We have experienced some crisp and frosty mornings with some bright autumn sunshine, making the patchwork landscape around Lulworth looking beautiful and ‘sugar-coated’.
A fantastic sight at sunset, is of huge flocks of Starlings providing dramatic aerial displays outside the village, a treat on the way home at the end of the working day. Some birds start singing for territories, such as Robins, Thrushes, and Great Tits. Redwing and Fieldfare frequent the fields and hedgerows in flocks. It is easy to identify a Redwing from other Thrushes by its striking red-orange flanks amongst the dark flecks. Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Green Woodpeckers are more easily spotted in bare trees in the winter; the Great Spotted more ’sculky’ than the Green Woodpecker which announces itself with loud ‘yaffling’.
Frequently seen while working amongst dead gorse, are clusters of a bright-orange fungus; latin name Tremella mesenterica, also known as Witches Butter or Yellow Brain Fungus.
Look out for the first of Snowdrops on banks and in woodlands, and the unfurling of golden Hazel catkins in hedgerows.
We had to choose Snowdrop for the flower of the month, impressive when seen in ‘carpets’. This is an early flower to brighten the mood when the landscape is lacking others.
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