A rather grey start to the day, with a wonderful ‘landscape’ of clouds overhead, from streaks of high cirrus, alongside patches of bright blue, tumbled masses of grey and white.
As I write, a flock of 20+ Swifts – a relatively unusual sight at Durlston swirl and screech just outside, with a Kestrel hovering above the bungalow as I approach. Swallows swoop low across the Wildlife Area pond – their tail streamers almost brushing the water.
In the bushes and hedgerows, Whitethroats reel out their scratchy song, with the ‘tutting’ of Wrens, cackle of a Green Woodpecker and lyrical, fluid song of Skylarks also heard.
As the summer draws on, the berries of Hawthorn (rusty red), Blackthorn (plump green Sloes) and the shiny berries of Wayfaring Tree are all starting to appear in the hedgerows. Honeysuckle, with it’s orange-yellow, sweet smelling flowers, masses of Cleavers and the beautiful (but poisonous) Bittersweet scramble over the trees.
In the meadows, Common Spotted Orchids, from dark pink, to pure white jostle for space with Pyramidal Orchids and Bee Orchids.
Countless thousands of Ox-eye Daisies form clouds of white, with Yellow Rattle, Meadow Vetchling, Wild Carrot, Hogweed, Corky-fruited Water-Dropwort and many other flowers in bloom. Just starting to emerge, Common and Greater Knapweed, Yellow-wort, Centaury and Stemless (or Picnic) Thistle.
On the downs, Wild Thyme, Common and Chalk Milkwort, Eyebright, Salad Burnet, Birdsfoot Trefoil and Horseshoe Vetch form a colourful patchwork.
Down along the cliffs, Guillemots and Razorbills ride the gently bobbing waves, with lots of Herring Gulls feeding close to the cliffs. A Shag flaps ponderously by, as noisy gangs of Jackdaws squabble above the clifftop.
Our Hereford Cows are doing a fantastic job munching away at the coarse grasses in the Saxon Field, where they will be grazing for the next few weeks. Please do keep dogs on a lead in this area, as they have some very lovely young calves with them.