This mornings Ranger patrol was disrupted by an alarm going off at the Learning Centre. I suspected this with either due to someone smoking or using deodorant in the public toilets! Suffice to say it was harder to reset than it should have been!
On my drive in had a Magpie swoop in front the car as I passed Long Meadow. Despite the alarms I noted a Greater Bloody Nosed Beetle climbing the surround to the disabled toilet door. We had moth traps on at both the Learning Centre and Castle. The former I am told had White Plume, a Light Emerald and Chinese Character Moths as well as Magpie Moths one of which I rescued from the dog water bowl! At the Castle Trap at least a Pine Hawk Moth will be amongst those to be revealed.
Whilst on the Wares I caught a cyclist on the coast-path. He politely took in my information that there is no cycling within Durlston. I advised him that Bridleways and dedicated cycle routes are the only legal cycling route other than highway. However, one of the few places where cycling is legal on the Coast path is where it is a bridleway from Ballard Down, past beside Old Harry Rocks and into Studland!
Within the wares it was marvellous to hearing the soothing sounds of striating Field and Meadow Grasshoppers and a range of Bush crickets. A pair of Buff Tailed Bumble Bees visited Red Clover flowers. No surprisingly the Marbled Whites were the most abundant butterflies on the wing; however, they were joined by a Red Admiral, Meadow Browns and Gate Keepers as well as Large Skippers. A Six Spot burnet both cocoon was observed split and vacant on a blade of Tor Grass.
Of course we still have flowers a plenty with Pyramidal Orchids still in good bloom. My favourite Yellow Wort had specimens in flower and having gone over. Of the small delicate ground hugging plants there is still Eye Bright, Milk Wort, Wild Thyme in flower.