Autumn is still rolling on in the bird world (and the amazing sighting of a summer plumaged Dunlin sitting on one of our view points last week proved just that - check out Clive's photo in the photo file in the visitor centre), but for the butterflies it is high summer. On sunny days, the reserve is alive with Ringlets, just as their name describes, with a series of obvious rings on the hind wing when the butterfly settles. Plenty of Small Tortoiseshells and Red Admirals too, plus a few Meadow Browns. I still keep finding Drinker moth wings scattered round the reserve, but have yet to see them intact. At least they're keeping hungry Meadow Pipit chicks going! Still keep an eye out for Hummingbird Hawk-moths, not surprisingly I haven't managed to catch up with one yet, but plenty of folks are seeing them.
Star of the week so far has been a showy Sedge Warbler. Singing yards away from passers by, it's attracted quite a crowd and photographers a plenty. It sings from a prominent dried Hogweed flower head and always, eventually, returns to the same spot after a little display flight; you'll easily find it if you head down to the cliffs and turn right. Yellowhammers are around most days now and its well worth a look at the "not quite dry yet" pond by the overflow car park. Almost every small bird on the reserve seems to be popping in there for a drink and a bath, but do approach carefully to get the best views. Fun to watch and shows the huge importance of fresh water to wildlife.
A steady flow of southbound Swifts is giving plenty of chances to get stunning views of these magical birds and many hundreds more will be passing through over the next few weeks as they begin their typically early departure back to Africa.
Now that chicks are well and truly on the wing Peregrines are more conspicuous around the cliffs, but still seem to cause little panic amongst the busy seabirds, so can be easily missed as they power through. Of the seabirds, apart from the Guillemots and Razorbills which are fast disappearing as their chicks have mostly fledged, Kittiwakes are getting ever busier as their chicks are about to take to the wing and Gannets chicks are just beginning to show a few black brown feathers beneath the layers of fluffy down. Stacks of Puffins to enjoy too right now and the CCTV screen was ablaze with orange legs today (Puffin legs, not my sunburnt legs). Ask the staff in the visitor centre for up to the minute information.
And, of course, the Bee Orchids have appeared, just as I said they wouldn't - hey, ho! Look for the cordoned off area of the car park, spectacular as ever.