Superb weather conditions prevailed for the mass of House Martins, the hundred or so Purbeck Marathon Participants and both sail and angling vessels off shore. This too provided a favourable start for this this morning’s Purbeck Footprints Wildlife photography walk!
Whilst both House Martins and Swallows were on the wing I estimated that at least eighty percent of the birds were the former. Some two to three hundred of these migrants were about the park this morning. For the first time this year I saw them rest up on the overhead wires across the gully, with seventy five counted at one point. These birds were to be seen from castle, coast path, gully and wares and about the learning centre. Below the mile markers they skimmed the rabbit grazed down-land sward and appeared just above head height will swooping up from the cliff tops.
This morning the mystery of the empty apple and pear skins was revealed. At first I thought the pair of Carrion Crows upon the wares were dipping into snatched Pigeon eggs. Further, observation revealed that each had a fruit from which it extracted the soft juicy flesh from within the tougher skin!
Again Robins were heard in song, today about the Learning Centre and again from Tamarisk above Tilly Whim steps! Tiny Chiff Chaffs flitted through the Blackthorn and Tamarisk below the Globe. Likewise a Whitethroat and several Blue Tits and Great Tits were seen between tree tops and branches.
At the base of the cliffs two Shag were seen below Durlston Head upon a ledge and another to the west was observed actively dry its wing standing beside a fossilised tree stump.
Both Sea Aster and Hemp Agrimony flowers were present with some fading. Eye Bright persisted healthily in it dwarf format! A Small White and a Red Admiral were seen on the coastpath.
From the observation point I was surprised to see a red and white hulled sloop at anchor. Despite a calm see its flapping jib gave it an unsteady anchorage. Further inspection revealed something odd with the mainsail beam and fenders left hanging from one side made me wonder if someone was not at their best. In the office I exchange observations with the National Coastwatch Institute at Peveril Point whom were also monitoring the vessel and were poised to forward details to the Coastguard.