A few wispy clouds in the sky this morning, but still sunshine galore, the rays reflecting of the greenish body of a Thick-kneed Flower Beetle which was selecting nectar from the many white flowers of the umbel of the Corky-fruited Water Dropwort.
After admiring this amazing beetle, I was drawn to see the globules of white frothy Cuckoo Spit, hanging onto many stems, inside each of these bubbly blobs a tiny Froghopper is developing – being protected from predation and heat by their capsule.
Basking on some stone steps was a Red Admiral, the white and red stripes contrasting with the dark wings, fluttering amongst grasses in the fields Meadow Brown butterflies, plus the first few, of hopefully many, Marbled Whites. The black and white chess board markings easy to spot as the wings flicker.
Three types of Skipper to be identified, the Large, the Small and the Lulworth (this the smallest and dullest in colour is also the rarest and lest widespread). However during yesterday’s weekly Butterfly Transect Walk, 63 Lulworth were counted and just 13 Small and 8 Large.
Perched on the top of a lichen encrusted Hawthorn tree was a male Blackcap, his singing carrying across the field, the black cap catching my eye as he blasted forth!
Later Common Whitethroat and Skylark were both in full voice while the chatting of Stonechats brought a family group of 5 to my attention, great to watch them flap from fence post to Gorse and back! The splendid black head of the male contrasting with the more discrete female.
Spending a few moments watching an adult Peregrine swooping across the skies, the crying call echoing as it went, probably looking for some food for its chicks.
A Kestrel hovered above me, the feathers quivering as it searched the rough shorter grass area for breakfast – it too may have chicks.
On the main seabird breeding ledges, the Guillemots are looking after their black and white chick, another week or so and many will have left for the open sea.