Donning new wellies to give them a proper Durlston christening, I head out through the sodden meadows. To make a change its raining, a constant drizzle accompanies my walk. A Robin hidden somewhere in the scrub sings its hart out, while the far away twittering of Goldfinch can also be heard.
Magpies peck away in the dryer parts of the field hugging the hedge line for protection. Squelching my way through Saxon to the hay rake quar, where a new pond seems to have been installed over night. Rock Spray Cotoneaster clings on to its last remaining bright red berries.
Through Saxon out into light house where I expected to be blown away, but a light wind and relatively calm sea can be found, perhaps the reason this rain is hanging around. A patch of Gorse can be seen covered in sunshine yellow flowers adding some well needed colour to this dull wet morning. Wind swept Blackthorn bare of its leaves is decorated in bright green Lichen also adding some colour to the pallet.
Slipping my way down past the mile markers to the coast path, it’s nice to see a full ledge of Guillemots. They cram themselves on to the ledge with ten having to use the large rock. The stormy grey backs of Fulmars swoop in and out of the cliffs while on the water large drafts of more Guillemots and a couple of Razorbills bob around on the water. Heading round the cliff top a Razorbill comes into land on one of the higher ledges, its cling desperately to the slopped ledge as its clumsily lands.
Lords and Ladies are starting to appear in the verges their large leaves starting to unfurl. Passing the castle a few Daffodils are just starting to flower. in the verge up to the car park Primrose leaves can be seen coming out along with Foxglove, all good signs spring is near and hopefully an end to this rain.
Back in the learning centre I’m told by Ross that a large Roe Deer stag with a fine set of antlers, passed by the learning centre heading into the flats garden.