A chilly start to the day, after a cool night, but well worth being up early, thanks to blue skies and some brilliant sunshine.
Dewdrops sparkle on grass stems and despite the nip in the air, several Red Admirals are out soaking up the sun, along with a late Hummingbird Hawkmoth! Lots of Ivy Bees (Colletes hedera) thirstily sipping nectar from Ivy blossom near the drove, with a Devil’s Coach-horse Beetle – big and black, seen in the grass on the verge.
Charms of Goldfinches hopscotch along the downland, filling the air with their rippling calls, with their crimson and gold plumage looking fantastic in the sunshine.
Autumn migration is well underway, with Swallows swirling overhead (including lots of this year’s young, lacking the long tail streamers of the adults. Pied Wagtails, Siskin and Meadow Pipits are also on their way through.
Former Ranger Hamish spotted Redpoll and Hawfinch this morning – a sign that autumn is drawing on, along with a Yellow-browed Warbler near the Castle, which seems to have taken up temporary residence here, being seen numerous times over the last week.
Out at sea, a few Brent Geese pass by in the distance, with Great Black-backed Gull, Guillemots Herring Gull, Cormorant and Shag also seen.
Even as the meadows and downs fade to muted shades of bronze, there is still plenty of colour from fruits and berries. The berries of Bryony in particular are looking fantastic, festooned over scrub like strings of beads, surrounded by the silver flowers of Old Man’s Beard.
Hawthorn berries gleam in the sunshine, alongside the midnight blue berries of Blackthorn, scarlet hips of Dog Rose and at the base of the hedgerows, the starburst seedpods of Stinking Iris are splitting open to reveal bright orange seeds.
To explore how geology, history and wildlife intersect, why not join our ‘Layers in the Landscape’ walk at 2.00 today?