Soaring with the winter winds on wings not made to glide
A heady thrill amid the chill so frequently denied
An underwater acrobat transformed by rushing air
Onto this bird is now conferred a flash of flying flair
So soars the shag o’er swelling seas, sturdy, sleek and slender
The humble Shag’s not one to brag, but this day shows its splendour
A thick blanket of altostratus hung above today as I entered the Woodlands. Much of the greenery is dying back with the advancing cold but fresh leaves of Winter Heliotrope are customarily bucking the trend. With half the woods still closed for footpath improvements I sought alternate paths in my fungi hunt. I discovered two fresh clusters of Sulphur Tuft, but nothing else of note.
The Car Park hosted a few Field Blewits upon the grassy verges. I wandered down to the Castle, smiling as a Magpie and a Grey Squirrel hopped along in parallel down the approach path for a few steps before splitting apart, the former launching into the skies with its signature rattling call and a flash of shimmering green feathers.
A few Goldfinches passed by as I made my way down to Durlston Head, noting the stems of Madder pushing past the Gorse and Tamarisk along the path. A few shoots of Great Periwinkle were also poking out from the recently cut verges of the path, though they were not bearing flowers. Far too soon for that.
Another brief digression into the woods near the Observation Point revealed another rich crop of Mystery Fungi, possibly False Chanterelles. Nearby were a few fallen King Alfred’s Cakes. No chance of confusion with those.
I took a few minutes to take in the choppy seascape beyond the cliffs. One or two Herring Gulls were riding the winds, which were brisk enough to raise dry Sycamore leaves from the ground and send them spiralling through the air. I was also treated to the rare sight of a Shag gliding through the skies rather than engaging in its usual energy intensive flapping. It was quite beautiful to behold, I was moved.
I returned via the diagonal path spotting a few Field Mushrooms and Dung Roundheads on the way, as well as a Green Woodpecker undulating across the car park.