A strangely still early morning, perfect perhaps for tonight seabird boat trip. Across Durlston Bay the tide was fairly low, allowing the masses of seaweeds to be seen on the rocks. Just offshore the raucous sound of a flock of 100+ gulls as they floated on the water, perhaps feeding on scraps, or flies, most of these birds were juvenile Herring Gulls and Black-headed Gulls although a couple of Kittiwakes added to the mix as did a few Sandwich Terns.
Around the headland and a Wood Pigeon was acting just like a bird of prey, making my do a double take – was it a peregrine or a sparrowhawk!!
On the water, just below the cliff face, were many Guillemots, their black and white bodies bobbing, while many others were in flight a whirring blurr of wings as they disappeared off to catch fish. On the cliffs, over 250 Guillemots standing on territories, many with their single egg balanced on and between their feet. The first hatching expected very soon – pop into the visitor centre at the castle for close up views through the live camera.
3 Fulmars circling in and out, another 3 sitting in the nooks in the rocks, cackling as they are passed.
Inland the sound of a Chiffchaff echoed around, the two-tone call ‘chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff’. The other bird in full voice was a Great Tit, which can sound fairly similar – except they go ‘tea-cher’.
On the cliff edge the Thrift is now coming out wonderfully, providing a thick pink rug of colour, the round heads emerging on long stalks from the soft pin cushion mat. Alongside patches of Sea Campion and the occasional Wild Carrot flower head.
However the vetches are magnificent at the moment with Kidney Vetch providing a yellowy-orange carpet around Tilly Whim, while Horseshoe Vetch is doing the same, but a brighter yellow a little further inland.
A I looked towards a patch of greeny-yellow Crosswort, I spotted just alongside, in long grass a female Roe Deer, just her ears to be seen on first glance, as they twitched, the black and white marking around her face noted on further inspection.