A Woodpigeon soothingly called whilst Jackdaws flew up noisily from the reservoir copse when I arrived. This morning was at least the second to have a Durlston frost, such that there was crunchy grass underfoot at Longmeadow and about the centre. The wooden overflow car park rails glistened with minute ice crystals. Upon the coast path two small puddles had thin layers of ice!
Beside the Long Meadow picnic benches from the cover of Bramble and Dogwood leaves there came sound of small birds which turned out to be Great Tits and Blue Tits. Still in flower beside the benches were several Daises amongst the grass.
Beside the Ice Cream kiosk upon the trunk of a Black Pine I heard then saw a Greater Spotted Woodpecker. Its call received a response from a neighbouring Jay. A charm of fifteen Goldfinches cheerily passed over the castle. Superb clear crisp views of Hurst Castle and the Isle of White were available again.
A small linear raft of six Guillemots sat upon the sea whilst others flew out to sea from the cliffs. Again from the observation point I had an excellent view of a Peregrine Falcon perched on the sea cliff just below thin sparse vegetation cover. When observing it from the opposite direction I could see the predator literally looking over is “shoulder”.
When I later went back to see how many Guillemots might be upon the ledge I found they had all gone by 09:15. However, instead an unmistakable call from the coastal gorse indicated the presence of a Dartford Warbler. Patience rewarded me as I saw the distinctive bird with its pert tail flitting through the spiked branches. After hearing an Oystercatcher I got to see a pair sat upon a low ledge closest to the sea near Tilly Whim. A pair of Greater Black Backed Gulls we seen on the lowest ledges first near Durlston Head the later to the west.
As I returned via the diagonal path there was much Blackbird activity with a good half dozen about to be seen. I had at least two pairs of Robins following me for brief distances. Outside the castle Daffodil bulbs had sprouted leaves already! A pair of Ravens, Green Woodpecker and the bray of a Donkey were heard coming from the Large Copse direction.