Although it was dry upon my arrival I had the sense to put on my waterproofs, which was a good move! I must apologise as of recent I have been referring to Wild Service Tree when in fact I meant the Wayfaring tree was in leaf and blossom. Dogwood and Silver Birch had leaves open so it was more challenging to see the vociferous Blue Tits and Great Tits passing through their branches
Upon Long Meadow I delighted in the simple flowers of a Ribwort Plantain showing halos of delicate white stamen circling the otherwise brown flower heads upon stalks. Fresh leaves upon dead looking dry rope-like stems of Old Man’s Beard were very much alive. Indeed it was ready to smother much of the vegetation below caravan Terrace Bridge. Nearby a Three Leafed Clover with closed drooping pink blue flowers looked like a garden variety yet to be identified. David reported recent sightings of Kidney Vetch and Birdsfoot Trefoil in flower. Also on the coast path I saw the dark green rounded basal leaves of Common Mallow.
Even Durlston Bay had a swell and white water crossing it. As usual I was buffeted upon rounding Durlston Head, but delighted at the site of Gannets. Today I counted a score of Gannets heading west flying relatively low over the water. There were several small rafts of Guillemots riding the swell and of the thirty birds on the water, three were definite Razorbills. Only individual Jackdaw were seen about the clifftops today.
Scanning the sea cliffs I caught sight of several clumps of white flowers hugging the grassy margins, these of course being Sea Campion. A less pleasant sighting was that of Brown-tailed Moth Caterpillars in their webs, however, at least these were on the clifftop side of a coast path dry stone wall thus out of reach of most folk.
When heading down to the castle two of the three cars parked were having their car alarms presumably triggered by the wind! No surprising have gust of 43 this morning!