Another warm bright sunny morning with a hint of a breeze to take the edge of the heat. Passing over the long meadow picnic area the cracks in the dried earth seem to get larger by the day. Bristly Oxtongue, Wild Carrot and Red Clover adorn the short turf round the picnic benches. A Kestrel hovers above the long dry grass, wings and tail making slight adjustments to the bird in one place in the air.
Round Durlston head, Tamarisk sways in the gently breeze while a Robin and Blackbird call from a nearby tree. Everything seems very quiet on the cliff edges today, with all the Auks having left. A handful of eerily quiet Herring Gulls soar past on their morning patrol of the cliffs, while two Rock Pipits flit about the top of the cliff.
Lots of butterflies to be seen this morning with a Small Skipper closely follower by a Lulworth Skipper hurrying past. Plenty of Marbled White and Gate Keeper Butterfly’s also out and about enjoin the warm summer days. Honey Suckle clambers over the walls, vines now covered in bright red shiny berries where once was pale yellow flowers.
Heading up the diagonal path, the drone of grasshoppers and bush crickets is a constant companion. More Marbled White Butterflies can be seen feeding of Greater Knapweed. A Soldier Beetle passes by on the wing, shiny orange wing casing catching the light. The twinkling chatter of Goldfinch pulls my attention to a Holm Oak where the a few birds land briefly before flying off over the hill.