A very hazy start to the day this morning. Out to sea, the horizon has gone amiss, leaving the sky to blend seamlessly into the sea as one. Another day of calm, the tree standing motionless from the lack of wind. On my way down towards the lighthouse, the brilliant bright yellow blooms of Gorse lined the edge of the road, emitting their sweet coconut-scented smell!
One of our volunteer bird ringers had already been at the park since dawn, but reported a quiet morning having caught just 12 Chiffchaffs, 1 House Sparrow and rather unusually 1 Woodpigeon! Each bird is released shortly after placing a light, loose, and therefore harmless ring around the bird’s leg. Each ring has a unique identification number, enabling us to identify the bird! The data collected allows us to monitor bird populations and migration routes – such as Swifts and Swallows which travel here from as far as South Africa each year!
On my walk I set about trying to find the Early Spider Orchid reported to be out in flower, one field west of the lighthouse. Coloured green and brown, standing at two inches tall – this was a bit like finding a needle in a haystack! Over the next few weeks these special orchids will be popping up everywhere along our part of the coast, which is one the best places in the country to see them! On my orchid hunt I also managed to spot a few young Bloody-nosed Beetles, likely recently emerged from the over-wintering pupal stage of their lifecycle.
On the white bridge across the gully, I could hear a wonderful chorus of bird song amongst the mayflower Blackthorn bloom. Chiffchaffs continuously chatted away, whilst Great Tits, Long-tailed Tits and a Blackcap competed for their voices to be heard. The distant song of a Skylark also sung out from high above the downs. A Peacock Butterfly dancing along the wall, enjoying the warm morning no doubt.
Whilst I've been writing this diary, a pair of Great Tits have been busy preparing their nest outside the office window. Come visit the castle today to see the live feed from inside the nestbox!