A glorious June morning to be up and out at Durlston Country Park National Nature Reserve. So much to see, hear, smell and enjoy!
Down towards the cliffs the scratchy song of a Common Whitethroat was coming from the dense clump of coconut smelling Gorse, to get a better view I sat on our newly sponsored bench, to see the white throat vibrating as this warbler sang. In the background, the loud blasts of a Wren, monotonous ‘chiff-chaff’ of the Chiffchaff and ‘tea-cher’ of a Great Tit.
By the cliff edge the fluttery call of a Rock Pipit brought this greyish bird to my attention, drawing my eyes away from the magnificent carpet of yellow kidney shaped flowers of the Kidney Vetch, swathes of the stuff, combing in places with the pink of the Thrift.
The rusty red pelage of a Roe Deer stood out amongst the long greens of the grasses, the antlers of this male obvious as it raised its head.
Turning to the sea a group of 11 Razorbills were bobbing together, a darker colour than the Guillemots alongside. The sound of wings splattering on the water and the gentle growling of these auks a feature of the walk – as is the smell of seabird guano wafting up to the nose!
A sudden plop, alerted me to a group of 5 Gannets, the splendid white backs and wings (tipped in black), pulled back as they plummeted into the sea, disappearing from view before bobbing back onto the surface. A shoal of fish must have been in the area to provide such dramatic action.
Tearing myself away I was quickly distracted by a small brown fluttering amongst the Tor Grass, where a Lulworth Skipper (my first of the year) was sunbathing. The combination of browns, and brighter crescent showing well.
Clouds of bronze winged flies (no idea of the species) around the small yellow flowers of the Horseshoe Vetch, and landing on my shirt a Long-horned Moth (Adela fibulella / Cauchas fibulella).