This morning a patrol around the meadows provided a superb view of a Redstart, the tail showing very well as it perched on the red berried branches of a Hawthorn.

Amongst the Blackthorn scrub which is also covered in berries, a couple of Common Whitethroats and a both a tan capped and a  black capped Blackcap.

Scattered across the National Nature Reserve were more migrants including 8 Chiffchaffs, 2 Grasshopper Warblers, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Spotted Flycatcher and 1 Lesser Whitethroat.  Out on the downland slopes were 5 smart looking  Wheatears.  While all this migration is in action, in the trees a Wood Pigeon was building a nest!

The fields themselves are ready to be cut for hay, but in the meantime Red Bartsia, Greater and Black Knapweed and Rough Hawkbit take centre stage along with Field Scabious and Wild Carrot.

Overhead the a stream of Swallows once again the biggest feature, along with House Martins – sometimes showing there white rumps and Sand Martins (the easterly flow rate per hour estimated as 400, 20 and 80 respectively).

A wonderful sight of a large flock of Goldfinches as they dropped from the sky and landed in an Elder bush, a constant tinkling accompanying them, nearby the twitter of 6 Linnets also heard and 2 Yellowhammers perched on the Gorse. 

Still a few butterflies to spot with Adonis Blues the jewel in the grass – a stunning turquoise blue.  Meadow Brown, Small Heath and Common Blue also on the wing.  Lesser Bloody-nosed Beetles spotted mating, and a huge Elephant Hawk-moth caterpillar spied amongst the scrub.

Down on the cliff top a display of Sea Aster and Golden Samphire, Rock Samphire and Fleabane, while a 30 minute seawatch produced 115 Gannets, 9 Scoter, 4 Shoveler (going east) while travelling in the opposite direction 2 Balearic Shearwater, 1 Manx Shearwater and 1 Arctic Skua.

Overhead 3 Whimbrel, 2 Grey Wagtails, 5 Yellow Wagtails and  1 Tree Pipit.

Today's diary written by Katie Black

Daily Weather Records
Max Temperature (c)	18.0
Min Temperature (c)	15.5
Wind Direction & Speed (mph) Max gust (mph)	SSE 17 35
Pressure (mbars)	992
Rainfall (mm)	0.3

After a few days of balmy late summer weather, this morning is definitely wilder and greyer, with a smell of rain in the air, with the first of the showers arriving as I type.

At sea, ‘white horses’ gallop along the cliffs, with a few Sandwich and Common Terns passing by, untroubled by the gusty winds (they will face far worse on their imminent journey to Africa). Further out at sea, the brilliant white plumage of 7 Gannets catches my eye, with Manx Shearwater, Scoter, Shag, Herring Gulls, Great Black-backed Gulls and Oystercatcher also seen.

Some lovely patches of bright purple and yellow Sea Aster in flower along the clifftop, with the less colourful fleshy-leaved Rock Samphire hugging the walls, along with the golden florets of Fleabane, and here and there, late flowering Thrift.

Making my way along the Gully, Stonechats burst from the scrub to challenge me, with several flocks of ‘tinkling’ Goldfinches, swirling above the scrub and displaying their stunning colourful plumage. Almost as colourful, a Jay flashes past, with a glimpse of royal blue. Also feeding among the tangled mass of Bryony, Old Man’s Beard and Honeysuckle, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Long-tailed Tits and a Bullfinch, with a few Redstarts seen among the scrub on the downs.

Overhead migration still more of a ‘dripping tap’ than a torrent, with scattered flocks of Swallows, House Martins, Meadow Pipits and Grey and Pied Wagtails passing through.

The hedgerows are laden with fruit, providing a vital food source as winter approaches, with fruits including the tiny ‘tomato-like’ berries of the poisonous Bittersweet, dusty blue-black Sloes on Blackthorn and crimson Hawthorn berries, along with a whole rainbow of ripening Blackberries.

A bit too windy to be a good morning for butterflies, though in the Lighthouse Field, Adonis Blues are easy to spot, like brilliant blue jewels among the grass. In the relative shelter of the Wildlife Area, a stunning green female Southern Hawker is on the wing, although the prize for the morning’s most spectacular insect has to go to a Convolvulus Hawk-moth found in last night’s moth trap (pop into the centre to see her in all her glory – furry grey wings concealing an extraordinary pink, black and white striped body.    

Today's diary written by Ali Tuckey

Daily Weather Records
Max Temperature (c)	18.6
Min Temperature (c)	15.5
Wind Direction & Speed (mph) Max gust (mph)	ENE 14 24
Pressure (mbars)	1001
Rainfall (mm)	0

Light and fragmented cloud covers the sky above Durlston this morning with the sun struggling to push its way through and clear some of the less dominant clouds above.

Down in the gully many members of the crow family are actively going abut their business with 2 Jays noisily transcending down the small valley screeching as they boast their brilliant flash of blue on their wings.

A murder of Magpies (the collective noun for this characteristic crow) explode from a Hawthorn, sending black and white flashes into the tree tops. Also passing through the gully are Jackdaws, Carrions Crows and a single Raven.

Across the downs Robin’s pincushion gall can be seen. This strange red fluffy organism that looks akin to a flower is a chemically induced distortion of a Dog Rose leaf caused by the gall wasp Diplolepis rosae.

With a moderate wind blowing Easterly across the park most insects are hunkered down for the morning. However a few Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Common and Adonis Blue butterflies frantically ride the wind above the grasses.

Still plenty of Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins crossing the park. As well as other migrants including Blackcap, Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat and Goldfinch.

Durlston resident bird population seeming more ubiquitous at present with Robin, Wren, Green Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Stonechat, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Pied Wagtail all busy feeding up on the seasonal harvest of berries, seeds and insects across the National Nature Reserve.

Down on the Lighthouse field the last native species of British orchid can be seen. Autumn Lady’s Tresses under closer inspection shows a helix like spiral of white flowers that can be easy to miss due to its small size and dainty floral heads.

                        Today's diary written by Simon Breeze

Daily Weather Records
Max Temperature (c)	18.7
Min Temperature (c)	14.5
Wind Direction & Speed (mph) Max gust (mph)	ESE 10 20
Pressure (mbars)	1005
Rainfall (mm)	0

 

Daily Weather Records (recorded at 9.00am covering the previous 24 hours)

Another glorious September morning with the highlight once again being the sight of a Wryneck, on the edge of Belle Vue & Durlston, the barred tail seen as it flew.

Lots of other bird activity with hundreds of hirundines – over 1000 Swallows noted as they swept over, 120 House Martins and 250 Sand Martins.  Most of these travelling eastwards across the sky.

On the downs the brilliant bright blue flashes of male Adonis Blue butterflies, plus a good number of brown females, in the fields both Common and Holly Blue seen as were lots of Meadow Browns and a single Wall.

Just by the wooden bridge a superb view of a Spotted Flycatcher as it perched on the Blackthorn branch, some species of fly in its beak.

In the same area 2 Redstarts, 15 Whitethroats, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warblers and 6 Blackcaps, with 2 Garden Warblers, 7 Chiffchaffs, 3 Wheatears and 1 Whinchat.

Nearer the sea the sound of Stonechats and flying long the cliffs in a westerly direction a Whimbrel – slightly unusual.

A flock of 50+ Goldfinches tinkled across the sky, as they moved from bush to bush, the brilliant yellow flashes of the colour on the their wings catching the light, another flock of 30 also seen.  While observing these, 3 Yellowhammers appeared on a separate Hawthorn just behind – the brilliant yellow of the breeding season now dulled.

Overhead the migration continues with 3 species of Wagtail – 1 Pied, 1 Grey and 10 Yellow, plus 15 Meadow Pipits and 1 Tree Pipit, plus a highlight of a easterly passing Lapland Bunting.

A croak from above drew my eyes to 2 Ravens, the attention diverted again by the very loud laugh of the  Green Woodpecker.

Good views of mammals, with a Grey Squirrel bounding through the Large Copse, a male and female Roe Deer in the fields and in a meadow 3 Foxes.

Still good numbers of our final orchid of the year – Autumn Ladies Tresses, as well as Carline Thistle, Stemless (or picnic) Thistle, Wild Thyme and Eyebright on the downs.

Today's diary written by Katie Black

Daily Weather Records
Max Temperature (c)	19.0
Min Temperature (c)	12.5
Wind Direction & Speed (mph) Max gust (mph)	ENE 5 19
Pressure (mbars)	1005
Rainfall (mm)	0.0

Another bright blue and blissful morning at Durlston National Nature Reserve with temperatures at a pleasant 15.2°c and a refreshing North East breeze blowing across the park.

Across the dew drenched grasses of the downs butterflies are beginning to stir for the day with more and more flickers of colour becoming active as the day the warms up.

A south facing rocky outcrop just above the gully is bejewelled with blues, oranges and browns as Common, Holly and Adonis Blue, Brown Argus, Small Heath, Wall and Meadow Brown  flutter over the warming limestone.

Elsewhere across the park birds of prey are out in full view with a Merlin showing its self close to the western boundary. A Sparrowhawk flying low over the path in Centuary meadow and Peregrine, Kestrel and Buzzard also noted across the park.

The highlight of the morning was a Wryneck also seen along the western boundary. This fascinating bird once bred in Britain but is now sadly extinct and is just a summer visitor. With its mottled brown and grey plumage this woodpecker like bird is easily camouflaged. However Hamish with his keen eye managed to not only spot it, but also got a photo with his new camera.

A steady stream of Hirundines (Swallows and Martins) flying East over the park. With 1200 Swallows, 130 House Martins and 170 Sand Martins seen in one hour.

A good number of migrants seen this morning  including 4 Wheatear, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 12 Whitethroat, 5 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcap, 3 Tree Pipit, 2 Grey Wagtail, 5 Yellow Wagtail and single Redstart, Whinchat, Willow Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Garden Warbler and Pied Wagtail.

Out across the calm deep blue waves 3 Mediterranean Gulls, 6 Scoter, Sandwich tern, Common Tern, Kittiwake and several Gannets were seen.

Whilst up on the clifftop the path is awash in yellow and purple from Golden and Rock Samphire and Sea Aster.

Today's diary written by Simon Breeze

Daily Weather Records (recorded at 9.00am covering the previous 24 hours)

Pleasant temperatures abound making conditions for this mornings ‘Seabird and Migrant Bird Walk’ very calm and accommodating.

Unfortunately due to the North East wind and calm waters off-shore, birds are also pleasantly relaxed this morning with migrants slightly harder to see compared to the previous few days and seabirds far out to sea.

However still plenty of birds to be seen across the park with a steady trickle of Swallows flying eastwards heading into the wind and few Sand Martins flying low over the freshly cut meadows.

A young Roe Deer slowly emerged from the long grasses within Saxon field, clearly standing out with its fresh golden coat. On moving into the thicker scrub another older Roe Deer became clear. The two checking our small birding party out before slowly moving on.

Whitethroats jostling amongst the Blackthorn and Wild Privet this morning their dark brown upper parts and buff white under parts clearly standing out. Amongst the busy foray a Lesser Whitethroat shines out with their bandit like face markings and bright white under-parts.

Down in the gully a flock of busy Goldfinches flit from bush to bush delivering their pleasing song flight as they go.

Whilst Stonechats of all plumage stages, from scruffy young juveniles, to older juveniles with adult plumage clearly developing, to adults can be seen going about there business.

Whilst observing the busy Stonechats a quick mention of the closely related but migratory Whinchat seemed to summon the bird in question. Within a few metres this handsome bird with distinguishable eye stripe remained perched for all to see and admire.

Other birds to be seen this morning include Spotted Flycatcher, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Bullfinch, Redstart, House Martin, Rock Pipit, Peregrine, Shag and a Little Egret flying East close to shore.

A careful downward stroll towards the lighthouse showed a scattering of Autumn Lady’s Tresses. A delicate little orchid with white flowers spiralling round the main shaft,

Today's diary written by Simon Breeze

Daily Weather Records
Max Temperature (c)	18.6
Min Temperature (c)	11.9
Wind Direction & Speed (mph) Max gust (mph)	NE 6 19
Pressure (mbars)	1007
Rainfall (mm)	0