This morning was wet, misty and murky with plenty of puddles.
Our frequent large puddle below the bus stop is going to require waders to unblock the leaves from the pipe today!
Interestingly whilst we have two Reddish / Plum Broomrape flower stems near the castle approach in flower, we still have stand dead stems with dead flowers clinging on from last year near Solent Rd.
The “Brady” Bench on the coast path gave a view of Peveril Point silhouetted in this mist. Happily the Witch Elm group beside the bench is good health with only one standing dead stem to monitor.
After having noted the basal rosettes of Common Spotted Orchid over previous months it was fantastic to see them in flower in Long Meadow. From the “Stagg” bench there were orchid flower stems the size of bottle brushes! Yet to flower in this meadow will be Fleabane and Hemp Agrimony. Finally the Castle Terrace Meadow is now in flower with White Campion (Sea Campion?), Meadow Vetch ling, Salad Burnet and unfortunately Bristly Ox Tongue in the mix!
It was dark under leaf cover in aviaries provided by a canopy of Yew, Cherry, Sweet Chestnut, Horse Chestnut, Hazel, Ash, Sycamore
A Greater Black Backed Gull was observed off Durlston Head from shelter of the “Cuff “bench. Other brief glimpses of birds included a passing Herring Gull, a Carrion Crow a Wren on the bare branch tips of the felled Holm Oak beside Lighthouse Road.
I have had difficulty writing up today’s notes as two note books are sodden; typically I left my waterproof pad at home today! It is certainly a good day for Slugs and testing your waterproofs!