Our final Durlston sea bird boat trip went well last night with six Puffins having been observed. We had a rather brief but close Gannet fly pass and were treated to Swift activity too. Again the Kittiwakes sat like pebbles wedged into the cliff! Recent observations from private included Great Black Back Gulls feeding upon Guillemot fledglings which have been picked off from the sea. Well at least they have escaped Raven predation! Back on land a pair of Tawny Owls called from the Reservoir Copse.
The last day of June and half way through 2018! It was a Marbled White morning such that I stopped counted after a score. Of course Six Spot Burnets Moths were evident as were Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers and a Large White. It was a Small Skipper I spotted amongst the Mile Marker Tor Grass having a black then white wing margin marking.
From a distance I spied a Song Thrush upon Lighthouse Road Bridge. Upon the bridge I witnessed much Great Tit activity but only on Goldfinch nearby. Near the gully rock face I encounter a pair of Linnets which unusually stopped on a Holly Bush for proper observation. Hidden in the scrub a Wren “trilled” whilst a Chiff Chaff broadcast from the telephone wire. Off shore I saw one Gannet and one Shag head west over the swell with many white crests. A solo Swift was observed near the Mile Markers.
One of the Poole Printmakers, Dianne, left a sketch having noticed the spiral pattern in a solely unravelling Thistle flower. Ragwort has come into flower meaning pulling season can begin. Near the Centre some Bristly Ox Tongue stood in flower as tall as myself whilst only at chest height stood Wild Parsnip with it “off yellow” flowers. Although much of the grass looked dry there were seed heads still yet to disperse. Much of the Yellow Rattle had gone to seed but Pyramidal Orchids, Knapweed, Scabious, Agrimony, Rest Harrow, Cross Wort and Yellow Wort still provided flowers and a nectar source. In Saxon fields I heard Skylarks from beyond along with the braying on donkeys and the bleating of Sheep. In most places the clay has been baked hard in the sun to cracking. This has made post hole digging more challenging.