A wild and windy start to the morning, with the park veiled in a thick shroud of mist, softening the edges of the dark silhouettes of scrub on the downs. Heavy rain overnight means that the meadow paths squelch pleasingly underfoot.
At the top of Taskers path, 4 Redwing spotted around the hedgerow, with a Sparrowhawk seen in the Saxon Field.
The startling ‘yaffle’ of a Green Woodpecker rings out across Long Meadow, with his vibrant yellow-green feathers looking fantastic on a murky morning. Nearby, in a Black Pine on the edge of the Car Parks, a small flock of Goldcrests chatter away as they pick tiny insects out of the foliage with their needle-like beaks.
A large extended family of Long-tailed Tits bustle and squabble in the Long Meadow hedgerow, along with Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Robin and Wren.
Some welcome shelter from the rain in the woodland, where recent tree work as part of the ‘Durlston Pleasure Grounds’ Project has started to open up the canopy in places – can’t wait to see the results on our spring wildflowers! To find out more about how the project will help the wildlife of the woods, and restore important features of George Burt’s legacy, do pop into the Castle and visit our ‘Durlston Past’ exhibition in the Gallery, or join the ‘Pleasure Grounds Tour’ on the 3rd of January.
A quiet morning along the cliffs, although nice to see the Guillemots popping in for a ‘weekend break’ on the ledges. Passing by, a Gannet cuts through the lifting mist, with a Great Black-backed Gull battling the gusts near Durlston Head.
Once again, a Black Redstart is visiting the Gully – so well camouflaged until a flash of red feathers catches my eye.
On the Diagonal Path, a Dunnock shuffles along beneath the overhanging Gorse, with Wild Carrot still in bloom along the grassy verge.