Walking straight out the door, spotted was the most Swallows and House Martins I’ve possibly come across – such a treat to come to work and witness a great swarm of these species swooping and feeding. At the same time, a Robin sings in the distance whilst a Carrion crow and a gull are heard calling. Then a Wren produces its beautiful song as I start to walk towards the meadows and past the hide near the learning centre.
As I walk on I pass some brambles and other shrubs, I decide to eat a blackberry – ‘gotta’ have breakfast – but this tasted awfully sour and made worse with the toothpaste in my mouth.
As I walk further, I hear a Blackcap call, I take my 'binos' to where I can hear, and spot it flying out of Brambles, Hawthorn and Blackthorn.
Walking into the next field, I noticed the hay bales have disappeared from a freshly mowed field – I decide to walk towards the longer grass to find something different, whilst there I could see the usual St Johns-Wort, Ragwort, and grasses, with the faint sound of Bushcrickets and Grasshopper species croaking. As I was there, I could hear a Meadow Pipet coming from an area of Hedges in the middle of the field (once forming a hedgerow) – I wait a little with my 'binos' to ID it further – and thankfully see the Meadow Pipet fly out of the Hedges.
Then I decide to walk straight down to the woodland of mostly Holm Oak and Sycamore, I notice the field layer is of mostly Stink Iris, Grasses, and Docks. I also notice there are a couple of holes in the woodland, making me believe that they were once pits for the Purbeck Stone quarries. I sit on a branch, look straight up, and then right, I also notice my favourite tree: Ash, unfortunately the first I see is looking rather sad with likely Ash Dieback. As I sit I notice the sounds of a Chaffinch, Crow, Great Tit, Firecrest and Blue Tit whilst the slight wind whistles through the trees.
I walk out of the woodland and to the gate facing the sea – In front is a spectacular view of the calm channel with two yachts riding and a small fishing boat looking stagnant on the water.
I then walk further down close to the bonfire area, there I can see the lighthouse – species spotted here – Crow chilling on Holm Oak, Wood Pigeon, Shag flying close to the cliffs, a juvenile Herring, and what I believe could be two Yellowhammers flying past the holm Oak and shrubs.