The start of December dawned eventually, the dark grey skies throwing water down and the wind blowing it horizontally at times making for a very wet patrol. What a difference to this time last year when my diary started
“A glorious sunny morning for the patrol, the deep red sky changing to gold as I wandered around the Park. Underfoot the frozen ground was crispy and crunchy the ice on the puddles cracking under my weight.”
As the weather was so foul, the clifftops called to ensure I made the most of it, towards Durlston Head where the Bay side was fairly sheltered and in the Wild Clematis and Bramble scrub the sound and then sight of a Wren livened up the proceedings. The sea appeared empty as did the houses on the other side, just one light showing there were other people up and about.
Around the headland it was another word with rain being driven from the south west buy the strong wind, making seeing forwards very difficult. Perched on the edge of the newly cleared Blackthorn and Tamarisk bushes was a Robin, its red breast adding a blast of colour to the morning.
Stopping for a seawatch which only provided views of 2 Cormorants flying high heading eastwards, I was then distracted by the river of water travelling along the path, so I took the opportunity to undertake some drainage improvements.
Below me, perched tightly together on the cliff ledge were the Guillemots, well over a hundred present, taking advantage of the low seas, as very little spray was getting to their ledge.
As I once again scanned across the sea with my binoculars a few brown and white guillemots were spotted as was a very smart Razorbill, this birds watched as it flew towards the cliffs and probably landed on its favoured nook.
Returning towards the centre 3 Jays flew between the Holm Oaks trees, their flight always seems so soft compared with the power required by the others of the crow family of which Carrion Crow, Jackdaw and Raven were seen this morning.
The fungi and emerging thick and fast at present with Field Blewits, Yellow Field Caps and Candle Snuff just some of them.