Today I smell the smell of drought
Upon the morning breeze
The soil is cracking all about
The plants are ill at ease
I taste the dryness of the air
And feel the warming sun
Another month with weather fair
And we will be undone
My stroll up to the park today was accompanied by the calls of Swifts overhead, a few diving lower to dart amid the buildings lining the hill. I detoured through the Woodlands on my approach, relishing the slight drop in ambient temperature as a chance to cool down.
Though the birds weren’t particularly chatty the air was buzzing with insects. Honey Bees flitted from flower to flower on twisting bramble, with Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Small and Marbled Whites and a Ringlet also spotted alighting on the Hedgerows. A few sloes were starting to develop their bluish tinge as they soaked up the sun on their mother Blackthorn. Opposite in the Meadows, Restharrow, Agrimony, Fleabane, Wild Thyme Self-Heal and Rough Hawkbit were all flourishing. I’m guessing by their colour that they can still reach the water table, but for how long?
A distant Herring Gull let out its cackling call from Swanage town, drifting over to my right ear as a Wren sang in my left. A Lulworth Skipper alighted in the morning sun by my foot as I headed further out into the Meadows, coming within earshot of a Skylark. It struck me in that moment that soon someone would soon hear this year’s last Skylark song. Perhaps no one will hear it.
Up above the gulley I pulled a quickdraw with my binoculars on a distant grey form alighting on a Wayfaring Tree. A Sparrowhawk. Personally, they’re my favourite bird of prey and their shyness makes each sighting that much more rewarding. By the mile markers a loud Ke-Ke-Ke drew my attention to a passing Kestrel, the brown-y orange form gliding slowly away down the slope. Two raptors in five minutes. Not bad if you ask me.
I counted two groups of Guillemots on the water, totalling 37 birds. Another group of visitors soon to leave. I like to think that Durlston offers good hospitality, but you can be the judge of that.