The meadows called me at the start of my patrol, where I was fortunate to spot two Roe Deer browsing on the hedgerow, carefully picking at the spiky twigs of the Hawthorn.
As I enjoyed the sight one turned and looked in my direction, before returning to the food, a little later they both took off and bounded across the ground, their large white powder puff rumps flashing up and down and they leapt, leaving just pairs of slot hoofprints in the mud.
Through the woods where small holes dug along the soft chipping path and the verges are showing, the tell-tale snuffle holes of Badger activity.
Scampering up the Holm Oaks were Grey Squirrels, pausing foot in air to check around, before continuing and collecting an acorn from the branch ends, disturbing a Robin from its perch.
At the coast the sea a mass of grey, the swell rolling in breaking with a splash of frothing white, skimming just above the water were two long necked, black Shags, the slight forehead marking them out from the similar (but different) Cormorants that were spotted in Durlston Bay.
Gliding gracefully just past the cliffs were a couple of Gannets, a flap and a long glide and the brilliant white showing them off above the dull water below.
On the main large ledge, visible from only a couple of places, were Guillemots, the black and white colouration actually making them quite difficult to see in the gloom of this morning.
Our small patch of Golden Eye Lichen is still providing a (small) splash bright orange from this lichen which is growing on a Blackthorn.
The Hereford Cattle were mooing as I walked through the herd, they are now enjoying the rough grassland of the downs and hollows and are the ideal tool for maintaining this wonderful flower rich and highly biodiverse downland.