What a change in the weather, today just a gentle south-westerly breeze and bright sunshine making for a very pleasant patrol around.
Off through the woods to inspect for any damage to the trees after the strong winds, very little just two smallish Sycamore branches lying on the path, which also, despite the rain has escaped relatively unscathed (I haven’t looked at the clifftop path).
Through the canopy the constant flitting of small Warblers, their activity popping out onto a branch and then disappearing behind a partially fading leaf making identification really awkward.
Eventually a Chiffchaff perched long enough for a good view and a little later a similar but much yellow Willow Warbler also emerged. A flash of a chestnut brown cap ensured I saw the female Blackcap which was in the Ash.
Out across Durlston Bay, the water was flat, just a gentle ripple indicating it was moving, the mass of churning and seething white waves of yesterday disappeared.
A movement just above me and the Red Admiral butterfly landed on the trunk of an Elm and began to bask in the warmth.
The flock of Tits (which included Great, Blue and Long-tailed) suddenly went quiet as the ominous shape of a Sparrowhawk jinked between the trunk and stems of the trees.
Back up into the meadows were the hay bales were sagging after the rain deluge, on top of one was the comical sight of 3 Carrion Crows all peering over different sides.
In the hedgerow the Honeysuckle covered in flowers, some a delicate pale yellow others a deeper pink, while the Wild Clematis a mass of shaggy white wispy flowers.
The final hedgerow of my walk turned out to be the most exciting with a few warblers – but something unusual about one of them. A very distinct yellow stripe above the eye and a yellow flash on its wing – Yellow-browed Warbler is the closest match.