From earth and sea and sky we come, converging on this nexus
The time is on us once again, and everyone expects us
Asleep a year or thirteen, flown from Europe or Sahel
We’ve come to land, come from the land and from the sea as well
Now spring is here we’re back and keen to meet with everyone
It’s clear to see at last our grand reunion has begun
Passing again through the shelter of the Woodlands I performed another quick sweep for fungi about the forest floor. The best I could discover was a single King Alfred’s Cake clinging to the underside of a fallen Ash limb. As sad as I am to be in the midst of a fungal nadir, every other branch of the tree of life was absolutely flourishing today.
The leaf rosettes of Common Spotted Orchids were unfurling in Long Meadow, as well as young shoots of Pale Flax soon destined to flower. Chiffchaff song played gently in the background while tinkling clusters of Goldfinches alighted on blossom clad Blackthorn. A few pale yellow blooms from the likes of Wild Parsnip and Wayfaring Tree made nice counterparts to the more vivid lemon oceans of Gorse enveloping the hillsides. Quite a day to be out and about.
A small flickering figure above the scrub drew my eye as I headed for the Meadows, rising briefly into the air and delivering an oh so familiar scratchy song, my first Whitethroat of the year. Its voice joined the rest of the dawn chorus, with Song Thrush, Robin, Blackbird and above all Skylark clearly discernible. Though I didn’t spot any this morning Speckled Wood and Red Admiral have also taken to the skies as part of the spring awakening.
After taking in all this beauty I resumed my hunt for the Yellow Hammer up on the Downs. With ears cocked I stalked along the scrubby rolling terrain, binoculars at the ready. Stonechats flashed their collars from lofty perches as I passed, and I had the unexpected fortune of a Linnet descending from the sky to land mere metres from me. Turning my attention to an unfamiliar call, I sighted three Greenfinches sat together on some twisted Briar. Not what I was looking for, but a fine sighting nonetheless. I ended my search without success, but that merely serves to build anticipation for outings to come.
On Lighthouse Green yet more Early Spider Orchids had come into flower, adding more variety to our increasingly blooming flower garden. Durlston really is firing on all cylinders today.