A bright, breezy start to the day. Overhead, white, fluffy clouds scud across a bright blue sky, while below the cliffs, countless rows of white horses race over a matching blue sea.
The strong winds over the last few days have carpeted the woodland paths with the large palmate leaves of Sycamore, neat rows of Ash leaves and the shiny dark green leaves of Holm Oak. A strong breeze roars through the canopy above me, with the cries of Jays and Green Woodpeckers ringing out through the woodland.
Down below in Durlston Bay, a Sparrowhawk skims along before taking a perch near the top of a Cypress, with a Peregrine, heard but not seen, somewhere nearby.
In the lee of the Long Meadow hedge, lots of Meadow Browns feed lazily in the sunshine, with a Cinnabar Moth (a dramatic red and black) also seen. The meadow itself is looking spectacular, with Common Spotted Orchids in their hundreds, along with a few Pyramidal and Bee Orchids. The tall yellow ‘dandelion’ flowers of Rough Hawkbit blaze from among the grasses, above a dense ‘jungle’ of Yellow Rattle, with a few plants of cream-flowered Comfrey in bloom.
On the Downs, Wild Thyme, Milkwort, Horseshoe Vetch and Birdsfoot Trefoil form colourful tapestries, with the curious geometric flowers of Salad Burnet bobbing in the breeze, along with the ‘dusty’ blue flowers of Houndstongue.
Pink Thrift covers the clifftop, along with the yellow flowers of Kidney Vetch (surrounded by white ‘wool). Jackdaws seem to be revelling in the gusty winds this morning, as they circle, play and squabble noisily.
A large raft of Guillemots on the water below, along with a few Razorbills (noticeably blacker with a chunky, white striped beak), with Fulmars cutting effortlessly through the wind.
A brief glimpse of a Dartford Warbler, popping out of the Gorse along the Diagonal Path as I walked up.
On the Timeline just above the Castle, one of the most amazing fungi to be found at Durlston the bizarre red Cage Fungus (which smells almost as extraordinary as it looks!)
Diary written by Ali Tuckey