Deciding that although there were rain drops falling from the grey sky, it wasn’t many, so a coat was not required, I toddled to the cliff tops to gaze!
A fly by of 30 or so Black-headed Gulls greeted me, the brilliant white of the leading edge of their wings catching my attention initially.
Sliding across the wet ground numerous molluscs, including the Garden Snail, Brown-lipped Snail and a Smooth Glass Snail (Aegopinella nitidula).
A fishing boat chugging as it collected its pots from the bottom of the sea was competing with the Herring Gulls as they sung (called) in unison.
From the cliff came a strong smell of fish, I was just above the main Guillemot breeding ledge, and the guano (bird poo) pong is especially strong!
The Guillemot pairs have been sitting on their single egg for almost a month, with the first chick expected within the next few days – come into the Castle visitor centre to watch them live and close up on the screen.
A Fulmar rose upward, allowing me to enjoy this amazing bird, the black feathers round the eyes, thick tube on its nose and the slightly mottled grey back. In a crevice another Fulmar was chuckling and cackling as it sat on the rock.
It looks like a really good year for Kidney Vetch, across the short downland turf by Tilly Whim, a carpet of yellow stands out superbly, this kidney shaped flowerhead covering magnificently. Along the edge a flurry of pink Thrift.
A few spikes of our endemic Early English Gentian pointing to the sky waiting for some sunshine before opening out into a delicate purple flower. While scanning for this a Bee Orchid was spotted, the pale pink flower remarkably difficult to see!! It’s a great time to go orchid spotting with Common Spotted and Southern Marsh also just emerging, while there are still a few examples of our earlier orchids Green-winged, Early Purple and Early Spider to be discovered.