The birds of Durlston are scarce indeed
With sightings few and far between
My only choice is to proceed
And hope beyond for pastures green
Inside the gully’s sheltered boughs
Beside the bridge both left and right
A host of birds there flutter and browse
I watch them there as they alight
A good healthy wind was blowing again this morning as I set off to get the lay of the land. Above the wind I could make out the tones of Blackbirds and Robins from the wildlife area, but I didn’t have high expectations for sightings in such strong winds. The yaffle of a Green Woodpecker emanated from the Large Copse so I swung around and headed that way. Thanks to some excellent external corroboration I’ve managed to come up with an ID for the mystery fungi. It seems likely that both are in fact the same species, Velvet Shank. Mission accomplished.
My trip through Saxon Field was much lonelier, with barely any sound of birdlife, let alone sight. My only encounter occurred just as I was about to leave, when I almost stepped on a Wren. It had been sitting perfectly camouflaged amongst the grass underfoot, and took off abruptly when I was one pace away, landing inside a patch of Bramble and twitching its tail. I hope there are no hard feelings.
In Centenary Meadow a small shape dived over a few dead Teasels and into a patch of Ivy covering the dry stone wall. I caught just enough of a glimpse to make out the tell-tale features of a Redwing. Next I did a little off-roading through the undergrowth of the upper gulley, and whilst I didn’t manage to see much, I did hear the clacking calls of some Stonechats, as well as the harsh screech of a Jay.
I stopped for a moment at the bridge over the lower gulley, and finally hit the jackpot. Suddenly there seemed to be birds wherever I looked, with a small group of Long Tailed Tits, a Goldcrest, a few Chaffinches and a possible sighting of a Hawfinch, though I only glimpsed it so I could well be wrong. Finally, as I returned to the Learning Centre lost in thought, I caught a large form looming out of the corner of my eye, binoculars revealed it to be a Sparrowhawk, riding the high winds for a fleeting moment before dropping out of view.