What a glorious morning to welcome be back from a two week absence of early Ranger patrols! Whilst no frost but instead plenty of dew underfoot d at Durlston.
Another day of Goldfinch galore commenced with a score about the car parks. From somewhere near the Large Copse a Ravens call was heard, and off course Carrion Crows, whilst a visible Robin sang out from bare Ash branch tips. At top a roadside Elm appeared a Great Tit whilst it was Marsh or Willow Tit investigate the needles of a nearby Black Pine.
A blue cloudless sky gave superb views of a full Moon, vapour trails and Aircraft without trails! Beside Long Meadow the thorn less Guelder Rose clung onto Purple / Plum and Bronze Leaves. Upon the timeline a calling Green Woodpecker flew castle wards above the Holm Oak canopy. A single threaded of Spider silk stretched over a metre between dry stone wall and hand rail waiting to broken by a pedestrian to me the first to cross the “finish line”!
Like a missile a male Blackbird shot over caravan Terrace Bridge. Nearby leaf rustling, I put down to an unseen leaf Blackbird of scurrying Squirrel. A quartet of Greenfinches put in an appearance on the Durlston Bay coast path. The rock face obscured with brambles had the sound of a hidden trickling small waterfall. In a Sycamore I saw a Wren hover humming bird like under its leaves. A family of five Long Tailed Tits and a Chiff Chaff also explored this tree in the sun. One coastal Hawthorn wore more lichen than leaves! Near the observation point a Red Admiral crossed my path. Over the cliff three Shag and a Greater Black Backed Gull headed west. A score of Jackdaws perform impressive showing aerial manoeuvres over the path. The sea cliff ledge was empty of birds.
Upon the wares an acorn half eaten by a Small Mammal must have been stolen from a Jay or Squirrels stores!
Amongst this morning’s Stour Valley Ringing Group bird ringing and captures were: Firecrests; Blackcap 2; Redpoll 1; Redwing 6; Song Thrush; Blackbird.