Water above and water below
Water to left and right
Beneath the skin and endless flow
Of water runs out of sight
Brown and cracked the thirsty ground
Has long lain hard and dry
Now I feel it coming down
The gentle touch of sky
I was very aware of the high humidity as I entered the park this morning. Last time the weather was like this I predicted a storm and we got a fortnight of sun, so I decided not to speculate on this occasion. Our berry carriers were starting to sag under the weight of their offerings, with blue-purple sloes on Blackthorn, red Hawberries on Hawthorn and dark Elderberries on Elder trees. It’s these attractions that make Durlston such a popular re-fuelling station with migrating birds. They have yet to arrive in force, and I spied just a few Great Tits and Chaffinches as I embarked towards the meadows.
The wetter weather has done wonders for the park’s fungi population and I eagerly scanned the path margins for fresh arrivals. In the woodlands a small armada of Boletes are emerging, with Rooting and Lurid Boletes being the most common. There are also some early signs of Candlesnuff fungus. A few Giant Puffballs have also cropped up, a pleasant sight as they’re one of the few fungi that don’t really have any look-alikes. No need for spore prints today.
The rains have also given a second wind to a few of our wildflowers. I passed a few patches of Fleabane that were looking very healthy and our Red Bartsia, Squinancywort and Field Scabious also displayed a healthy amount of colour. I gazed at the scattered hay bales as I crossed towards the downland, like grassy monoliths rising from the earth. A Meadow Brown butterfly fluttered past one before landing on a patch of Gorse, perhaps a little confused. An entire meadow, condensed down to a few pale brown cylinders.
Out on the clifftops the colourful Sea Aster and Golden Samphire contrasted with the overcast grey of the sky above. A couple of drab Herring Gulls, Rock Doves and Shags flapped past, seeming very much at home in the bland landscape. A few hundred yards from the Learning Centre the heavens opened and I was treated to a brief but intense downpour. I instinctively dashed for shelter, but the gentle feel of the rain was almost comforting in its own way.