On my drive up the approach Road glimpsed the tail end of a Jay which slipped into the cover of Laurel. I was overwhelmed by the breadth of bird sounds which I took as sign that birds were beginning to declare territories. In particular were the songs of Chaffinches and a Song Thrush. Goldfinches were seen and heard amongst car park Hawthorn as were vociferous Blue Tits and Great Tits. Our neighbours bleating sheep and a braying donkey joined in the chorus! The calm lapping of waves on the cliff foot were a contrast to yesterday’s stormy waves that batter Swanage sea front!
South Field had clear evidence of recent Badger diggings for roots and grubs. For a change I was treated with three Green Woodpecker sightings all in the Wares / Gully area. The first I sent up from its ground investigations. The last interestingly perched in a naked Sycamore occupied by Carrion Crows which had just caused the evacuation of several Woodpigeon from the vicinity. Our Raven pair briefly perch on “their” mile markers before moving westward.
I was a little preoccupied looking at suitable task for today’s Swanage Duke of Edinburg Awards Volunteers and decided to work near the centre cutting scrub from narrow paths before birds nest therein. Furthermore, I found a Hereford Cow departing from the goat plot despite our happing put the entrance rails across. One of the claves had been escaping from the goat plot so we had thought we had excluded them from this area: thus a job with some barbed wire for me! Whilst the cattle had done an excellent job of grazing Tor Grass they have had no impact on the spreading Stinking Iris of short Gorse regrowth, although their poaching impact has halted the spread of Winter Hellebore from the Small Copse.
Unfortunately our partners Wessex Astronomy cancelled tonight’s Stargazing event as the evening forecast is poor. 21