Whilst the bird ringers’ audio recording was playing to entice birds in, I found the area quiet this morning. Within a car park edge Silver Birch (still cling onto its catkins) was at least one Great Tit meanwhile a Magpie sat in a Large Leaved Lime beside Long Meadow picnic benches. When I reached castle terrace a Robin appear out from the Buddleia (which still had some flowers). I also observed that the Mares Tails and Buddleia adjacent to castle approach lamp had grown back despite uprooting the former and pruning the latter.
Today there was a superb view of Isle of Wight’s profile even revealing the radio masts. However, above the island was thick dark cloud. Between the horizon and cloud to the east the sky was yellow. To the west between horizon and cloud laid blue sky! Looking across Durlston Bay the masts of Tall Ship “Moon fleet” were strangely in alignment with construction columns rising up from the Lifeboat Station work site.
A score of Racing Pigeon soared over caravan terrace whilst two Wood Pigeon were more sedate in trees below. Both Valerian and Toadflax were in flower within the castle terrace whilst upon the coast path Agrimony was in flower yet taller Hemp Agrimony had gone to seed down. A Peregrine Falcon silently passed over me and the castle heading west. Also heading west out to see were three Gannets and several Great Black Backed Gulls. Upon rounding Durlston Head I was hit by a strong but refreshing wind. Some and in places it on the cliff top. A determined Bumble Bee managed to tackle the wind to meet visit a Sea Aster flower head which had grown up through cliff top Tamarisk (some of which retained catkins). Otherwise Bush crickets were only heard from the undergrowth. Jackdaws and Herring Gulls become most vocal as we passed Tilly Whim steps.
3 Stonechat, Peregrine, Rock Pipit, several Swallows
Temperature: Max 19; Min 15.7; Dry 18.2; Wet 17.2
Wind: 11 Southerly; Max Wind 27 at 07:55
Visibility 37 km Rainfall: 0 mm