What a glorious morning for a patrol, the westerly winds blowing at a steady 30 mph, but with gusts up to 60mph – so quite exciting along the clifftops.
The grey sea churning, the rolling waves crashing across the top of the Tilly Whim Ledges, the spray blowing inland soaking the grassland and me as I stood watching the amazing power.
Behind me the sound of a Stonechat, this small bird chatting from the sheltered middle of a clump of Bramble ad Privet scrub, upon searching a glimpse of its dark head an orange body could be found.
As I turned back towards the sea, an explosion of sound was emitted as the water was forced through the blowhole and high up into the air – always spectacular.
From the cliff path, a stream of Gannets were seen flying west, their brilliant white wings being caught by light, providing pink glowing outline above the pink tinged waves. These huge seabirds flew high, then low skimming the water and then rising again.
Out from Durlston Head more Gannets and a few Kittiwakes, while whizzing around the corner a Cormorant and a Shag.
My patrol took me into the woods where a few small branches and twigs were laying on the path, and the calling yaffle of a Green Woodpecker caught my attention, this eventually spotted as it flew through the gaps in the trees and out across the meadow.
The meadows and downland avoided this morning as they have been affected by the constant rain and busy Christmas period turning some areas into mud!
On return to the centre a Chaffinch was flitting in the Hawthorn, Robin chatting from the Blackthorn and a Wren sitting amongst the yellow flowers of the Gorse.