What a wonderful morning to be up and about for a walk at Durlston Country Park National Nature Reserve.
So much to enjoy – including the strong smells, such as the coconut wafting from the brilliant yellow flowers of the spiky Gorse, the stench of a Fox lingering on so tufts of grass and down by the cliffs the pungent fishy pong from the hundreds of Guillemots that were crammed onto the ledges, regaining their territories as they stand.
On one of the stone steps near the gully, a small insect caught my attention, this almost black, flattened larvae, with dull orange dashed along its edge was a young Glowworm, enjoying a meal of a Garden Snail which looked to have had its shell crushed. Fantastic to see this stage of these amazing beetles, we await the summer to admire them as adults.
Birdsong galore, from the fluty Song Thrush, which was perched in the newly opening blossom buds of one of the Wild Apple trees. A Dunnock and a Wren both sung loud and long from the Blackthorn, which now has fresh green leaves taking over from the blossom.
A wonderful few minutes spent watching and listening to a Common Whitethroat, the scratchy song starting and stopping before going again, perhaps just warming up after arriving in the last couple of days from Africa.
A couple of Meadow Pipits seemed to be flirting as they hopped amongst the branches of a Hawthorn, others were nearby on the ground, while high above the glorious sound of three Skylarks filled the air.
A flash of white brought a pair of Bullfinches to my attention, the male a spectacular bright pink, and as I swung my binoculars round a flash of yellow found a Yellowhammer standing on the top of an Elder.
Lots of Early Spider Orchids popping up, mostly on the downland where patches of deep purple Green-winged Orchids, and the paler pink Early Purple Orchids are also now showing.