A perfectly peaceful early morning for the start of our quarterly visitor surveys, with not a breath of wind and wall to wall sunshine. This week we are counting people in the Historic Landscape so do not be alarmed if you see volunteers with clipboards!
Overhead a number of Swallows were acrobatically twisting and swooping, a wonderful sight followed by the odd twittering amongst themselves.
As the season progresses more species of butterfly are being seen, with the super sliver and brown Small Blue fluttering in the sunshine, while basking on a bare rock was a Wall Brown and flitting in the dappled sunlight of the trees a Speckled Wood.
The cloudless blue sky was showing brightly as I looked up through the bright green leaves of Elm, Beech, Sycamore and Ash, the scene interrupted by the dull leaves of Holm Oak and the needles of Macrocarpa and Black Pine.
Along the path the large cream candles of Horse Chestnut added to the May blossom on the Hawthorn both attracting a variety of bees and flies including the large Buff-tailed Bumble Bee.
The clifftops are now providing a lovely display of Thrift, the clumps of pale pink flowers covering parts of the turf, while providing a contrast are the yellow kidney-shaped flowers of Kidney Vetch.
As I admired the flowers a couple of Linnets began to twitter from the Gorse, requiring my attention, the sun catching the pink chest and forehead. From nearby the sudden blast of Wren, and this small bird then hopped around the edge of the cave entrance, tail erect as it perched.
Down on the water Guillemots were bobbing alongside a much blacker Razorbill, the white stripe on its beak and on its wings making it look very smart, while further out a couple of Shags also seen.
Passing by were 4 stunning Gannets, their size and whiteness making them impossible to miss as they skimmed above the surface of the water, close enough in to see their yellow head markings.
A quick glimpse in the moth trap produced Light Feathered Rustic, Light Brocade, Pebble Prominent, White Ermine and a black and red Cinnabar.