Another walk through Penn's Wood down to Church Ope Cove and a bit of a surprise to see Snowdrops in flower!!
Very quiet in the wood other than 3 Goldcrests, a Firecrest and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. When I returned this way from the cove a Sparrowhawk shot through and put up the local feral pigeons.
On the beach it was great to see that the Black Redstart had returned to its favourite corner of the beach and also the "rock" Robin which like the Black Redstart had gone AWOL for several days.
Only the male Pied Wagtail here, no sign of the female or the Grey Wagtail. There were 15 Rock Pipits here today and a good count of 11 Wrens.
Overhead 4 Ravens headed south and at the back of the cove there were 3 Firecrests feeding in the Hebe's. A flock of Long-tailed Tits passed through, but no sign of the Yellow-browed Warbler with them.
Quite a few insects about with dozens of Blue Bottle flies, a Meliscaeva auricollis hoverfly and a Robber fly I think.
Here a few images from this afternoon:
.....an early Snowdrop in flower.
A Goldcrest poses for me in the wood.
This is the path down to the Hebe's at the back of the cove.
Home to one of the wintering Robins and today.....
.....3 Firecrests. Here's one and.....
......and another. Unfortunately the 3rd one manage to elude the camera.
A Meliscaeva auricollis hoverfly on a leaf of the Hebe.
In the cove the waves are still crashing onto the rocks.
A lovely surprise to see same/another Black Redstart in the north-east corner of the cove.
One of 11 Wrens feeding in amongst the pebbles and around the beach huts.
A Rock Pipit looks on........
......whilst another is seen feeding on the hut itself.
A closer view as it grabs a fly.
Overhead one of the four Ravens which were seen heading south.
On the walls of one of the huts, a fly sp.
Birds Recorded: 3 Gannet, Shag, Cormorant, 1 Sparrowhawk, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Feral Pigeons, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 15 Rock Pipit, 1 Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 1 Black Redstart, Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 5 Goldcrest, 4 Firecrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, 20+ Wren, Carrion Crow, 4 Raven, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.
Also 20+ Blue Bottle Flies, 1 hoverfly sp. and a possible Robber fly sp.
Flowers: Snowdrops
Ships today
