With the strong south westerly wind blowing, I was drawn down to the cliff tops to see the sea, and I wasn’t disappointed as the water was crashed against the rock face and spraying high over Tilly Whim Ledges creating a salty mist.
Nearby the blow-hole was blowing weakly, a jet of seawater squirting high into the grey morning sky.
My binoculars constantly being covered in water droplets made it difficult to spot any small birds, however skimming majestically above the waves were some spectacular white Gannets. As they moved the black tips showed up against the white wings, as two came close to shore there creamy-yellow coloured heads could be seen clearly. Following on behind these gleaming white adults were some youngsters, easily identifiable because of their dark brown colouration flecked with some white patches.
From the Tamarisk the ticking of a Dunnock caught the ear, nearby the sound of a Wren drew my attention to a patch of Old Mans’ Beard which was tumbling over the top of the dry-stone wall in a mass of wispy white flower heads.
Scuttling through the windy ropes was a Blackcap, a greyish bird with jet black cap, with accompanying him a small flock of Blue Tits who were chittering to each other (and the world in general).
The landscape contractors are well underway improving the surfaces of the coast path (putting in drainage, altering the camber and then resurfacing) around Durlston Head, please bear with us during this work.
As I walked towards the woodland crossing the path was a Devil’s Coach Horse beetle, the narrow black body waving its rear pincers as it walked. This added to the report the other day of a pair of these insects joined at the back shuffling together across a path, looking most bizarre!
The Horse Chestnut leaves have turned a gorgeous brown and the Field Maples are going the same way and flitting irritatingly quickly through the branches were some Goldcrests and I suspect a Firecrest, but unfortunately I couldn’t get a good enough view to be sure.