A grey, blustery start to the day – quite a refreshing change after several weeks of still, hot weather, bringing an air of excitement and a hint of autumn to the Park.
Some spectacular Sycamore leaves carpet the floor in the woodland – vibrant shades of cadmium yellow, rusty red-brown, with a border of deep green – quite stunning. The hedgerows are dappled with crimson Hawthorn berries, dusty blue sloes, the translucent berries of Honeysuckle and heavy ropes of red, green and orange Bryony berries, like strings of beads.
At the base of a hedgerow, a Stinking Iris seedpod has been nibbled open, to reveal the brilliant orange seeds within. Around it, Bristly Ox-tongue, Hemp Agrimony, Agrimony and Wild Carrot are still in flower.
The chirping of grasshoppers and Bush Crickets can be heard from the grass, with a Grey Bush Cricket – a Durlston speciality -found on the short turf below the Lighthouse.
Overhead, Swallows and House Martins whiz by, groups of no more than a dozen or so, but adding up to 300+ during the morning rounds, with a Grey Wagtail and a few Tree Pipits also reported passing through.
A fairly quiet morning for our bird ringing study, with Blackcaps, Robins, a Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff the only birds of note.
Elsewhere around the Park, a Redstart weaves in and out of hedge in Centenary Meadow, with a Kestrel seen plummeting through the air in the Lighthouse Field and a large, squabbling family of Long-tailed Tits feeding along the Drove.
Still some interesting plants to enjoy, with the short turf in the Saxon Field containing the pretty Autumn Ladies Tresses (our final orchid of the year) and plenty of Early English Gentian.