A wild start to the day, with an ESE wind roaring through the canopy in the woodland, sending small twigs rattling down to the ground and leaves whirling and tumbling along the paths. At sea, huge white-capped breakers, some a metre or two tall roll in to smash into the cliffs, sending plumes of spray high into the air.
In the woodland, above the slow rumble of the sea, in the relative shelter of the Aviary Glade, a Treecreeper spirals up the stem of a Sycamore, as a Blackbird pulls worms out of the soft turf of the glade. A Grey Squirrel rides a bucking Holm Oak branch nearer the Coast Path, with a Jay pulling acorns from it’s twigs higher up in the hissing canopy.
A Cormorant battles it’s way across Durlston Bay, it’s wingtips almost touching the waves. Tamarisk dances and shakes along the clifftop, as a few Gannets, gleaming white against the grey sea and sky pass by. Below the Observation Point, a Great Black-backed Gull powers through the wind on huge wings, with a rather bedraggled looking Peregrine tucked into an alcove on the cliff.
A Dunnock picks over the steps at the entrance to Tilly Whim – one of the few sheltered spots to feed along the cliffs.
Things are very different on the Milepost Slope up above! Even a Raven, swooping in towards the Mile Markers is blown off course and has to abort it’s landing, while a charm of 20 or so brightly coloured Goldfinches are blown around the scrub like so much confetti.
On a dull morning, fruits, berries, seeds and turning leaves provide some welcome patches of colour, with Hawthorn berries painting the scrub a dark crimson and splashes of vivid orange Stinking Iris seeds along the woodland floor.
Here and there, a few flowers are still in bloom, including Autumn Hawkbit, Bristly Ox-tongue, Greater Knapweed, Wild Carrot and Yarrow.