A windy but sunny early morning, and it felt like another trip to the clifftop was in order.
On the water, which was a browny grey and covered in white crests of waves as the water rumbled in from the Atlantic, were Razorbills. I counted these jet black super Auks and discovered 21 bobbing just below the cliffs. The pairing going well as 16 were in couple leaving a few singles!
As I looked back from Tilly Whim towards Durlston Head I could see the main ledge stuffed with Guillemots, a much browner coloured bird in comparison with the Razorbills.
Near the lighthouse a Stonechat was perched first on the single spike of Teasel, but was then disturbed by Rock Pipit, both of which landed on the mass of Bramble scrub.
Towards Durlston Head the seeping call of a Greenfinch caught my attention, the bird eventually tracked down to the uppermost branches of a large Ash tree, the lemon yellow wing bars just visible.
Nearby the ‘squeak’ of a Bullfinch added to the birds, a look toward the rambling Old Man’s Beard and there he was a superb bright pink chested male with a duller female not far away.
The Willow is now starting to show its wonderful soft catkins, and in that was a male Chaffinch, the steely blue marking showing well in the sunlight as it sung its ‘slow-slow-quick-quick’ song.
Two Great Tits were arguing amongst the twigs and flowers of the Flowering Redcurrant, while Blue Tits churred in the distance.
Jackdaws cackled and Wood Pigeon cooed from the stretches of Holm Oak.
Trotting across the path a large Fox with a long bushy tail.
Yesterday Doug photographed the Parrot Waxcap (see photo)