The sound of Herring Gulls began my early patrol, their calls ringing round as they flew above the short turf on the downs, another 15 were standing on the ground, on inspection of the area it seemed they were feeding on the remains of yesterday evening’s flying ant emergence when thousands of Yellow Meadow Ants took to the skies.
While looking at the ground Autumn Ladies Tresses were spotted, these strange white orchids growing up and around in spirals.
Other low growing flowers include the golden coloured Carline Thistle, the purple Stemless Thistle and the whites of Eyebright and Squinancywort, while the bright pink Centaury catches the eye.
Fluttering by was a Painted Lady butterfly which I admired as it perched on the dull pink flowers of the Hemp Agrimony, these tall blooms attracting a good variety of insects including Soldier Beetles, Buff-tailed Bumble Bee, Red-tailed Bee and the hoverflies Chrysotoxum bicinctum and Episyrphus balteatus.
Flitting amongst the Blackthorn were Willow Warblers, these small birds looking quite yellow at this time of year. As I watched them, a family of Common Whitethroats passed along through the entwined flowering Wild Clematis where Dunnock, Chaffinch and Wren were also spotted.
A good morning for finding the orthoptera – with Great Green Bush-cricket clambering up a tall grass stem, Dark Bush-cricket at the scrub edge and Grey Bush-cricket along the open cliff. The meadow edge held Lon-winged Conehead as well as the Field Grasshoppers, Meadow Grasshoppers and Stripe winged Grasshoppers, so only 3 of the expected species missing this morning.
A few butterflies enjoying the sunshine with a Wall on the bare stone, a Lulworth Skipper in the grass and a Speckled Wood in the glade of the woodland.
A few Swallows swooping past, a Stonechat in the gully and amongst the Apple and Pear trees Bullfinches were heard and seen.