The morning drizzle made a very wet start to the day, with the south easterly wind adding to the damp. Raindrops streamed through the tree canopy, every one making a tapping noise as they hit the ground leaf litter. The woodland was alive with bird song, the sounds of Robin, Blue-tits and Blackbird filled the air.
A beautiful Beech Tree stood out as it’s leaves added a chocolate brown colour to the darkness of the surrounding trees and ground cover. At eye level huge Sycamore leaves as big as my head clung on to their branches. Walking through the woods I was assessing possible locations for the Christmas Trail, which starts on Saturday 19th.
The woodland was full of enticing smells this morning, a clutch of leaf litter, bark and moss reminded my of Earth Walks we held last year but the strong smell of Bay and Pine are my favourite. As I was enjoying the mix of woodland aromas a Squirrel scurried across the overhanging Holm Oak and as I looked up a torrent of rains drops landed on my face.
Searching along the log edging for Fungi I found, Deadmans Fingers, a Bracket fungus and Jelly Ear. An Earthworm slithered across and then down one of the logs, clinging on as it traversed around the log down to the ground. A patch of Bamboo was quiet and calm as it swayed gently in the wind, in contrast to the motionless Holly it sat next to, I could compare them to Rich Tea and Hobnobs!
The sea was roaring today as it poured towards Durlston Bay, the open space of the ocean was full of colourful tones of blue, white and grey, creating parallel lines. A beautiful male Pheasant was making its way around the amphitheatre and Globe. 2 Great Black-backed Gulls swirled and whirled around the cliffs and a few Guillemots were bobbing helplessly on the water as the waves crashed over them.