A House Sparrow flew in to feed its calling second brood at the corner of the learning centre roof. I was to see another such bird later upon the wares scrub perhaps indicating how far they travel in search for food.
I was surprised to discover several Meadow Browns and a few Gatekeepers amongst the cut sward of Long Meadow. Of course the mower had brushed over a few plants so in places flowers persisted including Agrimony, Horseshoe Vetch, Red Clover, Ragwort and Fleabane. Plenty of Fleabane stood tall in the uncut part of Long Meadow. At the margins I spied well-formed conkers on a Horse Chestnut and small acorns upon a Holm Oak. Dog Wood simply showed pale brown berries whilst Rosehips were on offer as potential food too! Rather indiscriminate four leaved flowers showed on one of the Laurel species whilst I caught scent from head high flowers upon Privet. A few Black Bryony berries dangled from its climbers through the scrub.
A Green Woodpecker was heard calling from three different locations but remained unseen. Along the wooded part of Lighthouse Road a pair of Dunnock interacted at the muddy margin whilst a Wren trilled unseen. Wild Bay Willow Herb and Hemp Agrimony remained in flower whilst beside the walling centre Dock stems held dry seeds. Perhaps appropriately a Garden Snail adhered to the “Climbing at Durlston” Interpretation panel and temporarily obscured “Emergency Telephone”.
Off shore upon the horizon was the silhouette of a vast container ship which no doubt going to or from Southampton. A smaller coastal bulk carrier headed east as did the five sailing vessels. Of the two Shag seen only one focused on diving off the gully mouth, whilst a Great Black Back Gull and several Herring Gulls headed west. Today Jackdaws were only heard behind me.
Eventually I spotted a pair of Stonechat and a Whitethroat a top the gully scrub whilst a Robin appeared to spit out its calls. I could only just hear the wind passing through the upper mile marker which had a Magpie perched upon the ladder loop for a change. Reliably a Speckled Wood put in an appearance beside the Small Copse.