Wind and water’s paths converge
Snow white horses now emerge
They paw, they shake, they gallop and bray
Snorting clouds of ocean spray
Then moving in a grand cascade
The charge in like the light brigade
Breaking on the rocky shore
Then rolling back to rise once more
Good news everyone! Due to the clocks changing and a heavy layer of Stratocumulus I have nothing to say about the sunrise this morning. I departed the Learning Centre with a strong wind chilling my exposed ears. A Chaffinch was calling from the Car Park, but I was unable to zero in on its exact location.
Heading towards Large Copse I spied a Mystery Fungi near the Beehive Bollard, hopefully soon to be identified. A few stubborn Fleabane and Wild Parsnip still displayed their faded flowers to the gathering cold of Autumn, though most of Durlston’s floral residents have called it a day by now. A few Wood Pigeons were performing some impressive aerobatics in the gusty skies above, twirling and wheeling with startling speed.
Out on the meadows I heard the light tones of a pair of Meadow Pipits, bravely struggling against the elements as they crossed overhead. In Brian Johnson Meadow there was a surprising amount of Rough Hawkbit still in bloom, with a few yellow clusters breaking up the green carpet of grasses and Ribwort Plantain. White Clover flowers occasionally dotted the field margins and the dried up pond still supported a good crop of Scentless Mayweed.
I crossed over the Downlands and headed down to the Lighthouse, spotting a few Herring Gulls and Greater Black Backed Gulls riding the updrafts by the cliffs as well as a Rock Pipit diving out of view. I was amazed to see a small patch of Sea Campion beside the Lighthouse’s border wall. Looks like I was wrong about it being the end of the flower season.