Today’s patrol took me to the Diagonal Path, after the update from Hamish’s walk yesterday. I too have had some of my best mornings spotting here but this mornings overcast gloom didn’t assist me in producing any of the Warblers and the only finch were a couple of Goldfinch flying overhead, chatting their twinkly, bubble popping call. And what was my first entry in my notepad? The exciting update of two rather plump flies on one of the benches! But it gets better!
In the distance I hear the call of a Chiffchaff and out to sea an elegant Gannet cruises the lips of the choppy sea. The fishing boat, anchors down about a mile or so off the cliffs, full of fishermen dropping hooks filled with squid, ragworm, lugworm or crab, are busy, but the speed the tides are moving, the boat appears to be travelling backwards, heading stern first to the West! On the ground I can see some Black Medic, its heart like tips of leaves showing a titchy little central spike, which is how you ID this plant (I wouldn’t of known this had I not been chatting to Sandra this week, one of our Wednesday volunteers, who very kindly gave me some inside knowledge on the plant). Also the purple heads of Creeping Thistle are becoming common now and the Wild Carrot is in abundance.
As I approach the tops of Tilly Whim caves a stunning female Kestrel rises from the Gully and flies right past me, turning its head to study my form. Its brown tail with 2 black bars are the clearest I have seen since I started as a Ranger at Durlston. It really was quite an attractive sight for such an early hour. I watched it head East along the cliffs, then to return past me, diving through the Gully, landing on the telephone wires by the Lighthouse.
Walking along the clifftops I was amazed to see a singular Pyramidal Orchid right next to the drystone wall, mere inches away, meaning it must get a good dose of salt infused sea air. On the other side of the path was a lone Marbled White butterfly, flitting from plant to plant, keeping itself very busy, having the run of the roost, with no other butterflies around for competition.