Another lovely morning for the patrol, to the clifftops where a Fulmar was soaring and Guillemots growling loudly, the water a mass of these dark brown and white birds. On the ledges the chicks are now preparing to fledge, some leaving last night their high pitched calls pierced the air just before they jumped into the water, ready to paddle westwards out to sea.
As June proceeds the make up of the flowers changes, with the bright yellows of Kidney Vetch becoming more orangy-brown as they turn to seed, the pink of Thrift is less intense, while that of the Wild Thyme is looking stunning. Birds-foot Trefoil and Wild Carrot both continue to provide vibrant colours. Right on the cliff edge the first few purple flowers of Durlston Rock Sea Lavender are showing alongside the green of Sea Beet and Rock Samphire.
A twittering as a group of Linnets passed along, landing in the spiky yellow flowering patch of Gorse, some Rock Pipits strutted along the rocks and a Stonechat perched on the fence post, while from up on the top of the hill a song of a Common Whitethroat attracted my attention.
A young Roe Deer fawn wandered through the grass, visible thought the stems, a tan colour, blending in surprisingly well – So please keep your dogs on the paths and under very close control or on a lead.
One of the great perks of being at Durlston is taking stroll in the early evening as I did yesterday. A wonderful view of a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly as it basked in the sunshine on a fence rail, but being disturbed by two Red Admirals that were flying together then apart in large loops, perhaps arguing over territory or undertaking a mating ritual. Meanwhile three Small Skippers were clinging to the stems of Yorkshire Fog, this grass the most common for them to lay their eggs on.
While concentrating on this patch of field a red and black Six-spot Burnet moth noted on the Greater Knapweed, with a yellow cocoon attached to the stem of Cocksfoot grass.
Crawling up a Timothy stem, bending under its weight was a Great Green Bush-cricket, this was immature but still large compared with the Roesel’s Bush-cricket and the Dark Bush-cricket also found.
As the evening turned dark, Pipistrelle Bats flitted, a Badger trotted past and a Glowworm shone brilliant green.