A still spring morning, with bright blue ‘tears’ in a rippled sky of grey cloud, with a few bright spears of sunshine sparkling on a gently lapping sea.
As I walk up to work, the woodland is alive with birdsong. The sweet notes of Blackcaps, Blackbirds and repeated refrains of Song Thrushes mingle with the excited chatter of Long-tailed Tits, the punchy songs of Robins, the sharp ‘tuts’ of Wrens, harsh ‘cronk’ of a Raven and from Long Meadow, the cackle of a Green Woodpecker.
Trees are bursting their buds all through the woodland, with the green pendulous flowers of Silver Birch swaying in the faint breeze, while Sallow is studded with bright yellow flowers, attracting lots Buff-tailed Bumble Bees. An Apple near the Car Parks is in full bloom, while Blackthorn frames Long Meadow with white.
Several Pied Wagtails strut across the Car Parks, with a Swallow (Durlston’s first this year?) seen by Hamish during his daily exercise this morning.
A few Sand Martins and a Siskin also passing overhead, though spring migration seems to be getting off to a slow start.
Along the cliffs, a Fulmar carves smooth arcs below the Observation Point, with a noisy bazaar of Guillemots (and a few Razorbills) on the water below. More Guillemots are packed onto the ledges, with a gang of squabbling Jackdaws above the Clifftop Trail.
Near the Globe, scrub cutting as part of the Pleasure Grounds project has led to huge increase in the amount of Great Periwinkle – it’s large blue flowers adding colour to the turf.
Nearby, Mining Bees have been taking advantage of a patch of bare ground to start egg-laying, leaving tiny piles of earth, like little mole=hills.
Out in the meadows, Cowslips are increasing in number by the day, with the lyrical song of Skylarks overhead always guaranteed to make me smile!