What a delight to see four Peregrine Falcons in flight together for most of the morning. These birds have been particularly noisy over the past week with two, maybe three, fledgling chicks testing their wings (and their vocal chords) across the park.
I first spot them hanging high above the Dell. Their loud screeches piercing through the wind and echoing across the landscape. The easterlies roll across Durlston bay and up into the Holm Oak wood.
This makes for a much more cooler time working, as the drought continues – not one drop of rain has been recorded at Durlston this month. I’ve become quite accustomed to a layer of sweat, suncream, and dust on my skin.
A cautious flapping amongst the adjacent trees - a Woodpigeon flies low atop the canopy. The gazelle would be mad to break cover with a pride of lions in earshot. Even I jump a little after departing Durlston head when a loud female Peregrine soars close past me, appearing from behind the dry stone wall as if from no where!
In contrast it’s quiet along the clifftop though pleasing to hear the splish-splashing of water on the rocks below. Herring Gull, Shag, and Greater Black-backed Gull seen patrolling quietly along the coast. The soft whistle of a Great Tit further amongst the trees.
Parts of the clifftop are speckled with flowers; yellow Ragwort, Bristly Ox-Tongue, pink Thistles, Creeping and Woolly. This feels particularly rewarding across areas cleared of the encroaching Blackthorn scrub in the winter.
Marbled White, Painted Lady, and Gatekeeper butterflies all flutter about the bounty of nectar and pollen. The latter of which booming in numbers, with 198 Gatekeepers counted on last weeks west butterfly survey.