As I drove through the valleys I was welcome to a December Winter Wonderland of heavy frost and even fog. However, on arrival at Durlston there was only patchy frost with beautiful clear blue sky (apart from two short fresh vapour trails) and glorious warming sun! Our wildlife garden pond was frozen which reminded me that the water troughs might need attention. One solitary yellow Ragwort flower persisted near the Centre.
Upon the upper mile marker a pair of Jackdaw had occupancy whilst on the ground to my right a Roe Deer Doe stood statute like on the scrub edge. Experimentally I made movements to see if she would react, but no. I was able to get within 20 metres of the Doe before she set off. Thereafter she still kept close to me before finally bound downslope but up valley in the gully! I was relieved that the gully was not frost laden as we will continue with the temporary electric fence line installation ready for the Hereford Cattle to graze the Goat Plot and Wares.
Offshore I saw Cormorants head both east and west but the highlight were the Guillemots. I heard them before I saw them with a score in raft catching my attention as they were in breeding plumage! However, the gargling conversation was coming from two score Guillemots whose voices we amplified upon the ledge. A linear raft of a dozen Guillemot initially flew towards the cliffs then arced clockwise before heading out to sea. A Greater Black Backed Gull and a Herring Gull each stood sentry upon separate low ledges below the observation point.
Within the Tamarisk near Tilly Whim steps a good dozen Jackdaw perched. Further along the coast path my observation of a Robin paid off as I finally saw my first Goldcrest at Durlston! In total I had thirteen Goldfinches fly overhead whilst Robins and Blackbirds were most obvious today!
Today’s diary was written by Paul Jones