Some may be aware that we have had a family of six young Kestrels which have been excellently photographed by Nick Gadenne from the Observation Point. Nick witnessed the youngster both fighting over and sharing, even feeding food! Earlier in the year Rosie and I perhaps saw their parents copulating on a window ledge at the Lighthouse. Today I had several sightings of Kestrels but only a pair at once.
I also heard a Peregrine Falcon which I saw diving bombing and seeing off a Red Kite over Lighthouse Green. The Red Kite appeared to have an easier journey up from the Lighthouse as it rose in spirals utilising thermals.
I was delighted to see over sixty Hare Bells in flower on short sward near the Lighthouse. This is an excellent nectar source for butterflies, however, both Knapweed and Scabious had visits from Marbled White and even a pair of mating Six Spot Burnet Moths. Woolly Thistle and Teasel are having flowers gradually opening and at last Fleabane has flowers open too.
This morning I heard our summer Swifts in Wimborne, Corfe Castle, Swanage and even Durlston. A good half dozen Swallows performed a fly past too.
Looking down into the Gully Scrub it is possible that I saw a Coal Tit albeit it briefly. A pair of Whitethroat were seen, now harder to find with the absence of their songs. At least one Goldfinch was noted and a pair of Linnets flashed by.
Off shore was a very calm sea with only the sound of water inevitably licking at the rocky shore. A sailing sloop headed west whilst a fishing vessel was some distance off shore. Only Shag and Great Black Back Gulls represented sea birds today.
At Lighthouse Road Bridge I enjoyed the sweet scent of Old Man’s Beard flowers. Amongst the taller grass I spotted numerous nursery tents of what I suspect were Hunting Spiders. Such spiders hunt and pounce on prey whilst their silk is used to create protection for the youngster which were a cluster of pale eggs today.