I wanted to do a post about a certain place I go in Dorset which captures why I love it. And I hope I shall show that Durlston is a beautiful location with amazing wildlife and whenever I go its a standout day in my wildlife year with many species highlights and a day I might just go with the flow and produce a high amount of photos by talking through my seven visits to Durlston Country Park near Swanage and how my relationship developed with it. The people who have known me for years may know that this is about the time of year we make our now annual visit here. I don’t like to say too much about where we plan to go on here ever in case plans fall through so watch this space.
We first discovered Durlston in 2007, after a boat trip from Poole harbour which aimed to reach it was unable to weather wise. That night I did see my first ever Fulmar, Shag and Sandwich Tern, and get a stunning view of another of my favourite birds to Fulmar the Gannet. However we didn’t see what was the main point of the trip, our first ever Puffin a bird we dreamt of at the time. So we took our own trip to the coast another Saturday, and saw quite a lot including another of that big group of seabirds that are among my favourite birds the Guillemot. There was also firsts walking along the cliffs, Stonechat and a now favourite birds of mine the Peregrine.
But to see Puffins we had to go the Dancing Ledge further along, something we walked miles to make sure we did achieve that day. And then we were rewarded by a quick and distant view of this iconic bird. Durlston eared quite a status with us from just that one incredible visit. 10 years ago we returned in the summer months. It was quieter for seabirds on this visit although I think we did see Gannet, and with my first ever camera brought just before it was rather a photography of scenery day and family day out, at a time my appetite for taking photos was really fresh and wet.
Our next visit wouldn’t come until four years later when I took the first two pictures in this photoset of Guillemots and clouds in 2013. It was so good to be back being impressed by Fulmars and Ravens too on the bit of cliffs nearer to the visitor centre. The discovery of all the birds here would shape our future relationship with this place.
2013 also was a year I went to Skomer Island in Pembrokeshire, as was 2014 when seeing all the auks and seabird stars especially the ones among my 27 favourite birds meant we didn’t really need to go to Durlston. But in the summer of 2014 my Nan was diagnosed with dementia a very hard and sad time which with dogs as well instantly limited where we could go to see wildlife, take photos and the amount of holidays and further afield trips we could have.
So by 2015 as a treat for my Mum’s birthday in April we made our first trip outside of Hampshire during my college Easter Holidays one Friday where the dogs could come and respite care arrangements were made to see the seabirds we could by the centre, Guillemot, Razorbill, Fulmar, with Shag too and Gannets out to sea. It was a really brilliant day, with my first Bullfinch of the year seen too, where I took the third and fourth picture in this photoset of a view and a Fulmar. This was the real beginning of me being able to take pictures of one of my favourite birds the Fulmar to a higher and higher standard for me. This is because I know nowhere like Durlston really where the path is practically (but safely) on top of their nests so you see them doing their heavenly gliding right below or even beside you.
Over the coming years, whether the year involved a Skomer visit or anther seabird one as was the case for 2017 and 2018, we’ve come back either on my Mum’s birthday which is today’s date, Easter or just in April in general and its become an annual visit. The fifth and sixth pictures in this photoset are from the 2016 visit, one of my favourite ever landscapes on these visits and an Early Spider Orchid. Durlston is so brilliant for flowers especially orchids too and over the last few years I’ve really noticed that, meaning my macro lens is a must when we go this year to try and capture more. Every year you never quite know what is gonna surprise you on the visit besides the expected intimate moments with the seabirds and in 2016 it was Sika Deers running out from a bush.
2017′s Easter visit had an unexpected moment too when a lovely Wall Brown butterfly flew in beside the cliffs and landed. I also took the seventh and eighth pictures in this photoset of one of the many landscapes that dominated that particular visit picture wise actually and a Peregrine Falcon seen flying around. Wheatear and House Martin were broader wildlife year ticks on the day.
After a dip in Fulmar now the main star on this visit actually whether its needed as a year tick or not and wildlife picture quality in 2017 I was really determined in 2018. So I took the ninth and tenth pictures in this photoset of the Fulmar and a landscape on a foggy day where the sun poked through to clear it, the Fulmar one of many that day. But this one which sits on my wildlife calendar of my photos as I write this stood out to me as one of my best ever quality images, it was easily one of my if not my best wildlife picture last year and I really felt a buzz and thrill around it right from the beginning. The Wall Brown would be a star again in another unexpected and rather quicker sighting of one in my greatest ever year of butterflies. 2018 was perhaps my greatest ever wildlife and photography year in general, and once again going to Durlston in April stood out.
