The shrill call of Kestrel greeted me before I’d even left the house this morning. Unusual to hear in the centre of town, the unmistakable screech ‘Kee-kee-kee’ could be heard repeatedly and I even caught a glimpse of the bird of prey from my kitchen window!
Upon arriving at the park I was immediately drawn to the view of the sun rising above the lower Castle turret. I walked into the woodland along the ‘new path’ recently planted with a diverse mix of saplings; Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Wayfaring and Holly to name a few!
Squirrels could be seen scampering through the aviary glade. Rummaging through the grass, leaf mulch and emergent Three-cornered leak, to devour any delicious treats they can find. One particularly agile squirrel darted through the hogget hole of a dry stone wall, before immediately leaping up onto a Holm Oak with impressive athleticism!
Another mudslide has sent a slurry of thick clay down into the bay. This time taking two Ash and an Elm Tree, which had previously reached out quite precariously above it. I had been keeping my eye on it, as one the trees even had a vertical split through its trunk where it flexed over the edge.
There is much less frost around this morning, reduced to the northerly facing slopes, and areas shaded behind hollows and scrub. The frosty swards around Durlston head still providing a satisfying dry crunch underfoot. In contrast, the grassland around the Globe glows in the Sun’s warmth. Goldfinch, Wren, and Dunnock can be seen silently foraging amongst the grass.
I approach the observation point, setting the Jackdaws aflight from their ledge below. They squeak and squark, flying is unison, before settling further along the cliff face. Around thirty Guillemots can be seen rafting on the water in a long line. A Peregrine Falcon overlooks from the usual perch above. Like clockwork, she glances east, before switching west, and repeat. I wouldn’t like to be weary looking Woodpigeon out there this morning!