In the early breeze a Kestrel was hovering just above the landslips of Durlston Bay, a wonderful opportunity to marvel at its abilities, the angle of the tail, feather and wing movements all while keeping its head perfectly still as it looked down, ready to swoop for some breakfast.
A sound of the air ripping as a Feral Pigeon tore its way down the gully, followed quite closely by a Peregrine Falcon which went to grab, but was evaded by a jink of the Pigeon, the tow birds then going separate ways, meanwhile overhead a second Peregrine was soaring.
Many of the flowers are looking very brown, however our last orchid of the season has just emerged – the grey-green stem of the Autumn Ladies Tresses surrounded by a spiral of a few white flowers – only a few spotted amongst the short grasses.
Alongside the golden flower of Carline Thistle and the white of both Burnet Saxifrage and Wild Carrot. A few Eyebright stems still blooming, while the purple flower of Dwarf Thistle can also still be spotted – beware as this is also known as the “Picnic Thistle” as it is often found on sitting on it for a picnic!!
A Dark Bush-cricket and a Roesel’s Bush-cricket were both climbing amongst the grass, the yellow marking on the Roesel’s showing well.
Along the coast some lilac Sea Aster, the bright yellow Golden Samphire and a few balls of pink Thrift to be found. The Durlston Rock-sea Lavender mostly over but one or two of the sprigs have the deep purple flowers.
A Chiffchaff was calling from the Tamarisk, then spotted as it emerged onto the end of the frond.
Skimming low across the water were two Shags, long black necks straight out, as I watched they landed with barely a splash on the water just below the cliffs where another 3 Shags were standing on the wave washed outcrop.
The loud call of a Great Black-backed Gull, drew my eyes upwards to see three of these magnificent gulls. A couple of Herring Gulls were perched on the cliffs.