Last night the sky was alive with flashes and forks of lightning erupting through the clouds to the south of Durlston. The storm marked a shift in the weather, with a cool and misty morning following the baking heat yesterday.
It’s quiet when I enter the woods. Alone with the soft call of a Treecreeper, occasional chirping of Chiffchaffs, and the muffled sound of Gulls in the distance. The ground cover here has erupted with the delicate flowers of Hedge Woundwort, Enchanter’s Nightshade, and Wood Dock. A Woodpigeon sits solemnly on a wattle hurdle at the Durlston Shed.
On my up through the woodland I hear the tuneful songs of both a Blackcap and a Coal Tit. From above Durlston Bay, the ripples of grey water fade into white clouds, whilst a boom of foghorn repeats in the mist. The dry stone walls lead me up along the coast path (which also seems to be growing every time I walk here). Four beautiful rose-pink Poppies have sprouted out of an older section of wall which was cleared back a couple of months ago. The open habitat now duly competed by plants of all varieties – Bracken, Bristly Ox-tongue, Wayfaring Tree, and Goosegrass!
Guillemots and Razorbills raft together on the water below the seacliffs. I kept my eyes peeled for any fledgling chicks amongst them, but couldn’t spot any with their characteristic continuous band of white feathers between the bill and chest. Scatterings of purpely pink flowers line the coastpath towards Anvil Point, with Wild Thyme, Sea Thrift, and Common Restharrow putting on the delightful display.
At the Gully Bridge I catch a glimpse of three Great Tits following one another as they dived into the Blackthorn hedge. I stand listening to the deliberations between a few Common Whitethroats, before a doe Roe Deer grazing just meters away from me, blissfully unaware of my presence. She munches away at the Oat-grass and fresh leaves of Old Man’s beard, before making her way into the scrub.