A change in the temperature, so much so that a jumper was required! A patrol across the meadows to check on the appearance or not of heifers in Jack Baiss, the mostly yearling group has arrived ready to move onto Townsend (Local Nature Reserve) in the next few days.
A fantastic array of flowers to be enjoyed including the thousands of Pale Flax flowers providing a blue backdrop, and the Ox-eye Daisies providing the white, with yellow from Bulbous, Meadow and Creeping Buttercup as well as from Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Hay Rattle and Rough Hawkbit.
In amongst, large splashes of pink from Sainfoin and now becoming numerous the smaller more delicate flowers of the Common Spotted Orchid.
From above the fields the glorious song of Skylarks, singing loudly, while others skim low dropping into the mass of plants where hopefully they have eggs or chicks. Unusually a superb view of one as it perched on the top of a dead Hawthorn, close enough to see the beautiful variation of browns and cream markings
Crossing through a gateway, a flicker of movement drew my attention and there hopping on the ground were two stunning Yellowhammers, the male a brilliant yellow head, both birds with a chestnut rump as they flitted.
Drooping from many of the plants, the white frothy blobs of Cuckoo Spit, especially noticeable on the Garlic Mustard through the Copse. Also on a the tall erect closed flower of Goatsbeard.
Very early this morning a Tawny Owl was ‘twitting’ loudly just before the dark blunt faced shape was spotted flying against the lightening sky. Last night a great view of a Badger as it galloped across the field.
The seabird ledges are both noisy and smelly, with breeding in full swing. The Guillemots eggs are hatching, look at the camera and see if you can spot any of the fluffy newly hatched chicks. www.durlston.co.uk/webcam