With the winds continuing to blow in from the south-west, the coast was the place to go to enjoy the churning seas. As I walked the path below me the grey sea was dotted with large clumps of seaweed which had been torn from the sea bottom by the power of the water – their ‘holdfasts’ on this occasion not working.
A group of Herring Gulls were bobbing on the water and a couple of Great Black-backed Gulls glided past and two Shags fought against the wind.
On land the Rock Pipits were darting in and out of the crevices in the cliffs, emitting the occasional call to each other. Whilst watching these it gave me a good opportunity to look at the flowers including the brilliant yellow Golden Samphire which is covering the banks along with Rock Samphire, the odd patch of Sea Aster, and the tall erect Teasel with its flowers in a ring.
Behind me the twittering of Linnets caught my attention as they landed on amongst the clambering vines of the Wild Clematis whose pale cream flowers are in full bloom.
As I looked the bushes became alive with small birds, a Garden Warbler poked its head then its whole body out to perch in full view, a Robin took exception to this and chased it away. In its place a Willow Warbler emerged, more yellow in colour and elegant in features.
Hidden against the browning leaves of the Blackthorn was a Stonechat, his black head and white collar spotted once he turned. On a Sycamore twig, waving in the wind were 3 Goldfinches, while on the hedgerow in the meadows some Greenfinches ‘seeped’.
The wind and lack of sunshine keeping the insects at bay, although on the purple flowers of the Stemless Thistle was a Buff-tailed Bumble Bee, keeping out of the wind on these ground dwelling thistles. Wandering across the grass was a Greater Bloody-nosed Beetle and on the white flowers of the Wild Carrot, Soldier Beetles were seen.
In the grasses the faint chirp of a Field Grasshopper was accompanied by the chirrups of the Meadow Grasshopper and the wheeze of the Stripe-winged Grasshopper.
As the sun emerged from behind the clouds a Gatekeeper butterfly stretched its wings flat capturing the warm rays in its body.