This morning Rangers patrol was distracted due to our clearing up from a wedding and setting up for the Wedding exhibition so I share this positive tale with you. Alan, Durlston’s postman, often takes his breakfast break in the upper car park. I noticed his having parked with an obscured view, but I had my suspicions as to why he was doing this and they were confirmed. Alan feeds a Robin from the hand and one bird has gotten so tame it will come into the vehicle cab to feed from Alan’s hand. His regular Robin has a bird ring on its leg, however, at one time two Robins came to him. Alan suspected one to be a juvenile of the regular bird. Alan has been doing this for six years! If you have the time and patience you could eventually get this close to a Robin too!
On leaving the Centre a pair of Rabbits ran for cover ahead of me. Blue Tits, Great Tits and Robins were present in the tree cover around the car park, castle and diagonal path. Wrens put in an appearance emerging from herbaceous level growth and at one point a Wren’s trunk investigating behaviour made me hopeful that it was a Tree creeper, but alas no! A Goldfinch was “clocked” at top a bare tree whilst Linnets also flew overhead. A clearly defined mammal run through the grass crossed the diagonal path indicated nocturnal Badger activity.
Vapour trails added variety to a predominantly blue sky. Within the gully I counted fifteen of the Hereford Cattle which shared the sward with some of the Jackdaws. One preening Carrion Crow perched on top of Holm Oak beside the Goat Plot. Both a Green Woodpecker and a distant California Farm Cockerel were heard but not seen!
On approaching the observation point I sent three Grey Squirrel scuttling beneath the overreaching Holm Oak branches. Two Cormorant and one Greater Black Backed Gull flew west offshore whilst a Lesser Black Backed Gull then flew east. Upon the Guillemot ledge sat but one Herring Gull whilst twenty five Jackdaws scoured the sky. A pleasant surprise was that of a Skylark passing overhead whilst I stood beside Tilly Whim steps along with the regular Robin.
Today’s diary was written by Paul Jones