A very still morning, not a single rustle in the leaves or a wave on the sea. However the sound of corvids (crow family) occupying the air with the cronk of Ravens as they flew above the lighthouse, their long wings ending with their feathers like fingers.
In the woods Rooks cawing noisily from their nests, while Carrion Crows, Magpies and Jays all squawked as I wandered along. Down by the cliffs the cackle of Jackdaws completed our corvid set.
On the cliff camera the Guillemots have been busy laying eggs, with the adults sitting on their single large pyriform shaped egg (have a look on the camera image to spot some (www.durlston.co.uk)
Swooping in from the south a flurry of Swallows, wonderful to watch as they circle about, their long tails easily spottable.
From the May blossom covered Hawthorn, a Common Whitethroat erupted upwards, flapping madly as is rose, singing as it did so, a bit of a hover then dropping back into the bush.
A little later a Lesser Whitethroat also scuttled through the Blackthorn scrub, as did a Dunnock. While a Chiffchaff called loudly from the Horse Chestnut, this tree covered in large white candle flowers and groups of leaves. A Dogwood also covered in delicate white flowers.
Across the meadow the spikes of Glaucous Sedge turned to furry yellow, whilst the taller brown ones of Ribwort Plantain starting to produce their white dangling flowers.
The highest feature of the meadow is the Tall Fescue grass, mixing with the bright yellow of the Bulbous Buttercups, a scattering of Red Clover and some delightful Pale Flax.
The blobs of Cuckoo Spit now starting to be seen dangling on the plants, the tiny bug developing inside.
The strange purply-brown of Ivy Broomrape growing amongst the Ivy, upon which its parasitises.