October 2013

Flocks of Wheatears have been spotted on numerous occasions at Bindon, Hambury and Durdle Door; often only the white rumps can be seen as they fly away from you. Also seen in flocks on the same sites are Meadow Pipits, calling ‘seep, seep’ as they fly away.

The last of the butterflies of the year are tailing-off. These have included Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell, Small and Large White, and Grayling species. Fluffy brown-orange Fox Moth caterpillars frequent the paths on top of Hambury Tout; careful where you put your feet!

Nature’s harvest offers plenty of fruit and nuts this time of year. In the surrounding hedgerows we have seen a healthy supply of Elder berries and Blackberries ready for the taking. Fluffy seed heads of Old Man’s Beard (Clematis) swamp the village hedgerows.

The family of Peregrines remind us of their presence nearby by swooping over Stair Hole and the Heritage Centre car park, their screeching has often been heard from our office.

Late summer/autumn is a great time of year to listen to Crickets and Grasshoppers in the hedgerows, but it is usually hard to locate where the noise is coming from. We were lucky to see a Great Green Bush-Cricket on the open slopes of Durdle Door last week on a fine afternoon, and admired for quite some time. These handsome creatures certainly live-up to their name with their long legs, armour-like exoskeleton and long antennae.

For the flower of the month we have chosen Autumn Lady’s Tresses which are in the Orchid family. This year we have seen them on the slopes of Durdle Door as well as on Bindon Hill. This delicate swirl of white flowers twisted around one stem is often missed, but a beautiful plant to admire closely.