A breathless morning – you really have to stop and stare before spotting the slightest tremble of leaves in the hedgerows, with a flat grey sky overhead and just a hint of mist pooling on the slopes of Round Down.
Overhead, Swallows and House Martins roil and swirl as they hoover up tiny insects – feeding up as they prepare for their marathon journey to Africa. Also on the move, lots of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs – our Bird Ringers needed several extra hands this morning, as they measured, sexed, weighed, ringed and safely release a few of these passing migrants.
A good morning for moths too – David, who has been recording here for more than 15 years had a successful night, using a combination of light traps and pheromone traps to record a total of 22 species, some in large numbers. Highlights included a beautiful Burnished Brass, looking just like it’s name, with immaculate, gleaming wings, elegantly patterned Willow Beauties, 45 Cetaceous Hebrew Characters, Double-striped Pug, Silver Y, Pink-barred Sallow and 5 wonderful Snouts – the prominent ‘nose’ giving them their name and a very appealing appearance.
Around the downland, still plenty of late summer flowers to enjoy, with lilac Field Scabious, dark purple Greater Knapweed, Yarrow, bright yellow Hoary Ragwort and Stemless Thistle all providing late nectar sources for bees and butterflies.
On the short turf, Carline Thistles are looking fantastic – like tiny ‘art deco’ sculptures in gleaming gold.
At the top of the Lighthouse Field, a flock of 30+ Goldfinches are working their way along the top of the field, feeding on the plentiful seeds of Woolly Thistle, Burdock and Hemp Agrimony.
A Buzzard wheels in steady arcs above Durlston Bay, with a Kestrel, almost painted onto the air above the Lighthouse as a pair of Ravens call noisily from the top of the Mile Markers.
A Roe Deer, grazing in Goat Plot stops to stare at me as I pass by, before bounding off into the dense Gorse. Returning to the Centre, a Green Woodpecker makes me jump as it bursts out of the grass almost at my feet!