The morning began dry but ended with a heavy down pour of rain. Fleabane was still showing flowers in the uncut margins of Long Meadow. Meanwhile, in near by hedgerows Dogwood displayed dark currant like berries. Large Leaved Lime displayed dangled tough fruits or perhaps nuts? A few flowers were to be found on Viburnum.
Above the Dell a leaf roller species had made parcels upon Polar leaves to protect eggs inside. Upon caravan terrace a few flowers were found including Common Toadflax, Hemp Agrimony, Ragwort, Bristly Ox Tongue, Valerian, Wood Sage whilst most the Marjoram heads had turned a dark brown. Leaves and grass blades were decorated with water droplets. Below the castle a Robin of course sang from the top of a bare Blackthorn. I thought it was a Wood Warbler that fluttered about the Sycamore masts seeking out insects.
Off Durlston head relatively close the shore were a pair of Gannets flying low over the sea. A solo Great Black Back Gull perched on the ledge near the head whilst a second was seen off Till Whim.
At the foot of the Globe steps the scrub cleared area showed signs of regrowth by coppiced Tamarisk and a tall stand of flowering Sea Aster amongst other species. Some of the mature Tamarisk still clung onto catkins! A pair of Magpies search the coast path margins. The path surface had been disturbed a redistributed thanks to rivulets of surface water. At the observation point I admired the branch pruning which would enable contractor access for path resurfacing works. Of course, of the observation point was a septet of unusually quiet Jackdaws. Looking east I admire the waves crash up against Tilly Whim Ledge. Also west were dark grey clouds, thus I chose to walk my own route under the tree cover. It was not long before the rain fell, the sound of which were amplified the tree leaves. Indeed, I had a brief “rain forest moment” as a feint mist also developed between the trunks.
Heading back up lighthouse road muddy streams, coloured by clay particles, meandered down slope. The bare clay surfaces had become sticky and no doubt slippery in places!