A grey and chilly start to the day, but plenty of colour provided by the turning leaves and fruits and berries in the hedgerows, as well as the last of the summer flowers.
In the Lighthouse Field, Common Toadflax (a wild ‘Snapdragon’) blazes bright yellow among the tan-coloured grasses, with plenty of Bristly Ox-tongue also still in bloom. On the clifftop, a few tufts of purple Thrift are still in flower, along with the last of the Golden Samphire.
Nestled in the shelter of a hedgerow in the meadows, a tiny plant of Yellow-wort is still in flower, with Wild Carrot also in bloom nearby
The hedgerows are garlanded with fruit, with Bryony in shades of orange, green, red and yellow, in heavy ropes. Sprays of silver Old Man’s Beard flowers shine alongside deep red Hawthorn berries, and the tiny, (poisonous) ‘tomatoes’ of Bittersweet (or Woody Nightshade).
Stinking Iris is looking fantastic at the moment, with pods splitting open to reveal bright orange seeds.
A quieter morning for autumn migration, with little movement overhead, other than a few Swallows, though quite a few Woodpigeons are on the move, along with Starlings. Tinkling flocks of Goldfinches, in shades of red and gold feed on the seeds of Woolly Thistle, with Blackcaps, Long-tailed Tits, Blue and Great Tits and Chaffinches seen in the hedges and scrub.
Several Goldcrests seen in the woods near the Castle, high up in the canopy, with Firecrests ringed by our bird ringers this morning.
A Peregrine Falcon swerves around the Observation Point on narrow, pointed wings, with a Buzzard circling above Durlston Bay.
The familiar growl of Guillemots rises up from the cliffs, with dozens of birds crowded onto the ledges this morning, with more flickering in and out to sea on tiny wings.
Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull and Shag also on the wing.
Badgers have been digging the woodchip paths, with a pair of Roe Deer freezing to watch me pass in the meadows.