As I wandered around Durlston National Nature Reserve this morning, the constant feature was the stream and flow of hirundines as they zoomed, floated and zipped about the sky.
As they moved a flash of a white rump confirmed a House Martin, a dark collar a Sand Martin, flying amongst the slightly larger Swallows.
The power cables provided a great resting and vantage point for these birds as they dotted themselves along the wires.
Below these, in an Elder bush was a Blackcap, a male sporting his jet black cap, while in amongst the leaves and berries of the Bramble was a chestnut capped female.
Popping its head out of the low growing Blackthorn was a Chiffchaff, for once staying still long enough for a good view. The pale yellowish eyestripe catching my attention, the dark legs gripping the twig as it searched under the leaves for insects.
As many of the leaves have now fallen from the trees, sighting birds in the woods is slightly easier, with a good view of a Firecrest moving along the branch of a Horse Chestnut, the flashy red crest spotted before it disappeared.
Trailing across between two patches of Dogwood was the ropes of Black Bryony, dotted with clumps of bright red berries. Below the orange berries of Stinking Iris, alongside the now shrivelled black berries of Tutsan.
A flock of Goldfinches tinkled across the sky, landing together in a patch of prickly Woolly Thistles and Burdock, easy to see the colours, as was the group of Linnets which arrived soon after.
Sweeping my binoculars along the top of the hedgeline, a group of different bird spotted, but a group of Swallows and House Martins sitting in the trees – not quite what I expected!
As I checked the public toilets, a good selection of Crane-flies and Lacewings adorned the wall.