An amazing morning to be out to get an idea of just how many cobwebs occur across the park. The fog droplets of water have attached themselves to each piece of webbing making them stand out a ghostly grey across the plants and strung between bushes.
On inspection of one or two dead flies could be seen captured and waiting to be eaten, while spiders sat still in the centre waiting for something to be caught!
On a web by the clifftops a stripy yellow and black ‘Tiger’ or ‘Wasp’ spider Argiope bruennichi waited.
Overhead a Rock Pipit called, dropping down amongst the wonderful display of Rock Samphire flowers. Also along the coast the bright Golden Samphire mixing with the occasional burst of Ragwort and the remainder Rock Sea Lavender, most of which has now gone to seed.
The lilac coloured Sea Aster with thick waxy leaves adds more colour to this on the edge habitat where the Thrift, Wild Carrot and Carrot Broomrape has now turned to seed heads.
Slowly sliming across the path was a Trapdoor Snail, this fairly upright shell has a hard closure like a door to reduce its vulnerability to predators and the weather.
On the square stem of a Cleavers (stickyweed) was a Greater Bloody –nosed Beetle, this plant is one of the food plants of the metallic green larvae of this beetle, as are the other bedstraw family including Ladies Bedstraw which is still providing its delicate yellow colour to the downs.
Whilst watching this, I was drawn to the number of papery cocoons of the Six-spot Burnet Moths, mostly with the black remains of the insect larvae poking out the top, others looked to have the caterpillar still inside so probably parasitized or failed in transformation!
This morning’s Bird Ringers have captured and fitted a ring to their second Nightjar of the fortnight. Little else noted but Blackcaps, Common Whitethroat and Willow Warblers. Goldfinches flitted into the bushes a flash of colour against the dull grey fog.