April 2014

The ‘yellow season’ is upon us; Cowslips are starting to bloom on Bindon Hill. Here is hoping they will have more of an impact on the climb up from the west-side since the large-scale scrub clearance on this side. Primroses are at their best on grassy banks. It is also the season of ‘blossom’; trees such as Blackthorn, Cherry, and Crab Apple provide early nectar for insects.

The ‘metallic’ and ‘frenzied’ song of the Linnet joins Yellowhammers, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks on Grassland sites. This has been particularly notable on Hambury Tout near the South West Coast Path. Chiffchaffs have been regularly heard in and around the village, one the first of many migratory birds to arrive this time of year. We have also had a report of a Blackcap singing near the Cove, a Whitethroat singing by the village shop, and an unusual report of several Firecrests in the village. This tiny ‘jewel’ of a bird (similar to the Goldcrest) has been given Amber Status due its decline in recent years. Winter is the time to look out for these in the south-west. The beautiful song of the Blackbird has been a regular at dawn.

We have chosen Cowslip for the flower of the month, its clusters of droopy flowers are apricot-yellow in colour, and its scent similar to apricots. They have a brief flowering period so get out there and see these beauties while you can.

March 2014

The bright yellow flowers of Lesser Celandine carpet grassy banks; only opening their petals to the sun on the finer days. Joining hazel catkins in the hedgerows are the furry catkins of ‘pussy’ willow, usually a name given to the Goat Willow.

Skylarks are singing on Bindon Hill and at Durdle Door; for me one of the first signs of spring. Yellowhammers have been practicing their first ‘a-little-bit-of-bread-and-no-cheese’ song, though some of them need to ‘fine tune’ their ‘cheese’. While checking our Exmoor Ponies on Bindon Hill, a Woodcock was flushed out of the scrub on the north-side, zigzagging as it flew off. I believe this is the first record we have ever had on Bindon Hill, but we have seen them on other sites with woodland edges further in land. This large wading bird has been given Amber Status because of a decline in recent years, possibly due to conifer plantations becoming too mature for Woodcocks to find open enough breeding areas.

The first of the seasons’ butterflies are on the wing; Brimstone, Red Admiral, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell have all been spotted in and around the village.

We have chosen Lesser Celandine for the flower of the month, and it seems to be a good year for them. Over the last week, there has been plenty of sunshine to encourage them to open their petals. These have been nicknamed the ‘spring messenger’ because they are one of the first species to flower, sometimes from late February/March through to May.

February 2014

Some of the first signs of spring bring smiles; Snowdrops, Early Dog-Violets, and Daffodils cover village banks and nearby woodland floors. Crocuses may join them in a few weeks. As with every year, some species flower earlier than expected and some later. Hazel catkins unfurled early in January; their beautiful golden tassels a sign of better things to come.

The first butterfly sighting of the year was of a Red Admiral soaking up the welcome sunshine just outside the Visitor Centre.

Two Peregrines were seen flying overhead on the south-side of Bindon Hill, along with a Raven and a Buzzard, all within minutes of each other and battling the winds. We have read reports that many birds (particularly Auks; Guillemots, Puffins and Razorbills) have been washed up dead, or resting from stormy seas on Chesil beach. As yet, we have not received any reports at Lulworth.

Territories are being contested by male birds; we have heard many Song Thrushes, Great, Blue and Coal Tits, Robins, and Dunnocks.

We have chosen Early Dog-Violet for the flower of the month. This ancient woodland indicator appears more delicate than other Violet species; its top petals resemble rabbit ears.

January 2014

The start of the New Year, and we are keen to experience the first signs of spring, even though still a long way off. Sightings have been sparse and the mild weather has meant that we have not seen some of the rare winter migratory birds that we occasionally experience on the coast during cold snaps.

One fleeting glimpse was of a Stoat making a dash for the hedge just behind Hambury Farm, with its distinctive bounding movements with an arched back.

This secretive creature could easily be confused with a Weasel, but is slightly larger with a longer tail which has a prominent black tip. Their bodies are well adapted to predate Rabbits and Rats so farm environments attract these creatures.

In between the gales on the more pleasant days, we have seen flocks of Long-tailed Tits and Goldfinches around the Cove and Visitor Centre. Also at the Cove, a Kittiwake was spotted; these medium-sized Gulls are Amber Status which means they are declining in some areas. They are similar to Common Gulls but in flight the black wing-tips show no white, and look as if they have been 'dipped in ink'. The best way to tell it apart from other Gulls is to hear it cry ‘kitti-wayke’ as it soars amongst the cliffs.

We have Snowdrops this month, the flowering of this species varies from year to year depending on the weather and temperature. They are a welcome sight when the countryside is lacking other flora and are a harbinger of spring.

December 2013

Winter has arrived, we often leave work in the dark to the sound of nearby Tawny Owls screeching. Amongst the windy, rainy days we have enjoyed some crisp sunny days. On these welcome days we have had some fantastic bird sightings. Just outside the Visitor Centre on several occasions we watched a female Black Redstart hopping around our classroom ramp occasionally flashing its red tail. They are often seen on autumn passage on the south coast, and occasionally overwinter. These robin size birds are of conservation concern and as a result are an amber status bird. Dartford Warblers are making their presence known on Bindon Hill by their skulky, scratchy call. Four species of raptor have been frequently seen on Bindon Hill; a pair of Kestrels, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, and Peregrine. Outside the village Fieldfare have been seen flying over calling ‘Gak, gak’ as they raid the countryside for berries. Other birds to mention are Stonechats, Linnets, Meadow pipits and Starlings; their acrobatic aerial displays a spectacle as the sun sets.

We are still seeing Red Admiral on sunny days around the village at this time of the year nectaring on flowering Ivy or rotting fruit. Overwintering of this species has increased in the south in recent years.

We have chosen Holly as the shrub of the month, which given the chance will grow into a small tree, it certainly adds a splash of colour to the hedgerows in the village and brightens up homes during the festive season.

.

November 2013

Yellow and brown hues tarnish the trees and hedgerows as autumn progresses. Fungi scatter the ground; puffballs appear the most common on the Chalk Downland slopes, appropriately named because of the clouds of brown dust-like spores which are emitted when the fungi bursts.

On the sunny, still autumn days we are still seeing plenty of butterflies. Among them are Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Large Whites, and Clouded Yellows.

An exciting sighting just outside West Lulworth was of a Red Kite soaring the blue skies on a sunny day; its forked tail could be clearly seen against the sky. This graceful Bird of Prey is an Amber listed species because of its historical decline. The species was saved from national extinction by a protection programme, and has now been successfully re-introduced to England and Scotland. They appear to be spreading far-and-wide as there have been a few sightings in Dorset over recent years.

The usual feathered suspects have been seen on Bindon Hill and Hambury Tout over the last few weeks including Meadow Pipits, Wheatears, and Stonechats.

Two peregrines were seen flying over Bindon Hill a few weeks ago. We wonder whether they are the pair seen nesting at St Oswald’s Bay or another from the stretch between the east-side of the Cove and the Fossil Forest.

We have chosen Ivy flowers for the flower of the month. These greenish-yellow clusters of flowers provide a rare source of nectar this time of year. As a result they provide a spectacle on warm days for Ivy Bees that collect the nectar and ‘hum’ with satisfaction. These emerge in late summer and remain on the wing until early November.

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.