Today I ponder Hirundines, their lives and their affairs
They fill the skies
A’ catching flies
And then play musical chairs
Whilst the temperature was decidedly low in Swanage town, by the time I headed out into Durlston’s wilds the sun had risen a little and its soft golden light was delightfully warming. The Hirundine population was massing in the skies, with not a moment passing without a Swallow or House Martin flitting overhead. I was accompanied this morning by one of our new apprentices, Stuart who provided a welcome extra pair of eyes to the expedition.
The Black Pines of Large Copse sheltered a few Chiffchaffs, discernible through their dark eye stripes. Beyond in Taskers Meadow the meadow still supported a healthy population of Rough Hawkbit and Ribwort Plantain, with Jays and Great Tits occupying the surrounding trees.
Our route took us meandering through meadow and downland alike, with Durlston serving up a diverse menu of attractions for us. A pair of Wrens sang a duet beside a row of hay bales, with several Blackcaps sitting nearby as an audience. A Hawthorn tree played host to a family of Long Tailed Tits, it’s red berries strikingly colourful in the golden morning light. A few stray Wild Carrots still bloomed out by the pond, alongside some Scentless Mayweed flowering beautifully on the damp soil of the bed.
Crossing past the Napoleonic Signal Station we headed down towards the Lighthouse, searching in vain for fresh fungi specimens. By the Lighthouse Road several Common Toadflax were flowering, with Blackthorn dressed in Oakmoss further down the hillside. Pretty as these things were, our attention couldn’t help but be drawn to the gathering mass of Swallows and House Martins (and presumably some Sand Martins too) on the telegraph wires to the Lighthouse. Hundreds rose into the air, swirling in their distinctive erratic non-formation before settling again to sit and sun themselves. They were so numerous that they covered every inch of the wires from end to end, several late landers repeatedly attempting to alight at the ends, tumbling off and then re-attempting the manoeuvre.
As expected, the bird experts of the park had many additional sightings to report. The ringers had made a bumper haul of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps, as well as snagging a Song Thrush, Goldcrest and spotting 22 Ravens flying overhead. Our current full-time volunteer Greg had also seen two Spotted Flycatchers and a Redstart. Well done that man.