The cackling call of a Green Woodpecker was answered by a ‘yaffle’ from the second of these brightly coloured birds, one flew off across the fields while the other stood erect on the top of a Yellow Meadow Ant hill. Bounding, in the distance, were a pair of Roe Deer, their large white fluffy rumps showing as they bounced, while the dull brown pelage could barely be seen.
On the top of a Sycamore was a Kestrel, this bird having its tan feathers bathed in a shaft of sunlight which was just squeezing through the gap between the clouds and the sea.
As I looked out to sea, lines of light were being marshalled by the clouds, while the sea had brilliant orange patches of light splashing across it. On the water below the cliffs a quick count of Guillemots registered about 300, with another 150or so packed on the main ledge, the vast majority in their smart ‘breeding’ plumage. A group of large birds gliding a few hundred yards off the cliffs were 8 Gannets and 6 Greater Black-backed Gulls, both of these black and white seabirds have huge wing spans. But neither as big as the Common Crane which was seen passing above Durlston Bay yesterday afternoon. This primarily grey bird flies with its neck sticking straight in front and is a very scarce migrant to this area, one has also been seen at Arne recently.
As I admired the Gannets a small black and white bird flew by, this an Eider Duck was watched as it flew west. Turning to head up the slope where more and more Gorse is coming into flower, the yellow petals providing brilliant blasts of colour on these dull mornings. On the meadows a few Rabbits out munching and a Skylark to flight, for once silent, the Raven however was croaking very loudly, these huge crows are always early nesters and are beginning their breeding displays.