A flock of Goldfinches flying just ahead of me, as I slowly wander past the buildings, the ‘tinkling’ call of this attractive bird constantly to be heard. The charm soon drop into the tall stems of the Wild Parsnip (now all brown) allowing a good look at the colours, including the way their wings make it appear as if they have black and white striped tails!
In the top of a patch of Hawthorn were two Willow Warblers, looking quite yellow at this stage of the season. These tiny birds will be feeding up before they travel across the channel, and onwards to Africa.
Taking flight from a dry-stone wall, a fantastic Wheatear, just such a smart looking bird. This bird distracting me from the check and count of the cows – I has to start again!
Trundling slowly across the dried brown grass were two Greater Bloody-nosed Beetles, as they move, the roll of the legs remind me of the action of a clockwork toy!
Fluttering around the scrub in the gully were Speckled Wood butterflies, also Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper butterflies. While in the meadows a quick glimpse of blue, was a Common Blue.
Down on the coast the ‘autumn’ flowers in bloom include the deep yellow Golden Samphire, the pale green Rock Samphire and in places the rare Durlston Rock-Sea Lavender – many of the purple flowers now going over.
Alongside the strange sight of the dead stems of Thrift and Wild Carrot being used by numerous small spiral shaped Pointed Snails – Cochlicella acuta, the shells almost like spikes coming out of the stems.
Last night the moth trap was put out and the species captured include Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing – quite mouthful to say – also the delicate Scarce Footman (thin like a tube and a smart grey and orange) and Ruby Footman (pale reddish-pink with dark markings, smaller than a 5p), while at the other end of the spectrum the fat bodied Drinker (a furry chestnut brown, with easily seen fringed antennae which improves its sense of smell.
Also 4 Glowworms seen last night amongst the grass just by the car park