This morning a band yellow light sits upon the horizon; bounded by a layer of thick grey cloud above, and gloomy sea below. The Isle of Wight sits within as a perfect silhouette, including the lighthouse tower at St Catherine’s point - 46km from Durlston Head.
Many hirundines are scattered across the sky. Fewer in the number, the Swallows are distinguished by their longer tails forks, whilst the House Martins identified from Sand Martins by the white rump above their tails. You need a quick eye though!
They move silently above the sound of singing Great Tit, tinkling Goldfinch, and rustling leaves. Continuous chirping can also be heard from Chiffchaff. One of these birds appears atop the scrub just to my left. Yellowish/green feathers with the distinctive pale stripe above it eye, regarding me before flitting away.
The Reservoir Copse is quiet, excepting the scratching of Grey Squirrel claws as they scamper up the tree trunks, and the flapping of Woodpigeon wings as they became alarmed to my presence.
Climbing through a stone stile built into the dry stone wall, I emerge onto the entrance road, the tarmac scattered with Black Pine cones and twigs. More Woodpigeons overhead, but this time racing at speed, almost in formation, with a loud ‘swoosh’ as they pass.
The road is lined on one side with Japanese Spindle, it’s winter fruiting buds already beginning to form. Clusters of white flowers have already started to form on the Viburnum. Whilst colour can be found in the crimson-red Rosehips and tricorn seed-pods of the Stinking Iris. These have burst open to offer up the rows bright orange berries inside.
I return up through the meadows; Smithfield, followed by Skipworth. Few flowers remain following the haycut. However I did learn to identify the singular yellow flowers as Rough Hawkbit – having previously avoided looking them up, with the lack of obvious leaves and closed flowers.