14 Dec 17

Pennsylvania Wood and Church Ope Cove

Still very windy but at long last no rain. So it was off to Church Ope Cove via Penn's wood to see if the Black Redstart was still on the beach.

First stop was the wood and as I arrived a small party of Long-tailed Tits passed through, along with Great TitsBlue Tits, 2 Goldcrests and a Firecrest. The Ground Maintenance team were working in the grounds of Pennsylvania Castle and as they unloaded a barrow load of grass they put up 2 Redwings feeding on the lawns.

As the tits and crests moved on I headed off down to the beach and came across a White-tailed Bumblebee feeding on the Hebe's behind the beach huts. No sign of any birds here, but on the beach there were 12 Rock Pipits, the "resident" Pied and Grey Wagtails, 10 Wrens, 2 Robins and the Black Redstart, which has been here since 8 Dec.

Birds recorded: 1 GannetHerring GullWood Pigeon, 12 Rock Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey WagtailDunnockRobin, Black RedstartBlackbird, 2 Redwing, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 8 Long-tailed TitGreat TitBlue Tit, 12 WrenMagpieCarrion Crow and Chaffinch.

Also 1 White-tailed Bumblebee

Here are few images from today:

A record shot of the Firecrest in Penn's Wood.

There are a few very "tame" Robins about. This one was in the grounds of St Andrew's Church.......

......and this one prefers the Hebe's behind the beach huts.

A White-tailed Bumblebee feeding on the everlasting Hebe flowers.

One of the 12 Rock Pipits on the pebbles on the beach.

And the long-staying Black Redstart........

.......this is Day 7.

One of the many Wrens on and around the beach in the north-east corner.

On the way back I crossed over the old railway bridge in Wakeham. The water here was sucked out a month ago Here and has returned!!

Birds recorded: 1 Gannet, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, 12 Rock Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Black Redstart, Blackbird, 2 Redwing, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 8 Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, 12 Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow and Chaffinch.
Also 1 White-tailed Bumblebee


Ships today

This the Western Highway, a Vehicles Carrier flying the flag of Panama and is on its way from Zeebrugge, Belgian to Port Elizabeth, South Africa. More on this vessel Here

These two ships were on their way out into the English Channel. The vessel in the foreground is the Dofjin on its way to Teignmouth from Shoreham. It is a cargo ship flying the flag of Antigua Barbuda. The ship behind is the Fehn Lyra and is a Latvian general cargo vessel on its way to Gibraltar from Antwerp, Belgian.

More on Dofjin Here and Fehn Lyra Here