Even when the weather’s vile
A trip to Durlston’s full of surprises
I guarantee it’s worth your while
You’ll find wildlife of all shapes and sizes
Another face full of wind and rain this morning, with very little sound from our feathered friends. I heard a few short blips from Robins, and caught the backside of a Wren disappearing into a Hawthorn bush again. I decided to brave the elements and headed out towards Saxon Field, observing the waves of water droplets as they oscillated before me. The field was relatively drab, with a few isolated dots of yellow Rough Hawkbit in a sea of Tor Grass.
Small Copse provided temporary shelter from the weather, and an abundant hunting ground for fungi. A Butter Cap nestled amongst the leaf litter on the floor, and fallen logs supported the usual array of Hairy Stearum, as well as a few King Alfred’s Cake, and another mystery fungus. I’d previously speculated that it might be a Razor Strop, but now I’m leaning more towards Chicken-Of-The-Woods. I’ll keep you posted.
Further along through the meadows, a bright Yellow Fieldcap was popping up by the footpath, alongside a few Field Mushrooms. I crossed through a gate to Upper Gulley and walked on, surprised to see some purple Knapweed, as well as a few flowering Teasel. Wonders never cease. A few birds flittered in and out of shrubs but the combination of rain and mist rendered my binoculars ineffective. If I could have used them I would have identified them, I swear. The best I could manage with the naked eye was to pick out the obvious Blackbirds among the group.
Heading towards the Lighthouse, I passed a Banded Snail on a leaf, then managed to spy a Rock Pipit sitting on the footpath. Also to be seen were Shags, Common and Greater Black Backed Gulls, and a Grassland Puffball, burst open and its spores discharged. Fleshy fronds of Samphire lined the banks by the path, and the sharp calls of Jackdaws resonated through the morning. Even on a day like this, there’s a lot going on here at Durlston.