A misty, moisty morning, with thick fog reducing the visibility down to less than a hundred metres and a hushed stillness hanging over the meadows and downs.
As spring approaches, even the Car Parks are starting to burst into life! On the short verges, a few flowers of Lesser Celandine are in bloom – like little suns shining up out of the grass, making up for the lack of sunshine (or even sky!) overhead.
Nearby, Germander Speedwell is starting to flower – tiny blue and white flowers nestled among the grass, with yellow Groundsel, lilac-blue Grape Hyacinth and Common Daisy also in bloom.
Along the clifftop, the first deep blue flowers of Great Periwinkle are starting to appear, with some fine drifts of yellow Primroses (from ‘Prima Rosa’ or ‘first flower’) on Caravan Terrace.
The chorus of birdsong is becoming louder and more varied by the day, with the excitable chatter of Chaffinches mingling with the melodious whistles of Blackbirds, the repeated refrains of Song Thrushes (‘There’s the wise Thrush/He sings each song twice over’), the syncopated song of a Dunnock, perched among the Tamarisk on Durlston Head, the see-saw refrains of Great Tits, ‘giggly’ song of Blue Tits, sweet notes of Blackcaps and the soothing hooting of Woodpigeons.
Elsewhere around the Park, the chuckle of Green Woodpeckers, harsh croak of Ravens and the drumming of a Great Spotted Woodpecker near the Aviaries.
A thin ribbon of sea just visible along the coast, with a few Guillemots darting out, before disappearing into the mist, with Fulmars arcing in and out of visibility and a Jackdaw glimpsed, twig in beak as she returns to her newly constructed nest.
Out in the mist, the plaintive cry of an Oystercatcher rings out, with the screech of a Peregrine (also invisible!) heard near Tilly Whim.