What a delightful change for my morning patrol, with lots of blue sky, some sunshine and a gentle breeze.
Off down Long Meadow, where contractors have been digging some cabling in, the path is now open again, and singing from the Oak tree was a Robin, the orange breast gleaming in the sunlight as it poured its tune out.
Back up towards Durlston Head and lots of birdsong and sights to enjoy. The ‘sea-saw’ call of a Great Tit ringing out from amongst the strands of the white fluff of the Old Man’s Beard, while a Dunnock was calling, a thinner more squeaky sound (I think), from the furry stemmed Wayfaring Tree.
A blast from a Wren caught my ear, as I turned to spot it a flock of 20+ Starlings flew over – these birds seem a triangular shape to me.
A small charm of Goldfinches bouncing in the Tamarisk where a Wood Pigeon was weighing down a branch making it bend towards the ground.
A screeching from the air, alerted me to the Peregrine Falcon which was zooming over, buzzing the group of Feral Pigeons which had just taken off from the cliffs!
The sea was a churning grey with white crests, no auks to be seen today, but Fulmars were soaring magnificently, getting really close to the cliff-face before averting and swinging round again, just fascinating to watch. On occasions they were at eye height, allowing views of the black marking around the eyes and the strange tube noses.
Two Great Black-backed Gulls perched on outcrops, while two of last year’s Herring Gull chicks were on a ledge ‘playing’ with a buff coloured egg case.
At Tilly Whim as the water crashed into the rocks spraying high into the air, sometimes followed by the wheeze as the water was forced up through and up the blow-hole – releasing a plume of spray. The river was also flowing down the valley emptying over the edge as a small waterfall.
As I took the daily weather readings it surprised me that there was only 16.2mm rain yesterday – seemed so much more!