As we have had to take the extraordinary steps of closing our carpark, to keep you in contact with what is happening at Durlston here is today’s report.
A strong north east wind was blowing across the park this morning, keeping the eyes watering which makes bird watching all the more difficult. However overhead, circling against the blue sky were two large Buzzards, their wings wide and slightly turned up at the tip, mostly a mottled brown colour with occasional splashes of white.
As I watched them, they split up, one moving to the west where it was promptly harassed by 2 Kestrels. A couple of bombing each by the delicate long-tailed falcons before they allowed the Buzzard to land in the Sycamore tree.
The colours are beginning to look spring like with loads of different greens from the pale coloured Hazel and Dogwood leaves to the vibrant Horse Chestnut, and the mass of large leaves of Ramson and Three-cornered Leek.
The yellowy-green of the thick new leaves of Japanese Spindle contrasts with the pink berries, perched on one of these scrubs was pair of Wood Pigeons and a flock of Long-tailed Tits were acrobatically moving through the stems.
As I walked out to check on the Hereford Cattle, fluttering past was a pale lemon coloured Brimstone butterfly, an unmistakable sight at this time of year.
While counting the cows a Beefly hovered along side me, eyeing me up before moving onto something more interesting.
As I completed the regular water trough survey, a Skylark was singing loud and long from somewhere high in the sky, a lovely sound. My return was via the waterpipe repair done yesterday – the leak seems to have stopped for now (although there is a lot of mud). Flying past as I looked in the hole was a Green Woodpecker, almost sounding like it was laughing as it passed by!