Online a video was posted of a snake at Durlston yesterday. The footage was not clear, but I suspected it was an Adder beside the diagonal path. This year I had only seen Wall Lizards on the castle walls. This morning it was too cloudy and cold for reptiles, not great for gloveless hands either!
A pair of Jays fled the car park. From Rest & Admire the Isle of Wight could not be seen, however, sea mist / cloud later rose to reveal it. Nearby, the was much wing flapping as it appeared one Wood Pigeon attempted to mate with another, that appeared disinterested. These birds can mate all year round. Beside the timeline were a pair of Jackdaws and one Squirrel. A pair of Blue Tits called from a Sycamore near Dell bridge, another duo in Ash. Fresh Valerian leaves poked out of a castle wall. Upon caravan terrace it was the leaves of Primroses were visible. Below the bridge “pussy Willow” catkins were out. Noisily a Jay flew into deeper cover. The rabbit ear pair of bracts accompanied the buds of Wayfaring Tree. I believed it was a Peregrine that appeared from the west and disappeared into undercliff tree cover. Two patches of Woodpigeon or Feral Dove feathers, one near Durlston Head, another on the grassy cliff top below the Globe, suggested Peregrine Falcon attacks. Four Greater Periwinkle flowers bloomed below the Globe.
A Shag flew out from the cliff and performed a part circle flight to enable it to perch higher up the cliff face. It landed high up amongst the short grass and was soon accompanied by Jackdaws. The Shag had yellow markings on its face and wore a “Mohican” crest. It was three Fulmars that arced gracefully about the cliff face today. Below the Shag I saw what I believed to be the breast of a Fulmar hunkered into the rock face. Below that perched a Herring Gull. Over thirty Guillemots were upon the sea, amongst them a counted three pairs of Razorbills. Cave occupancy was such that seventeen of the birds had to perch on the sloping boulder, with many more clinging on at the edges. One Raven flew westward at cliff height. Fresh Honeysuckle leaves climbed amongst Wild Madder and Bramble just over the coastal drystone wall. A solo Feral Dove stare out to sea as it perched on the edge of the wave cur platform. A pleasant scent rose from the few Winter Heliotrope flowers at Small Copse.