather was part of it. Hardly anything was showing on my trundle down to the coast path, other than a very vocal Robin and an assortment of Invertebrates.
From the observation point I was able to spy a pair of Shags, a Greater Black-backed Gull and a Fulmar soaring across the face of the cliffs. I also took note of the Golden Samphire and particularly Sea Aster, which is the food plant of the appropriately named and very scarce Sea Aster Mining Bee Colletes halophilus.
Further along the path I bumped into Anne the dolphin watcher, who was just commenting on how nothing much was out and about when a pair of Peregrines shot past from west to east. As I continued up and over the lighthouse green I was treated to anther longer view of a single juvenile Peregrine who was being mobbed by first of all a trio of Magpies and then a pair of Jackdaws.
Up from the gully I found one each of a Meadow Brown, Common and Adonis Blue, whilst at the same time I heard the calls of Pigeons and Green Woodpecker. Down on the ground I came across not one but four beetles trundling along, which turned out to be Chrysolina geminata. This may be the first recorded sighting of these at the park. These insects are the size of a Sloe berry (of which plenty are ripening nicely across the park) and black with a striking blue sheen to them.
Returning to the base I found the bird ringers and was told of several species of Warbler, a Black Cap and surprisingly a Coal Tit.