Another hot and sunny start to the day, with a gentle north-easterly breeze whispering across the meadows, carrying with it the sweet scent of Elder and Honeysuckle from the hedgerows, the tang of Black Mustard and lovely new-mown hay scent of Sweet Vernal Grass.
The meadows are looking truly stunning, as the grasses mellow to soft gold, highlighting dense patches of bright pink Sainfoin, among gently swaying Ox-eye Daisies and rustling Yellow Rattle. Hundreds of Common Spotted Orchids dapple the fields, with bright pink Pyramidal Orchids, while harder to spot, Bee Orchids nestle in the ‘undergrowth’ at the bottom of the meadows.
Here and there, the jewel-like, dark pink single flowers of Grass Vetchling are scattered among the grass, while here and there the brown flowers of Common Broomrape (a true parasite, so lacking green Chlorophyll) can be found.
Meadow Browns, Small Blues, Common Blues and Gatekeepers are already on the wing above the meadows, while on the downland, shimmering Adonis Blues sparkle in the sunshine, with tiny Lulworth Skippers whirl, as they ‘sniff’ each other, trying to determine whether they have found a rival or a mate.
On the shorter downland turf, Wild Thyme carpets Yellow Meadow Ant hills with fragrant pink flowers, with red and yellow Birdsfoot Trefoil, fluffy, paler yellow Kidney Vetch and delicate Horseshoe Vetch also in bloom.
Overhead, Skylarks soar so high they are almost invisible against the bright blue sky, with the song of Whitethroats pouring out from the hedgerows.
Along the cliffs, constellations of Guillemots bob on the waves, growling softly to each other, with blacker Razorbills dotted amongst the ‘bazaar’. Fulmars wheel smoothly above them, as a Peregrine streaks by, carrying breakfast back to her chicks.
Returning to the Centre, a Southern Hawker dragonfly patrols the verges on whirring wings, with some nice patches of burgundy-flowered Figwort around the kerbs.