With a gentle breeze from the west, an lovely early morning to walk Durlston, in this intense heat we are so lucky to have our own cooler and breezier micro-climate up here on the cliff top!!
The wonderful chatting call of a family of Stonechats was being emitted from the tops of Gorse and Blackthorn, I counted six Stonechats in a range of plumages. Nearby Common Whitethroats also appeared on the bushes their chestnut brown backs a contrast to the white throats.
Fluttering low to the ground the small brown Lulworth Skipper butterfly, one of our commonest species at the moment, although nationally one of the rarest! Some black and white marked Marbled Whites wafting around the flowers, providing a great photo opportunity when alighting on purple Greater Knapweed.
Down to the cliffs to make the most of the last few days of the Guillemots, the numbers have dwindled over the last week, this morning only 24 bobbing on the water and the ledges looked empty as the have chicks fledged, and have headed for the open sea. However come into the Castle to see the lower ledge which still has quite a few to see on the camera (not visible from the cliff path).
Soaring past me were two Fulmars, looping in and away from the rocks, always a superb sight, while low across the water a Shag was flapping.
Just by Tilly Whim the head of a Grey Seal popped up, as it floated, his whiskers could be seen and the broad nose twitched. The sea was very calm so for once allowed me to watch as it dived and swam away.
The crying call of a bird of prey an a Kestrel was spotted, this youngster probably hoping for some food to be delivered, both a male and a female had been seen earlier hovering and perching respectively.
Zooming by the scimitar shaped wings of a couple of Swifts, I’d like to think they were prospecting for next year! 3 Swallows also flying along the coast.