I arrive at the park to a rather dark and grey day with a constant stream of light rain just enough to get you socked through. Walking along the side of long meadow I can hear a Green Woodpecker somewhere in the direction of the car park but like usual am unable to locate it. In the gloom in front of me something emerges from the bushes, in this dark lighting I’m unable to identify it but I believe it may be a very wet Kestrel. I’m to see this mysterious figure a few more times but each time only glimpses and at quite a distance.
As I enter the woodland, I pass the woodchip pile ready to be spread along the top woodchip path, we have obviously had a recent delivery as the strong smell of pine comes from the pile, making the woodland smell like Christmas. I head along the coast path towards the castle, a Jay sits peacefully in a tree before noticing me and flying off in a panic into the woodland.
Down at the Dell I spot a Chaffinch in a small group of Blue Tits looking very out of place with the other birds. They all spoke as a large flock of Woodpigeon fly overhead close to the tree, they are in. I walk a little further down to look in to Durlston bay, where what appear at first sight to be buoy’s start ducking and diving in the water, making themselves known to be Shags. I spot four of these birds while several others fly back and forth past the bay.
As I get closer to the Guillemot ledge, I start to spot them flying in and out of the cliffs. Some sit on the rough water being thrown up and down by the waves but them seem unfazed by this. I get to Tilly Whim where I’m able to look back and see the ledge which today seems rather crowded. I watch some fly back out to see following them until they are out of sight, watching their tiny wings beat feverishly appearing to always be in a rush as if they have missed a rather important meeting.