A chilly start to the day, with a cold northerly wind reminding me that for all the signs of spring, winter still has a sting in the tail.
Overhead, ripples of grey cloud drift out over a steely sea, with ‘white horses’ galloping along close to the cliffs.
Guillemots and Razorbills straggle across the water below the ledges, as other land inelegantly, plopping into the water with a splash, or patter along on the surface, before struggling into the air on tiny wings.
Fulmars wheel above them, as Rock Pipits burst upwards like tiny, tawny rockets. Also on the wing, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull and Shag with a Peregrine perched on a rocky outcrop below the Observation Point and a few Gannets cruising steadily eastwards.
As spring draws on (although it may not feel like it!), new life is appearing on the downland. The tiny, deep blue flowers of Chalk Milkwort are starting to dapple the downland, alongside Hairy Violet, the white flowers of Common Mouse-ear, with drifts of white Daisies along the path edges.
3 species of Orchid are now in bloom – the most numerous, the tiny green and brown Early Spider Orchid (over 50% of the UK population of this flower are found in the coastal fields between Durlston Head and Lulworth). Tall dark pink Early Purple Orchids (distinguished by their black spotted leaves) can be found in clumps across the downs and around the edges of scrub, with the smaller, paler Green-winged Orchids also in bloom.
Along the drove, the spectacular black and white flowers and rounded leaves of a Broad Bean can be seen – probably dropped by a bird.
The silvery leaves of Fleabane, elegant leaves of Cut-leaved Cranesbill and twirly ‘chives’ leaves of Crow Garlic can all be found in the rougher grass.
Cowslips are looking fantastic across Ox-eye and Centenary Meadows, framed by borders of white flowered Blackthorn.
On the wing, Whitethroat, Chifchaff, Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, Buzzard and Raven.