To keep you up to date with activities at Durlston in this strange time, (when all the car parks and facilities are closed), we are continuing the daily diary.
A grey and overcast morning, a bit of a change from recent days, so off across the farmland to check on the cattle and their associated water and gates.
Standing upright on the top of a large Meadow Ant hill was a Green Woodpecker, a super sight as it showed off its red crown, but no red part to the moustache so a female, who then probed the hill seeking I imagine some tasty ant breakfast.
In the distance, coming up from the woodland the sound of a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming, while overhead the loud raucous croak of a Raven made me look skywards. There seems to be a lot of Raven activity at the moment both inland and along the cliffs, it will be interesting to see what effect they have on our Guillemot colony this year.
Slowly clambering across the downland turf, amongst the basal rosettes of the Orchids was a Lesser Bloody-nosed Beetle, its larger relative the Greater Bloody-nosed Beetle was also seen, this one crossing the trackway.
Looping ahead of me a couple of Long-tailed Tits, reminding me once again of the shape of a flying lollipop! From the bushes around came the call of a Chiffchaff, found after a bit of a search amongst the delicate flowers of the Blackthorn.
A Blackcap spotted perched on the branch of the Hawthorn (the green leaves of which are now covering it), the bird a greyish colour on its front.
As I returned across the downs a Stonechat was showing perfectly on the top of the bright yellow Gorse, with the orange chest and black head such a characteristic bird of this area. No sign of the Black Redstart which has been around a lot recently near the sea end of the gully, instead Rock Pipits displayed.
A few of the blue flowers now emerging including Bluebells and Green Alkanet.