What a grey start to the New Year, which we hope will be a good one!
My first wildlife sighting of the year was of two Roe Deer which were slowly wandering in amongst the rough meadow, blending in perfectly with the dull brown scrub and the pale brown Yellow Meadow Ant hills, making them, especially in this morning’s dull light, almost impossible to see. Their camouflage was however ruined when they turned away as the large white puffs of white on their rumps flashed – the only bright spot in my view.
A ‘yaffle’ from nearby and my attention switched to a Green Woodpecker swooping up and down through the sky, the greenish-yellow rump providing another splash of colour.
The next rump to catch my eye was that of a Bullfinch, another splodge of white across my view, landing in the twigs of the Blackthorn bush, a second bird arrived showing its pink chest before disappearing again.
Emerging from the other side was a Blackbird and a Dunnock was skulking amongst the tufts of Tor Grass. A blurr of wings saw a Wren take flight, landing on the entwined branch of the Old Man’s Beard before giving a blast of call.
Flying above a fairly calm sea, just a few white crests turning over was a Fulmar, a fantastic sight as this master of flight skimmed along, it makes me wonder where the Durlston birds spend the autumn before returning to our cliffs.
A little further out to sea the massive white wings of a Gannet caught the attention, its black tipped wings a wonderful contrast to the brilliant white.
A sudden whirr of wings and the Guillemots took flight from the ledge on mass, a squadron of black and white bodies heading out to sea, below a few Shags were heading eastwards towards Durlston Head.
On the cliffs a Great Black-backed Gull was perched on an outlook while on an opposing crag sat a Peregrine Falcon.
Bounding up an Elm tree was a Grey Squirrel while wandering across the woodchip path ahead of me was a Fox