Which way to go was my first problem for the morning – to see the wonderful wildflowers in the meadows or on the downs, to the woods or to the cliffs.
The cliffs won, so off down to Durlston Head where the water was very flat, the long-necked outline of a Shag skimming just above the sea, while Herring Gulls called as they circled from above.
The blast of song from a Wren, the erect tail and pale stripe above its eye making recognition from a distance easy, as did the bobbing walk of a Rock Pipit on one of the rock ledges.
The limestone bank was awash with flowers, the carpets of yellow Horseshoe Vetch can be smelt, intermingled is Common Milkwort, Chalk Milkwort and Bird’s-foot Trefoil.
Fulmars in flight made me stop and admire as three of them circled and stalled around the clifftops, the sound of cackling coming from a nook below where another was lying – possibly and with luck on an egg – they don’t breed every year.
The dark black colour of a Razorbill contrasted with the browner Guillemot as they stood side-by-side halfway up the cliff. Both of these seabirds have eggs or chicks at the moment.
In the gully a Roe Deer was browsing on the low branches of the scrub, the ginger coat being highlighted by the early sunlight, as was the thick fur of a Fox which trotted through the grass.
The chuckling sound of a Stonechat family came from the Blackthorn bushes, they hopped from twig to twig, the youngsters all specked. As I raised by binoculars for a closer view Common Whitethroat, Great Tit, Linnet and Chaffinch were all perched in the same bush – a great opportunity to see them all together.
Climbing quickly up the rough trunk of a Holm Oak was a Treecreeper, the bright white belly flashing every now and then as it reappeared from behind the wood.