Trip ReportThe first really cold day of the Autumn saw the temperatures well down into single figures but in totally calm conditions we enjoyed a perfect afternoon for a walk by the sea.Walking down towards the beach a number of birds were seen, including Robin, Chaffinch and some really bright Greenfinches chewing their way through the hardened remains of last month's blackberries. A walker returning up the hill stopped and told us about all the spiders' webs that were covering the grass. "There must be hundreds and hundreds of spiders living down there" he said. He wasn't joking! The plants were covered in the white silky tents of spiders that were crawling all over them. Others were drifting in the air on strands of silk too fine to see unless the sun caught them at just the right angle. An amazing sight! |
© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio
Money Spiders on one of hundreds of silk tents |
© Gill Ford
Watching Roe Deer |
We were now walking south-east along the inland edge of the Mere, a stretch of reeds and water next to Chesil Beach. More birds here included a bright male Stonechat and Water Rails calling in the reeds. Several Roe Deer were grazing in the sunshine on the hill.
Walking though a "Withy Bed" of Sallow we had close views of a Goldcrest above us in the branches against the sky. |
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After a longer walk than expected we finally came out onto Chesil Beach and looked eastwards towards Portland just as the setting sun started to add a sureal colour to the sea and beach. The Forest Marble rocks here often hold fossil shark's teeth but we couldn't find any. Pat did find a piece of World War II barbed wire though.
Out on the sea gulls were starting to gather for their evening roost and a flock of Wigeon were waiting for dark before they flew in to feed on the young cereal crops. |
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© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio
The view east to Portland |
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Trudging back along the beach to the car park took a lot longer than expected but with the amazing sunset developing in front of us it was not to be hurried.
As if this wasn't good enough, a pair of Red-throated Divers appeared just offshore, their characteristically upwards-pointing bills looking most distinctive through the telescope. |
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© Gill Ford
The amazing sunset |
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