A calm morning in the bay. An overcast sky reflects dully on the flat water. The Isle of Wight sits prominently on the horizon, backlit by the obscured morning Sun. Somehow a yacht gathers enough wind in it’s sails to make way southward.
Along the coastpath, a bright display of wildflowers has bloomed behind a long section of the dry stone wall. Crickets can be heard chirring away amongst towering stands of Willowherb, Bristly Ox-Tongue, and Ragwort.
Next to the Castle, a Blackcap can be heard singing high up in the Holm Oak canopy. I walk down the hill and find a beautiful display of Common Toadflax has bloomed on Caravan Terrace. It’s two-tone yellow flowers attract a passing Small White butterfly, clearly standing out against the more conspicuous Red Bartsia and Hedge Bedstraw.
I follow the winding path around the headland, occasionally spotting the fading flowers of Pyramidal Orchids and impressive red clusters of Wayfaring Tree berries.
No Guillemots or Razorbills to be seen below the sea-cliffs today. Two mornings ago, we watched some fairly traumatic cliff-camera footage of the final Guillemot chick being picked off by a Herring Gull. Unfortunately, the chick hadn’t matured enough to leave the ledge, and with just it’s two parents by it’s side, it didn’t stand a chance against the hungry predator ten times its size!
A fair few boats sit quietly out at sea; yachts, cruise ships, fishing boats, and even a naval destroyer. Here at the cliffs, a lone Shag dominates the soundscape whilst bathing in the water. Splishing and sploshing around, dipping it’s head and slapping it’s wings against the water.
At the Hide, small groups of Swifts and Swallows perform their aerobatics above the pond, occasionally diving down to take a sip of water on the wing. The bird ringers reported a busy morning – Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blue Tit, Greenfinch, Lesser Whitethroat and a male Bullfinch previously ringed here last year. Surprisingly just one Goldfinch had been caught, despite a noisy hedgeful of them chirping away in the Buddleia!