Hot start with a Small Skipper butterfly dancing around the car park verge filled with flowers; the beautiful purple Knapweed, emergent Bristly Ox-tongue, and the umbelliferous Wild Carrot. There’s a good showing of the pretty Pyramidal Orchids layered upon the blooming Hop Trefoil and feathery Yarrow leaves.
A Meadow Brown flutters through alongside the gentle humming Buff-tailed Bumblebee. I notice the Crow Garlic has flowered too – topped by its curious dark bulbils which look they belong in the Upside-down.
There’s even more floral delights across the picnic area, purples of Mallow and Selfheal, yellows of Buttercup, Agrimony, and Birds Foot Trefoil amongst the usual display of Daisy and Hawkbit.
Stepping into the woodland, I’m distracted by a Large White butterfly who pauses upon the Willow in dappled sunlight. A wall of star-shaped Madder climb up through the hedge. Stems of Honeysuckle are intertwined, and Hoverflies hum around the Bramble blossom.
Dunnock moves silently through the Mock Orange, its petals now littering the path. Wren less quiet, proudly bellowing its whistles from atop the Holm Oak. More subtle calls from Firecrest and Goldfinch heard too.
The southside wall of Durlston Castle is a beautiful display of Mexican Daisy, pink and white. It moves with the scurrying of Wall Lizards disturbed from basking in the morning sun.
The blue vista beyond the clifftop very tempting for a dip. I find myself feeling envious of the yachts sailing westward and the guillemots rolling about in the surf. As usual I’m mesmerised by the Fulmars looping flight. My stillness rewarded by a close encounter with a Kestrel who lands just below my perch.