The sound of Guillemots to be heard as I walked along, their growling as distinctive as the fishy smell of their guano! On the ledges the chicks are growing fast, the oldest ones now over two weeks old, getting ready to leave the high ledge for the sea. Watch them on the live camera in the Castle or on our Durlston website.
A fluttering of wings and a Painted Lady butterfly landed almost at my feet, very smart in its orange, white and black markings. As I continued more butterflies spotted including the wonderful black and white Marbled Whites (some of our first of the year), the two-tone Meadow Brown and Small Heaths. Nearby a stunning Adonis Blue as well as the more lilac Common Blue and the tiny silvery Small Blue.
Amongst the grasses the Skipper butterflies were active. From our smallest the Lulworth Skipper to the brighter orange and largest Large Skipper, plus the two very similar Small and Essex Skippers – I was on my knees looking at the underside of the antennae to be sure!
While looking at these the greeny-yellow and black caterpillar of a Six-spot Burnet Moth diverted me, as it clung to the stem of a Meadow Barley.
From the top of an Elder tree a Skylark was singing, for once close enough to enjoy the beautiful markings on its feathers. Taking flight from the patch of Gorse was a small group of Linnets, a twitter as they flew and as they landed the chance to admire the deep pink bib and cap.
From behind came the wheeze of a Greenfinch, followed by the characteristic call of a Yellowhammer, searching the bushes for one of my favourite birds, the flashy yellow head of the male eventually spotted, followed by another and a female – brilliant.
The tiny pink flowers of Wild Thyme emerging from the short turf, alongside the mostly white Eyebright, a few remaining Chalk Milkwort flowers and Kidney Vetch.
I was also delighted to see a large (for a tiny plant) patch of Bastard Toadflax, or Stars in the Grass as it is also known as.
A Swallow swooped overhead and a flock of Long-tailed Tits were flitting around the Willow