A very grey morning but chillier than recently, so down to the coast path for a look at what turned out to be a flat calm sea, barely a ripple to break up the grey colour.
A flock of 50 Jackdaws calling and cackling above, wheeling around in the sky, another group of 4 was perched on the top of the mile-markers, not shifting when the massive Raven swooped over.
The wonderful sound of the cooing and chuckling of the Guillemots was wafting up from their ledges, on peering towards them about 100 could be counted, not too tightly packed on. Virtually all of them were in their ‘summer’ breeding plumage having dispensed with the ‘winter’ plumage of white heads.
Skimming above the water were a number of Shags, all travelling in an easterly direction, the shape of their foreheads showing well.
A large fishing boat was bobbing in the sea off Durlston Head with a large flock of Herring Gulls and Great Black-backed Gulls circling around.
As I looked higher up the cliffs the sight of a Peregrine Falcon was noticed, the white front catching the eye first, and as it turned slightly the blue-grey hood was spotted followed by the yellow beak. As I watched there was a twitching of talons before it took flight soaring along the cliffs.
Up through the woods a Jay squawked loudly, the white rump disappearing amongst the Holm Oaks. Scampering up the trunk was a Grey Squirrel, bounding amongst the branches.
The yellow flowering Gorse bursting with colour against the dark dreary background, this welcome splash of brightness was accompanied by the pink seed heads of Spindle and the orange berries of Stinking Iris.