A glorious sunny morning, with a few wisps of white cloud against the deep blue sky, across this, above my head flew a group of Jackdaws, their chuckling seemingly infectious.
On the ground a thick frost, the white crust of ice edging the grasses and plants.
I headed off to check on the cattle at the far north-western corner of Durlston, crunching the thin layer of frozen mud underfoot, and suddenly rattling down from the sky was the wonderful tunes of a Skylark, it was very difficult to find until it dropped low towards the ground. On landing I as able to admire the delicate variety of cream and brown plumage, as well as see its slightly raised crest.
In Jack Baiss, lounging around enjoying the sunshine were 4 Deer, at the distance I was viewing I can only be fairly sure they were Roe Deer.
From the rambling mass of Old Man’s Beard which was growing over the hedgerow and dry-stone wall came the squeaky ‘teacher-teacher’ call of a Great Tit, which then moved so I could see the bright yellow chest as it sung.
From behind me came the yaffling call of a Green Woodpecker, the sunlight catching its yellowish rump as it flew.
The ticking sound a Robin was coming from the Hawthorn bush, the twigs shining as the frost melted away, the Robin puffed up showing off its red breast.
Further along a Blackbird added more noise to the morning’s chorus, this orange beaked male perched atop of the spiky thorns of the Blackthorn
As I return the sun is melting away the frost where it has reached, still a thick covering in the shaded northern patches.
Just outside the window as I write, House Sparrows are inspecting the Tit box, standing at the entrance peering in, while others are perched on the gutter edge.