Durlston Country Park

Guillemots off the coast at Durlston Country Park in mid-May

Spot the bridled Guillemot ……………. great to see a small colony of auks nesting along the Jurassic Coast. Just a handful of Razorbills to be found and on this occasion no Puffins. However, the last remaining Puffins on the south coast can be found close by.

Guillemot nesting ledge – what could possibly go wrong ………..
Thrift carpeting the limestone cliffs. En masse a spectacular sight.
Adder’s tongue fern

Extremely easy to miss amongst the low growing grasses in one of the hay meadows. I’m not convinced an Adder’s tongue looks remotely like this little spleenwort. However, they can be found at Durlston so perhaps one day I can get close enough to compare.

Sainfoin and buttercups

Unusual to see Sainfoin growing in a hay meadow. Normally, considered to be non-native it does appear occasionally within meadow seed mixes. With the French coast being so close by there is a strong possibility that the seed has found its own way across the channel. Certainly unmissable amongst the buttercups!

Hereford’s – I think!

Many years ago I studied at an agricultural college – it’ll be embarrassing if I’ve got this one wrong. Seem very happy to graze in such a stunning location.

Byzantine gladiolus

Interesting to see a clifftop colony of gladioli. More typically found along hedgebanks of south-west England and the Mediterranean areas of southern Europe. I suspect this group escaped from the garden of the adjacent lighthouse.

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