Just outside the window, partially hidden amongst the longer Tor Grass a Fox stands, the pale ginger coat showing up well, as does its white tip to its tail and black ears. Lovely to watch as it picks its way carefully across the turf.
As I made my way down towards the cliffs, the amusing sight of a Jackdaw chasing and harassing a Raven, the Jackdaw dwarfed by the much larger corvid as it disappeared in amongst the trees on the landslips of Durlston Bay. As I watched a few Swallows were sweeping by.
Around the headland its is seabirds galore. Soaring past me at my eye level were a couple of amazing Fulmars, who at that height and closeness allowed me to see the black feathers around the eyes as well as the tubes on their noses, as they swept and stalled by a crevice in the rocks the sound of cackling indicated another Fulmar.
Half way down the cliffs both sitting on comfy grassy nests was a Great Black-backed Gull and a Herring Gull, hopefully eggs recently laid. The Shags meanwhile have more twiggy and messy nests, and the eggs may already have hatched into long-necked, big-footed scruffy chicks.
On the main ledge, Guillemots galore can be seen (dark brown and white) and also heard (growling and gargling) and smelt (very fishy!). Through the camera, their large pointed eggs are now visible when the parents adjust position, and the busy life of these extremely congested colonies can be enjoyed. Live pictures can be seen when you visit the Durlston Castle (opening completely on Monday).
Along the cliffs, patches of the pink flowers of Thrift emerging, as has the delicate Sea Campion. Birds-foot Trefoil and Wild Clary both near the Great Globe where a few Greater Periwinkles also remain in flower.
Sliding across the tops of the soft new growth of Gorse (I had to see whether it was spikey or not) was a large Garden Snail, making the most of the drizzle