Soundtrack to a Tuesday

No matter how much noise the wind made along the road to St. Aldhelm's Head there was always the song of the Skylark. It has always amazed me how this little bird can fly in the strongest of winds whilst singing its beautiful song. I had a great time with several of these birds today as they squabbled and bounced along the path, singing their hearts out and seeming to completely disappear in the shortest of grass.

Three Amigos

Life seemed a lot calmer for a while on the cliffs this morning but there was still enough wind to keep the birds on their toes. This all changed as Jackdaws filled all of the best view points and watched as a single slate-grey Peregrine glided slowly across the face of the rocks. From then on all of the action took place out of sight, but a flurry of frightened pigeons and a small cloud of grey feathers rising on the wind gave some indication of what happened. As peace returned so did the clouds and it was time to move on.

It's all about the wave!

After the night we had there really was only one place to wander to this morning. The cliffs along Durlston’s coast were taking a real battering as wave after wave cannoned into the rocks. The blow hole at Tily Whim was shooting sea water skyward and living up to its name, sounding more like a surfacing whale than anything else, but it was the sheer power of the sea that mesmerises.
There are many places where it is perfectly safe to watch the sea up here and any time spent doing just that is not wasted. The key word though is ‘safe’! Too many people risk their lives to help others that take too many risks and we all owe it to ourselves and them to stay safe.
I always take far too many shots of the waves, but I have whittled them down to just a few…

Sunshine & Showers

Today’s Purbeck Footprints Wildlife Photography Walk was certainly not for the faint hearted. Forecasted high winds, heavy rain and the chance of thunder may well have kept people away but a fine group of hardy souls, dressed for whatever Mother Nature had in store, decided to throw caution to the wind.

The walk was perfect with all of the heaviest showers deciding to track along the cliffs out to sea rather than over land keeping us dry, if a little windblown.  The views more than made up for the weather and the sound of the waves crashing into cliffs is the perfect soundtrack.

Grey Thursdays

Although this morning’s early wander wasn’t as bright and sunny as it could have been, the cliffs were welcoming and the view was as good as it always is. The soundtrack that accompanies the walk is familiar but ever changing depending on how close to the cliff edge you get and what Mother Nature decides to send your way. Above the sounds of the waves crashing against the rocks Jackdaws and gulls try to dominate the airwaves but there is always more if you listen.

 On a grey day when photographs will never do this place justice perhaps it is just time to put the camera down and enjoy the surroundings.

The Purbeck Dolphin

There have been several sighting of Dolphins along our coast lately and that is always good news. Seeing these wonderful creatures from the cliff path at Durlston Country Park is always special although you need a far amount of luck, this really is a 'right time right place' moment. There are clues though and one of the main hints is to watch the sea birds. If there is a flock of birds flying just above the waves, circling and looking generally interested in what is beneath the waves there is a chance that a dark fin may well break the surface nearby. It isn't always the case but this morning that is exactly what happened.

Just one or two Dolphins, but that doesn't matter as any sighting is always a great experience.

Watch the wave, not the Oyster

At the very tip of Peveril Point, on a ripple of rock formed when the continents of Africa and Europe collided sat an Oyster Catcher: a fabulous bird dressed in striking black and white with an orange painted bill and an eye as red as red can be. Now any fisherman who knows his salt will tell you how important it is to be aware of the sea and to know just how far away the next big wave is, this Oyster Catcher however was not that careful.