On Friday evening Pipistrelle Bats flew beside the castle as we prepared for the Wareham Whalers performance. This morning as I headed down the diagonal path an unseen Green Woodpecker called out from near the Castle. Upon a relatively small Sycamore a few buds had unopened leaves protruding. In the open, Blackthorn blossom was seen in a range of stages below the path. I discovered more Common Scurvy Grass flowers out near the Adder camera and later at the Gully Mouth. Approximately sixty to seventy Guillemots perched in the cave ledge whilst another score floated upon and undulating sea surface. At least two pairs of Rock Pipits raced and called about the Tilly Whim wave cut platform. Meanwhile on the platform’s seaward edge perch one pair and an independent Herring Gull.
Two Carrion Crows were upon the gully slopes soon to join another six as together they flew up gully. A small blow hole was “breathing” giving occasion spouts. Infrequently explosions of sea spray were created when waves hit the rocky shore. Beside the Lighthouse wall, three stems of dried out Burdock held burrs still waiting to transport their seeds. Upon an Elder, that had grown through and above the wind-swept Blackthorn, perched a male Stonechat. High above the coast path a pair of Cormorant flew towards St. Alban’s Head visible in the distance. Jackdaws were sprinkled upon dry stone wall cappers and the coastal downland. Within the branches of Lighthouse Bridge Sycamore, a score of Jackdaws perched. After a vocal exchange with the perched birds another ten flew in to join them. However, they were soon set up by the arrival and calls of two Carrion Crows who did not even bother to occupy the perch that they had cleared! Of course, a Great Tit pair and Blue Tit continue their activities in the scrub below. In the background a Jay was glimpsed silently weaving between smaller tree trunks. Unseen but heard was the song of at least one Skylark. A second male Stonechat was heard calling near the bridge.
I became aware that I had stood upon a Meadow Ant hill as I felt my foot sinking and unfortunately crushing miniature tunnels. Ash inflorescence peeped out of buds at the Small Copse. A House Sparrows male sat on guttering whilst a female leaned out under roof tiles. A pair of Dunnocks appeared to have visit one of the artificial House Martin upon the Learning Centre. A pleasant start to the day!