El sol brilla hoy! (‘the Sun is shining today’). Over the weekend, the clocks shifted an hour behind, providing a later sunrise across Durlston.
It starts by warming the easterly slopes. Awakening the Dandelion, Primrose, and Daisy. It’s heat warms the dry stone walls, baking the clinging Ivy and climbing Bramble. Here an abundance of insects hum with excitement: Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Beefly, Honeybee, and Eristalis Hoverfly, to name a few. Though countless more Diptera and a beautiful Peacock Butterfly.
Despite another reportedly quiet morning for the bird ringing volunteers. The dawn chorus can be heard all around, gatherings of Goldfinch, singing Blackcap with Chiffchaff sounding in all directions. Blue Tit and Great Tit watch on with caution as they flow to and from their nests outside the office window.
Atop the Sycamore, a Greenfinch is spotted flitting between the uppermost branches, above the large twiggy Magpie nest.
My walk takes me down into the woodland, following the woodchip path lined with green Wild Arum, Ramsons, and cheery Celandine flowers. The surrounding understorey branches are beginning to fill out in leaf; Hawthorn, Elder, and Hazel. Sticky buds have been swelling upon the tips of the drooping Horse Chestnut branches and now burst into life.
The Rooks above the glade are sure to make their presence known, with their harsh caws carrying through the trees. More gentle singing can be heard from the Robins, and yet more continuous chirping Chiffchaff. Wren also heard, along with the mellifluous Blackbird song.
A quick jaunt along the clifftop, reveals numerous Jackdaw and Herring Gull in flight. Outshone of course by the mesmerising Fulmar flight - impressive aerobatics as it soars upon the thermals, looping to and from the cliffs. Plenty of Guillemot and Razorbill rafting upon the water.