For the first time in over a month, it rained, just 1.8mm last night, not a lot but at least something! The cracks and craters in the ground are still very evident as the clay and earth has dried out hugely and contracted.
The downland echoing to the loud calling of Peregrine Falcons, almost a screech as two youngsters perched on the cappers of a dry-stone wall, difficult to see at first glance, but then the obvious once seen the first time.
The sound of the tinkling of Goldfinches drew my eyes to the scrub where the gold flashes on their wings were catching the sunlight. In the same area a family of Common Whitethroats were calling to each other and a Dunnock skulked in between the thorn laden branches of the Blackthorn.
A Stonechat stood on the top of a large patch of Wild Clematis, the pale yellow flowers of the rambling plants combining with strange shaped pink flowers of Honeysuckle to cover the plants below.
Butterflies galore this morning, with Wall Browns basking on the stones of the path, such beautiful markings, as does the Marbled Whites of which in one or two places were in clouds flying about me as I walked.
Large White and Small White both on the wing, as are Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers and many Lulworth Skippers. On the bright green leaves of Black Bryony was a Ringlet, the deep chocolate coloured wings punctuated by seven cream rings, a very smart looking butterfly.
Sadly for me, no sign of yesterday’s Chalkhill Blue – possibly the rarest of Durlston’s resident Butterflies, which was recorded on the West Butterfly Transect.
The clicking chirp of a Dark Bush-cricket quite different to the longer reeling of the Great Green Bush-cricket, both of which were spotted along the hedgerow verge which was covered with Wild Parsnip and Wild Carrot as well as Yarrow and Spear and Woolly Thistle.
Along the clifftops the golden flowers of Carline Thistles are starting to emerge alongside the Picnic Thistle while on the rock face the Rock and Golden Samphire and the Durlston Sea Lavender are now in bloom.
Just outside the window and I finish the diary a Green Woodpecker is probing the slightly softened ground and a Roe Deer has just wandered past.