A blustery start to the day, with ‘white horses’ galloping across the sea and a strong north-easterly breeze hissing through the branches of Holm Oak and Sycamore. As the wind reveals the underside of it’s leaves, a White Poplar near the Reservoir Copse seems to flare brilliant silver.
In the meadows, Ox-eye Daisies dance in the wind, alongside crimson Sorrel, the white umbels of Corky-fruited Water Dropwort, Meadow Buttercups and rich pink Sainfoin. The first flower heads of Common and Greater Knapweed are also starting to appear, though none in flower just yet.
Below these taller plants, Yellow Rattle, Meadow Vetchling, Common Vetch and Birdsfoot Trefoil jostle for space. Here and there the curious ‘washed out’ flowers of the parasitic Common Broomrape can be found with a few flowers of the beautiful jewel-like Grass Vetchling – a single rich pink pea flower on a grass-like stem.
Many thousands of Orchids in bloom. Most numerous, Common Spotted Orchid, with pale pink petals splashed with darker pink lines and black spotted leaves, intricate Bee Orchids, the first few dark pink Pyramidal Orchids, with their cone-shaped flowers, along with a few of the green flowered Common Twayblade. In Long Meadow, some fine examples of a hybrid of Common Spotted and Southern Marsh Orchid.
On the short downland turf, Horseshoe Vetch, Wild Thyme and Salad Burnet form a colourful patchwork, with a Bloody-nose Beetle plodding patiently along.
In the hedgerows, Hawthorn and Blackthorn are covered in fruit, alongside the delicious lychee-scented (well to me anyway!) flowers of Elder. At their base, look out for the flowers of Stinking Iris – despite the name, I think it is as beautiful as any garden variety of Iris (and is one of just 2 native species). Dense tangles of Cleavers are also covered in tiny white flowers, along with blobs of Cuckoo Spit – each harbouring a tiny green Froghopper.
On the cliffs, breeding season is in full swing, with Guillemots and Razorbills hurrying in and out as they feed hungry chicks, with Fulmar, Great Black-backed Gull, Shag and Herring Gull also on the wing. Further out to sea, a few Gannets pass by.