This will likely be my last Daily Diary as an Apprentice Ranger here at Durlston, not to worry however – there will be many more diaries from me over the next two years. It’s a fair but fresh morning, half and half sunshine and cloud. As I rock up into Durlston a Grey Squirrel is spotted in the car park, while a Wood Pigeon sings away. Walking on I spot a Robin on top of the Learning Centre; it then dives down to attack another Robin as they are extremely territorial and aggressive to any other adult robin with red on them – an instinctive behaviour known as Fixed Action Pattern.
Close by to field 34 I find a nice thick juicy Blackberry to eat from a Bramble, while noticing the red berries from Hawthorn and the Sloes from Blackthorn. Into the partially cut South Field gone over Wild Carrot and Bristly Oxtongue are seen, as well as short Birds-foot Trefoil, short Restharrow, and Ragwort in the uncut sections.
Walking through Saxon, I spot a rounded red body flying along – I believe it was a Bullfinch, though to fast for me to truly ID. I Whitethroat shows itself within the scrub, 3 Crows are seen in the air, and a Willow Warbler is spotted on top of Blackthorn. While Grasshoppers and Bush-crickets are heard within the ground flora.
Lighthouse field hit me with a few butterflies, Common Blue, Clouded Yellow, and Meadow Brown. Down on the gully bridge spotted and heard was a Wren, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Chaffinches, Dunnock, Goldfinches above, and noisy Crows and Jackdaws behind me. Onward within the field I spot a not yet fully grown Autumn Lady’s Tresses – I believe the last UK native orchid to flower in the year.
Walking back to the Learning Centre from here, I spot a Shag heading east over the channel, a Stonechat, Linnets, a Small Copper butterfly, Sea Aster plant in bloom, amongst Golden Samphire, Rock Samphire, and Thrift. As well as a Peregrine Falcon flying close by to the cliffs as I pass Tilly Whim.