First day of British Summer Time, noticeable as was still dusk when waking up! I start the walk on a hazy morning in the car park, here I hear and spot Robins, Wood Pigeons, a Wren, Collard Dove, Pheasant in the distance, Blue Tit, Chiffchaff, Firecrest, Grey Squirrel, and a Blackcap, as well as most likely many more birds species I did not pick up as was full of them. I head into the wooded area with Ivy’d Blackthorn and a Horse-Chestnut tree starting to leaf. Then, I hear something rare around this part of Dorset – a Buzzard – I walk back into the car park, hear it several times but could not see it, I get my Merlin app out to check if I am hearing right – eventually it states “Buzzard”. As I walk back into the wooded habitat, with Lords and Ladies as well as Stinking Iris to the ground I see a Wren, Blackbird and a Chaffinch.
Onto the Lighthouse path, a Chiffchaff is heard on Holm Oak, Robins in Brambles, Blackthorn is in bloom. Into Lighthouse Field, a Pheasant can be heard, as well as a Yellowhammer, Goldfinches and Jackdaws above, and two Magpies grace their presence.
At the bridge below the gully, many more birds sing away – in fact birdsong is all one can hear. Prominent is the Chiffchaff and Blackbirds, but also heard amongst it all was a Greenfinch, Robins, Goldfinches, Wood Pigeons, Song Thrush, Dunnock, Wren and a Crow above.
Walking onward I get to the lighthouse, I decide to walk left before going past the lighthouse and walk around it – see if I could spot any new Early-spider Orchids in the shorter previously grazed grasses. No Early-spider Orchids here seen today but I did spot Violet species, native Bluebells (many starting to come out), as well as Danish Scurvygrass. Towards the English Channel I also notice many Guillemots heading out away from the cliffs.
Below Tilly Whim I notice Rock and Golden Samphire, Thrift, Sea Aster, many Lichens that indicates how excellent the air quality is at Durlston, Herring Gull, Rock Pigeons and a Raven up on the mile tower. To the top of Tilly Whim Caves I notice lots of Jackdaws further along the coastal path, witnessed no Guillemots in their cave, but many on the English Channel mixed with Razorbills, Fulmars gliding in and out of the cliffs, a couple of Shags – one with twigs in its mouth, and I hear below the cliffs what I believe is a faint sound of a Peregrine Falcon.
Furthermore, since hearing the Buzzard, I kept the Merlin app on, whilst doing checking the weather – a Cirl Bunting was detected – may be worth checking around the Learning Centre to see if you can spot it!