Bird Ringer Mick emerged from the mist and reported amongst his captures of two Song Thrush, a Goldcrest, Chaffinch and Blue Tit which was a bird first ringed at Durlston in 2016! I discovered that Mick had been the first to spot our “double size” newt in the Wildlife Garden Pond, which I suspect might be a Great Crested Newt which will need our having a licence for pond dipping and pond clearance. Ten Smooth Newts were seen this morning.
The mist was such that I could see the Carrion Crow that called from the Upper Mile Marker, I could see the sea below but not the main body of the Lighthouse complex. Oddly our Lighthouse lamp was inactive. Fortunately, from the cliff top I had views of our seabirds. At least two Shag perform cliff to sea to cliff anti clockwise arc flights. Later of Anvil point I would see a Shag, with its head tuft, on the water drifting westward with the current. At least two Fulmars also flew in circuits of the sea cliffs. Meanwhile, the cave ledge occupancy was such that eight Guillemots had to occupy the sloping surface. Above them perched two Great black back gulls whilst below on the water the Guillemots were in two rafts. Nearest to the ledge was a raft of thirty which contained at least four Razorbills whilst a smaller raft drifted off Tilly Whim ledge. At the ledge edge there was a solo Rock Pipit calling.
Gradually the numbers of Jackdaws about the Lighthouse and green increased to near fifty. Amongst their perches were the overhead wire, roof tops and chimneys and the grassland. However, calls from two Carrion Crows, in a nearby Sycamore tree, helped to send the across the gully to below the rock face. Looking towards the gully road bridge I was delighted to see the fluffy cotton white catkins opening upon Willow trees.
As I stood on the bottom step at the Gully Mouth a pair of Peregrine Falcons sped past heading east, ascending to ride over Tilly Whim ledge.
Amongst low lying Blackthorn and Bramble beside the Lighthouse perimeter wall the yellow flowers Narcissus stood proud. After a long absence I finally heard the familiar call of a male Stonechat. I saw a pair of the bird amongst the tips of an Elder before they disappeared into the Lighthouse grounds. I had been looking for them recently amongst the gully Gorse to no an avail.