A bright blue sky welcomed my early start, as I strolled around the National Nature Reserve I was struck how quiet it was, barely a rustle amongst the leaves, a squawk from the birds or even a rippling from the sea.
The ‘Dell’ a mass of pinks from the Willowherb which is growing tall, alongside this a scattering of the large heads of the Hydrangea (both white and pink flowers) and the deep reddish Fushcia.
Flitting between the flowers a family of Wrens, their brown round bodies finished with a short erect tail. A great view of a Chiffchaff as it perched on the branch of the Mock Orange, whose delicate white flowers are still blooming – although not for much longer.
Some butterflies on the wing, the sun encouraging the Marbled Whites to flutter, a flickering of black and white until perching on the dull pink flower head of Hemp Agrimony, where it remained as I had a long look.
The bright coloured Hedge Brown, which is also called the Gatekeeper, numerous, moving around the Old Man’s Beard, which in places has now got some lemon coloured flowers.
Through the long grasses, Lulworth Skippers skipped, alighting on the Tor Grass, Yorkshire Fog and Smooth Meadow Grass as they rested and basked, the light catching the golden crescent turning them from just dull brown!
Along the cliffs, all has gone quiet with the Guillemots and Razorbills having finished their breeding season. Just one Herring Gull and a Great Black-backed Gull to be seen. Then from the water came a flapping sound and 4 young Shags sporting pale undersides were spotted.
Then soaring past me was a Fulmar – such majestic birds, a great view as it rose to my eye-level, the dark feathers around the eye, stumpy beak with tubes and the stocky body all to be seen.
A young Kestrel flew really close to a Great Black-backed Gull, almost as if it couldn’t resist the chance to buzz it, before landing on one of the large boulders nearby.