A rather humid and misty start to the day, with the morning ‘rounds’ alternating between bright sunshine and mist and cloud. By the time I got back to the centre (accompanied by residential volunteer Ken), the skies overhead were deep blue, scuffed with high cloud overhead.
As the summer turns, the meadows have softened in colour from spring green to a soft bronze, however, they are still splashed with a rich palette of colour.
Despite the good work of our volunteer work parties, lots of golden yellow Ragwort still to be seen! Although poisonous to cattle in large quantities, it does provide a great late nectar source, with several Meadow Browns feeding on it this morning. Also providing plenty of nectar, the numerous flowers of Rough Hawkbit – like thousands of golden suns shining out of the grass and Common and Greater Knapweed – deep imperial purple flowers.
Lots of other meadow plants in bloom, including the tangled stems and yellow ‘pea’ flowers of Meadow Vetchling, the delicate, pale blue flowers of Pale Flax, the white flower-heads of Wild Carrot (many starting to curl up into a rusty red ‘bowl’ as the flowers finish), along with the silvery leaves and buttery yellow flowers of Fleabane and white coronas of flowers around the dense heads of Ribwort Plantain.
Lower down in the meadows, the tiny white flowers of Eyebright nestle among the grasses, alongside their relative Red Bartsia (both are semi-parasites, feeding on grasses), while nearby, Common Broomrape, a true parasite with no green leaves or chlorophyll, can also be found.
Field and Meadow Grasshoppers sing from the verges around the edge of the fields, where ferocious Woolly Thistle and Teasels taller than me (covered with pale purple flowers) are in bloom.
The hedgerows are also starting to look much more autumnal, with dusty purple Sloes on Blackthorn, clusters of poisonous, multi-coloured ‘tomatoes’ on Bittersweet, round green berries on Bryony (the only British member of the Yam family!) and the jewel-like translucent crimson berries of Honeysuckle, along with the first few ripe Blackberries.
A Kestrel hovers for a moment above the Copse, while returning to the Centre, a few House Martins swirl overhead – many more will be arriving at Durlston over the next few weeks, as they gather in the ‘Departure Lounge’ before heading south in September and October.