A gloomy start to the day, so I take pleasure in spotting the little pockets of colour on my approach to Durlston this morning; the yellow flash of a Goldfinch’s wings, the lime green leaves that sprout from the Japanese Spindle, and little bouquets of white flowers which adorn the Viburnum.
A Chiffchaff chirps as I walk along the footprints of the Timeline. Both Bramble and Ivy shoot runners into the path and delicate pink ballerinas dangle from the Fuchsia. These are visited by Common Carder Bees who hang upside down in the flowers to reach the bountiful nectar.
Further down the slope, the Castle comes into view, framed by the surrounding Holm Oak, Elm and Poplar. Crickets whirr from a patch of Stinging Nettles and a Crow caws from the dell. I follow the footpath to the globe; its fringes lined with gold from the blossoms of Charlock and Ragwort. The towering Burdock has gone to seed, with its large bulbous seed head ready to stick to your shoelaces.
At the coast path, the Tamarisk has grown tall, blocking the view out to sea. Between the high fronds, displays of beautiful lilac flowers – Sea Aster, a personal favourite at this time of year.
The view opens up towards the observation point and the full greyish-blue seascape is revealed. A few Jackdaws clatter along the clifftop and a lone Shag dives into the water below. Woodpigeons whistle past and somewhere in the distance I can hear the screech from a Peregrine.
On my ascent back up the hill, a few purple Badger scats reveal the seasons delicacies – Blackberries and Sloes. Stonechats call from the gully and a Roe Deer breaks out of the Gorse in front of me as I’m watching two Honeybees on a Woolly Thistle. The bird-ringers report Lesser Whitethroats, a few Firecrest, and many Blackcap.