What does nature think of us?
When the wild green lands we tread
Is our presence Scandalous?
Or comforting instead?
Close as cousins the wild things are
Yet once or twice removed
As we travel near and far
I hope we are approved
Robins sang this morning beneath a sky criss-crossed with vapour trails. A Squirrel sat upright on one of the Car Park’s grassy verges, at home among the medley of wildflowers. It never ceases to amaze me how rich the Car Park’s flora is. Ox Eye Daises sunned themselves beside Scarlet Pimpernel, Bristly Ox Tongue, Burdock and Wild Carrot. A few Enchanter’s Nightshade had also put in an appearance in the woodland, as well as a couple of Dryad’s Saddle fungi.
A couple of Lulworth Skipper fluttered about the Diagonal Path. The ever present Whitethroats were still cheerfully displaying as I passed patches of young Hemp Agrimony and the yellow and purple flowers of Woody Nightshade.
I counted around 50 Guillemots on the water with more than 100 on the ledge, many of whom are now raising chicks so add a few more to that number. Pink and White Thrift flourished along the Coast Path, giving way to rich pinky-purple Gladiolas on Lighthouse Green. I passed a few Bee Orchids and a beautiful dappled white carpet of Eyebright on my way to the downs.
Common Blue and Meadow Brown butterflies seemed to be everywhere as I walked, the final count ending up as 8 of the former and 21 of the latter. Pyramidal Orchids were also approaching abundance, streaking out from the earth alongside Crosswort and Knapweed. A Green Woodpecker arced away from me down into the gulley, with Chaffinches and Chiffchaffs electing to remain perched in the trees.
Out on the Downlands I strolled past patches of Gorse, ears alert for a certain chain of sounds. Suddenly, I fancied I heard the last vocal flourish of “no cheese” in the distance. A quick search of the area revealed nothing. A false alarm, or perhaps not. As I sat down to finish my poem one of our Hereford Cattle rose from the ground and wandered up to me, approaching close and sniffing my knees and shoes. It seemed satisfied with my presence and continued on. It seems I do belong here.