Bundles of Brown Fir
Curious of this new world
Fox Cubs out to play
A march into Durlston through the Woodlands to check on the fungi revealed that the patch of Glistening Ink Caps I spotted the other day had reduced to a patch of black slime. The Wrinkled Fieldcaps were also on the tail end of their lifecycle, several of them decidedly shrivelled. The air was alive with the drumming of Greater Spotted Woodpeckers, the sing song notes of Blackbirds and Robins plus a particularly noisy Wren.
Long Meadow supported a strutting Magpie stepping arrogantly past long stems of Pale Flax and Tall Fescue. In the Car Park the wildlife was no less prolific, with Goldfinches and Chiffchaffs singing above Forget-Me-Not, Scarlet Pimpernel and Shepherds Purse. As I passed under a protruding tree branch I came eye to eye with a bird I didn’t recognise. Possibly a flavour of Tit.
I walked down to the Castle past Ivyleaf Toadflax and the hilariously badly named Garlic Mustard (neither a garlic not a mustard). A big thank you to Ted Pratt for his excellent wildflower walk last Sunday, I felt like my knowledge doubled in an afternoon. I also checked on a few red spots on a Sycamore that had been reported to me yesterday. Sycamore Gall Mites for sure. Nothing serious, they’re quite common.
I continued on down to the Great Globe and examined its Lichen encrusted surface. Rich yellow spots of Caloplaca flavescens (Gold Lichen) grew beside the beige-grey Diploicia canescens (White Lichen). Around the Globe stems of Red Valerian were in bloom and the rough leaves of Bristly Ox Tongue seemed to be everywhere.
Crossing along the Clifftops I noted clumps of Thrift and Sea Aster just beyond the walls. Fulmars, Shags, Guillemots and Razorbills were all active on or above the water. I also spied a couple of Linnets cavorting in a patch of Tamarisk beside the Tilly Whim Caves. Returning via the diagonal path I noted a few immature flowers of what looked like Bittersweet Nightshade as I walked. It’s been quite a morning.
The highlight of the day was certainly the four Fox Cubs I was fortunate enough to see, by the looks of things only recently old enough to walk and out exploring their new home.