I went to seek out freshly emerged flowers only to discover the fresh purple (to me) leaves of Sea Kale amongst Tor Grass beside the coast path. Yesterday I noticed fresh Speedwells within the car park verges. Out at sea a tug towed a barge inland towards Swanage and Poole.
Descent the downs into the gully I discovered a relatively fresh Small Mammal burrow beneath a slab of Purbeck Limestone. From its size I assumed it to belong to a Stoat or Weasel. Trio of Badger latrines at the Lighthouse head of the bridge fence line had fresh “leavings” illustrating recent use! Before the rain increased I was able to see powdery soil piles about the holes from Earthworm excavations upon Lighthouse Green.
At first I thought I had caught the sound of a Wren’s trill. However, the persistent rattle defined it as being a Grasshopper Warbler hidden in the scrub off the green. I was drawn to the climber’s paths to investigate a bird’s calls from the cliff top. To the west of Anvil Point I encountered a Peregrine Falcon close enough to see its yellow eye band, talons and sharped curved beak. The bird faced west and if received no response (that I heard) from its persistent to its calls. One male Stonechat perched at the tip of a successful protruding Bramble stem. It had been just as well that we had replaced loose fencepost beside the coast path a both posts and fence were being used for scratching by the cattle. All twenty five Hereford Cattle present and correct in field 10A, happily grazing. The cattle were shortly joined by Carrion Crows about their hooves. As crossed back over the gully bridge I saw the flash of a Jay’s rump at tail as it flew away from me. The sounds of a Green Woodpecker, Cock Pheasant, Blackbirds, Chaffinch, Chiff Chaff and Dunnock we also heard.
Yesterday an Oil Beetle (deceased) was brought into the castle. This black beetle being defined by its having had an abdomen which protruded beyond its wing cases giving, thus having given the impression of having been constantly pregnant.