Thick fog encompassing Durlston this morning as I walked around, the scratchy call of a Common Whitethroat coming through the fog, while in the distance a Green Woodpecker called loudly.
Flitting around through the grasses were some young Great Tits, the yellow and black feathers all fluffed up, as were those of a young spotted Robin, and those of Long-tailed Tits.
As I went down to the cliffs the seabird colony was obvious by the strong smell of guano wafting up from the ledges. Looking over the top of the cliff and down onto the water I could see 2 Razorbills and over a hundred Guillemots, most of these had come from the main ledge having been displaced by the arrival of two Ravens, these huge corvids raiding the ledge of the few remaining Guillemot chicks.
The delicate black tipped wings of a Kittiwake caught the eye, as it circled around, this small gull was dwarfed by the massive Great Black-backed Gull also flying by, these contrasted well with the Fulmars which showed off the straighter and narrower wing shapes of the albatross family.
Further out to sea were 12 Scoter passing by and a Gannet.
The flowers along the clifftop providing a pinkish tint with Thrift – also known as Sea Pinks or Pin Cushions, the umble flower-heads of Wild Carrot and the occasional Common Mallow and Gladiolus. All mixed in Kidney Vetch, Horseshoe Vetch and Sea Campion.
2 singing Reed Warblers were heard from near the gully, while a couple of Linnets were flitting about, one carrying material in its beak.
The moth trap (put out last night) captured a good selection of moths including the fabulous pink and green Elephant Hawk-moth, Orange Footman, Cream-spot Tiger Moth, Small Square Spot, Reddish Light Arches, Common Swift, Light Feathered Rustic, clouded Silver, Red Green Carpet and Scorched Wing – whose abdomen sticks upwards.