Day two in the clouds; entering the woods the view was filled with a damp white mist right down to the ground, it made me close my eyes and listen to the charm and array of tuneful morning bird song, the sounds of which I heard Robin, Bluetit, Blackbird and Magpie. Drops of water fell from the lush greens of the trees and shrubs.
Holly leaves were a lovely auburn colour at the edges, Elderflowers spread their gorgeous sweet scent and Cow Parsley lines the footpath edges. Tall white and purple Foxgloves stand out in the mass of green and delicate Herb Robert is mixed with past its best Three-Cornered Leak.
It’s funny how some things catch your eye, today as I stared deep into the undergrowth, what was that? A bag, a shrub, a log? No, it was a beautiful male Roe Deer well hidden and happily munching on the fresh juicy undergrowth. Then suddenly ‘CRUNCH’, that heart wrenching sound as I stepped on a Snail.
I searched around the cliff for the ocean, but it was not seen, Durlston was encased to its edge in a thick fog. Behind me the sound a Green-Woodpecker filled the air and a Robin moved around the low-lying branches, its mouth full of Worms. A Grey Squirrel was playing in the play trail making its way along the log edging. A lovely male Chaffinch was moving around an Apple Tree and a Dunnock sang from an Elm.
Down at the observation point the heads of Jackdaw and Fulmar were poking out from crevasse’s, and a small raft of Guillemots could be seen close to the cliff on the calm water. Back up through the woods again a gorgeous Goldfinch was sat on the Sea Chart, a Chiffchaff sang from high in an Ash tree and a Bullfinch pair sat on a lower branch. Ox-eye Daisy’s lined a footpath and in a small clearing Common Spotted Orchids, a variety of Vetches and Cross-wort were seen.