As the drizzle fell, a very different morning than of late! Along the ‘Timeline’ towards the Castle Visitor Centre, a few piles of collapsed red fungus, these Clathrus Ruber – Red Cage fungi, emerge as a cage then just as quickly sag leaving the red mess!
A few Fuschia, Mock Orange and Buddleas providing an array of flowers, while flitting between the upright stems was a Chiffchaff, the pale stripe above the eye easily spotted.
A small charm of Goldfinches twittered up and down, landing on Teasels, the narrow ring of lilac-flowers half-way down the head.
The damp had brought out the molluscs, with a huge brown Slug, sliding across the Purbeck stone, the orange frill rippling as it moved.
Some really tall Black Mustard plants, mostly without flowers, were being eaten by a variety of Snails, 45 counted one the stems, including 6 different species, from Garden Snail, Cochicella acuta (spire shaped) and the Brown Lipped snail.
Bounding through the grass was a family of Roe Deer, the female and 2 youngsters, still only up to their mother’s knees.
Overhead a Bullfinch swooped, the white rump making certain identification, while perched in amongst the pale cream flowers of Honeysuckle and Wild Clematis were a couple of Greenfinches.
Song Thrush and Blackbird, plus Long-tailed Tits also spotted in the area. Whilst down on the cliffs Rock Pipits and a Stonechat moved.
Despite the weather, Red Admiral, Painted Lady and Meadow Brown butterflies near the walling centre. A dark brown Ringlet sat on the large heart shaped leaf of Black Bryony and a Small Blue clung to the stem of the Marjoram.
A surprise sight was the deep pink colour of a Hollyhock near the Lighthouse.