After the bright yellow sunrise at 4.20am, a little later there is barely a breath of wind to accompany the dark black clouds that were in the west making the lighting very dramatic. Against this backdrop two Herring Gulls flew, gleaming white, while the grey Wood Pigeons virtually disappeared.
Flashing by a few Swallows, their blue sheen catching the light while below amongst the Blackthorn and Bramble scrub a family of Common Whitethroat were perched, the slightly scruffy and fluffy youngsters chatting to each other.
The calling of a Chiffchaff accompanied me as I walked towards the Walling Centre, this small bird was perched on the thin twig of the Wild Cherry.
The sound of a Green Woodpecker from the gully, was followed by that of a second, then a third as the family undulated through the Sycamores and the Hawthorn. The juveniles must greyer and speckled compared with the green adult, both flashing their yellow rumps as they moved.
Basking on the path a couple of Speckled Wood butterflies, the delicate circular cream showing well. A Small Heath had its wings closed, only the underside to be seen while a Lulworth Skipper skipped amongst the Tor Grass.
The bedstraw family very evident as the yellow flowers of Ladies Bedstraw start to flower as are the white of Hedge Bedstraw and the almost green of Cleavers while the Madder is rambling across some of the scrub patches.
The tall spikes of Stinking Iris leaves and its pale lilac flower growing alongside many of the walls along with Woody Nightshade, Green Alkanet, Herb Robert and Rough Chervil.
Another of the umbellifer family is the Wild Carrot, large white or pinkish white heads all along the coast, with near the lighthouse a couple of Carrot Broomrape show I think as dull brown dead looking orchids!