I was certainly enjoying the calm that the woodlands brought this morning, knowing that in a few hours’ day visitor would start to arrive and visitor engagement was top of the to do list for the day. A silent flitter of Blue Tits caught my eye as I entered the woods, although calming of human noise the Carrion Crows where making a right old racket in the trees above, making it hard to distinguish any other smaller birds as they flew noisily around the tree canopy. Ravens soon joined the vocal arrangement of mark territory and fighting for space.
As the morning low sun beamed through the trees and across the aviary glade Great Tits were heard in a nearby Bay tree and on the cliff tops a Sparrow Hawk called. I tried but was unable to see the Sparrow hawk due to the bright sun I was looking into. Watching across Durlston Bay there was a flurry of activity at Durlston Head, Herring Gulls were chasing Jackdaws along the cliff edge and as I observed I spotted a Roe Deer just near the top, munching on some fresh shoots.
I could hear the seabirds as I approached the cliff edge, to be greeted first by some Goldfinches sat at the top of an Elm. Down on the cliffs and water did not disappoint, I observed the wider view for a while before taking my binoculars to get a closer look. 10 Razorbills and 20 Guillemots sat on the water, their paddling feet easy to see through the clear water. 2 Greater Black-backed Gulls were on their usual nest, a Shag sat alongside the bobbing Guillemots and Razorbills, and Pigeons and Jackdaws were speckled along the cliff’s ledges. The best sight was the Fulmars presenting their amazing aerobatic displays about 8 in total.
There was a lovely selection of small birds as I walked the coast path towards the Gully, including Stonechat, Blue Tit, Rock Pipit, Chaffinch and a Redstart, but what really stole the show today was the amount of Linnets, round nearly every corner and flying over in pairs. Walking up past the mile markers where a Raven sat on top calling, I followed a male Blackbird up hill, reaching the top a Meadow Pipit had it’s mouth full of little Worms. Just when I thought my walk was nearly over a Kestrel flew overheard slow and control looking beautiful in the morning sunshine.