A glorious early morning’s patrol in the thick fog, with visibility down to 30metres at times! This blanket hasn’t lifted since yesterday morning!
Down the path by the Castle, the sounds of Great Tits ‘see-sawing’ and calling ‘teacher-teacher-teach’ was the most common noise, followed by the ‘shhhh’ of the Blue Tits as they both flitted and perched amongst the long rope like fronds of Wild Clematis and spiky prongs of Blackthorn.
The high-pitched calls of a Goldcrest added to the soundscape, although they were too high up the canopy for me to see in the gloom.
Peering over the edge towards Durlston Bay I could just make out a Shag flapping its way just above the water, as it landed its crest was also just visible, alongside its distinct shaped forehead.
Below the cliffs, bobbing on the water a raft of Auks, 8 Guillemots and 30 Razorbills. Many of the blacker Razorbills in pairs, tapping beaks as they strengthen their bonds.
Looking back at the cliffs the main ledge could just be made out and on it about 150 more Guillemots, many of the facing out towards the sea, their white breasts showing.
A Rock Pipit flew alongside me as I wandered down the path by Tilly Whim as piping call as it looped along, just before landing on a large green, Yellow Meadow Ant hill.
Walking up Round Down a Meadow Pipit took flight from the rough grassy tussock, allowing a bit of a comparison with the Rock Pipit
spotted earlier – less grey, more brown.
Looking down at the ground a good few leafy rosettes of Orchids to be spotted, along with a selection of Snails including Spiral Snail (Cochlicella acuta) Brown-lipped Snail and sliding across a stone the Wall Snail.
Back across the wet, muddy meadows, where we have been repairing walls and managing some of the hedges over the winter, to hear a quick burst of Skylark tune before it dropped back to the ground.