As I began my daily patrol of Durlston Country Park National Nature Reserve, I was engulfed in a grey dampish blanket of cloud, a wonderful smell of wet earth pervading the air.
From a tall Sycamore a large bird of prey took flight, as I flew above the landslip it was followed by a couple of Herring Gulls doing a half-hearted harassment job on this Buzzard.
Looking across Durlston Bay, a Shag was skimming low, a slight greenish tinge visible as it got closer. Around the headland a line of disturbed seaweed was floating on the surface, while further out the bright white gleaming shape of a Gannet could be seen. I then spotted a second Gannet against the grey sky. I just love watching these huge seabirds.
A smattering of flowers still blooming by the cliffs including the lilac coloured Sea Aster growing tall on its thick stem, while the Rock Samphire is shorter with fleshy leaves and a pale greenish flower.
A few Golden Samphire flowers are still out, plus one or two pink balls of Thrift flower, while the Durlston Sea-lavender is now a mass of white fringed open seedheads.
Walking back up the hill a flurry of activity in the scrub below and a Jay took flight, the white rump catching the eye before anything else, on watching a flash of blue on the wings was also seen.
A calling from the Blackthorn made me turn to see a, Cirl Bunting this male sporting its yellow stripes and chestnut chest. Nearby as I scanned with binoculars 3 more of these recently colonising Cirl Buntings were seen.
Clinging to the purple flower of a Black Knapweed was a Buff-tailed Bumblebee, spotted as I was searching for the white spiralled flowers of the Autumn Ladies Tresses, eventually I saw one, then another 5 appeared in front of me – amazingly easy to miss!!!
From the bushes a burst of a call of a Grasshopper Warbler, followed by a quick appearance of this small brown bird, the rounded tail noted as it disappeared.
Climbing up a wooden fence post was a huge insect - a female Great Green Bush-cricket.