Looking down long meadow the white flowers of a Horse Chestnut resembled miniature chandeliers adding variety to the otherwise green hedgerow. Masts appeared upon Ash, Field Maple and Sycamore primed to release seeds to the wind. At caravan Terrace Bridge one Sycamore had the remains of flowers and fresh masts upon the same branch! Near the Globe Elder had a few flowers heads clusters open. Beneath them a Bloody-nosed Beetle climbed up Goose Grass (Cleavers).
This morning’s surprise was the appearance of a female Broad-bodied Chaser dragonfly which settled upon bramble at caravan terrace. As its name suggests this species has a short and stout body. The lady rested with her two pairs of wings open so I could see the golden yellow margins at the tip of her abdomen. This specimen is amongst the group of “darters” which perches then fly out to catch passing prey. Other dragonflies regularly hawk, just like the five House Martins that were above Globe. Five Herring Gulls road rode a thermal at the woodland edge of Durlston Bay. Later I saw a Great Black Backed Gull “levitate” beside the sea cliff upon another thermal.
Out a sea a brief glimpse revealed three Gannet passing by. From the observation point a linear raft of sixty Guillemots were seen and heard with a few Razorbills amongst them. A Kestrel flew by and circled in front of me then headed west inland. Again from the observation point I witnessed a Fulmar taking off and return to the cliff face. On one occasion it appeared that a Jackdaw was chasing the fulmar away from the cliff top.
A Pied Wagtail perched upon the learning centre roof, meanwhile, a female House Sparrow waited for her male partner to exit the nest before entering herself with food for their young.
Amongst the flowers out today were Red Clover, yellow heads of a Smooth Sow-Thistle beside stone steps (with pointed and lobed leaves), Valerian, and Bittersweet with its purple petals and yellow anthers. Meanwhile Enchanters Nightshade was in leaf under the woodland cover. Near the Globe a Wall Brown fluttered by whilst a Speckled Wood was seen beneath dappled shade. A drab caterpillar was found clinging to the leaf of a Lime tree. A good score of Hoverflies made the most of a sun beam piercing the tree cover. There was a constant buzz despite many of them seen resting upon Ivy leaves. Both Kidney Vetch and Thrift brought colour to sea cliff tops.