Cold dry Westerly Wind!

Most of the time I spend out and about in the area is on the Bockhill side of the bay. This is not because the area of South Foreland Valley and Langdon Cliffs is uninteresting but mainly because the area is more accessible from the house and the layout makes it easier to work.

The walk from the lighthouse to the White Cliffs car park is one of the most stunning in the area. The cliffs are very high and are perhaps the most iconic landmark in the country.  Today the wind, about 14 mph  SSW was surprisingly cold. I seem to remember learning about Warm, wet.westerly winds in winter. It was neither wet or warm this afternoon.

As you get to Langdon Hole Dover Harbour dominates the distant coast line.  High on the right, one of the entrances to the underground tunnels is visible.

As I walked along the deep resonant honk floated up and alerted me a minute or so later two Ravens drifted past. It is amazing that they are now a familiar part of the cliff walk experience,consdering they have only been back in Kent for around 9 years after an 110 year absence.

Calling out your name

A good start to the day with a few more moths to verify that the warmer nights were at last having the desired affect and encouraging a bit more activity in the night air.

The highlight of another glorious afternoon and a walk along the cliff top from the South Foreland Valley to Langdon Hole was the evocative cries of a group of Kittiwakes loafing around on the sea just down from the Lighthouse.

Altogether I counted 42 Kittiwakes below me, but I must admit I may have missed a few as looking over a cliff top with drop of around 100m! Not a common breeder in Kent, probably due to lack of suitable breeding sites the Kittiwake, or more properly the Black-legged Kittiwake (to separate it from its Red-legged congener from Alaska) is the most numerous gull in the world.

The number of Kittiwakes breeding on the cliffs here has certainly fallen over the years. I find it hard to see where there are appropriate ledges now, but it isn't easy to see the face from the top. I'm hoping for a boat ride from the Bay to Dover later in the summer to try to see and nesting activity.

As well as the large flints jutting out from the chalk there are also large faces that have a sort of bumpy "marbled" effect. Again there don't look to be many places to lay an egg on these areas.

As I looked over the top I noticed this chap collecting something, presumable shellfish of some sort, either for human consumption, or possibly as bait when fishing. At Langdon Hole a Lesser Whitethroat was singing from the scrub at hte bottom, but I was too lazy to go dawn there to see the bird. Back towards the Lighthouse numerous Linnets were feeding in the rough grass now set aside from the agricultural fields and one Corn Bunting repeated his jingle several times from a fence post.

A quiet walk

For the third morning running there were four moths in the traps, not the same species each morning, but no surprises. Being a clear and bright day I set off confident that there was something out there waiting to be found. My instinct took me to the Undercliff at Kingsdown but sadly, once again it failed to deliver. The one point of interest were at least three Fulmars that had returned to the cliff and seemed to be prospecting, There are only away a few months and, since it is always worth watching their flying skills, it is good to see them back. But no Rock Pipits and no Black Redstart, let alone anything the stir the adrenaline. I did listen to a gentle hammering, immediately recognisable as a Song Thrush with a snail at it's anvil. I though it might be a photo opportunity, but I couldn't see the Thrush. I was very close and realised that it mas under a very thick bramble right in front of me. I eventually emerged, and few a few yards, and went straight back into deep cover.

My second inkling was for a look at Langdon Hole. This, I'm sorry to say was no better, the only bird that caught my eye was a rather shy Redwing. Walking back to the White Cliffs car park, a Raven flew over calling loudly. It then joint a second bird, and they proceeded to circle and display over the cliffs that I'd left a few minutes before. So no pictures, but today I can't blame the weather, which was perfect.