31 Dec 19

Wakeham Railway Cuttings, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Church Ope Cove Wood, Penns Weare, Penns Copse, Rufus Castle and Portland Museum

Main highlight today were my first Common Gulls at Church Ope Cove, with two Winter adults fishing just off the beach, before they moved up the coast. Lots of people on the beach, so no Rock Pipits, Pied Wagtails, Grey Wagtail or Wrens seen.

Elsewhere there was a Firecrest at the back of the cove and 20+ Long-tailed Tits along the railway Cuttings.

Also seen was a Marmalade Hoverfly in Penns Wood, a new snail for my Portland list a Pointed Snail (Cochlicella acuta) and the earliest Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum) I have ever come across. As the name suggest this very small bumblebee appears around February, Well the one I saw today, on the Hebes at the back of the cove, is a good 4 weeks early. Well it was very mild, though not particularly sunny!!

Here are a few images from today:

One minute you're minding your own business, then the next thing is you're swamped by a wave.

Here is the Herring Gull again, this time at the other end of the beach on a higher perch.

Well pleased to see one of these at Church Ope Cove and this Common Gull......

..........wasn't alone as a second bird flew in and........

...........landed just off the beach.

This is the first time I have seen Common Gulls at Church Ope Cove.

There were very few birds about today, but one bird you will never fail to see is the Robin. I've not actually counted them on my walk, but a rough guess would be that there are well over dozen.

I was about to give up on the Long-tailed Tits today and then as I was walking back up Wakeham a large party of 20+ birds appeared by the railway bridge.

It was very mild again today and for the second day running I came across a Marmalade Hoverfly. This one was in Penns Copse.

A Kentish Snail on an Alexanders in the grounds of St Andrew's Church

This is a Pointed Snail (Cochlicella acuta) and was on an Alexanders just under Rufus Castle. It is the the first one I have come across on Portland.

It's that time of year again, well on Portland that is, when the Snowdrops are out in flower. And it isn't just the Snowdrops but..........

.............also the Mahonia. Both flowering at the top of Penns Wood. There are around 70 species of Mahonia, so you can take your pick as to which one this is. More on this plant Here.

Not sure why I haven't researched the lichen on Portland, especially as it is so abundant on the island. I'm still in the process of ID'ing this one, which looks as if it is one of the Teloschistaceae family and possibly Caloplaca flavescens

Mammals Recorded: Grey Squirrel

Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Common Gull, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Firecrest, 20+ Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow and Chaffinch

Bees Recorded: Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)

Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

Slugs and Snails Recorded: Kentish Snail (Monacha cantiana) and Pointed Snail (Cochlicella acuta)

Lichen Recorded: Possibly Caloplaca flavescens

Ships Today

This is the British Fishing Boat "Portland Isle" "smashing" its way through the waves.

It is making its way back to Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On this day..........

2018
Today's Sightings Here.

2017
Today's Sightings Here.

30 Dec 19

Wakeham

It has been awhile since we have had a windless night and in the early hours of this morning between 1:00am and 2:00am,  it was possible to hear a pair of Tawny Owls calling from just down the road from around the caravan park Here.

First off it was a male calling, then a female and then for the next hour just the male. At times it appeared that the male was moving about, as a few calls were very distant. Eventually he returned to the local area, but I never heard the female again or that classic 'too-wit too-woo' where the female’s "kewick” is answered by the male’s “ooo-ooo-ooo" 

Here is brilliant example of the two dueting Here.

A few calls from the male. The flashing lights are Wakeham's Christmas display.

And another solitary call

Wakeham Railway Cuttings, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Church Ope Cove Wood and Wakeham Wood

A bit better today with 3 Firecrests, 2 Goldcrests and 20+ Long-tailed Tits in Penns Wood. No Chiffchaffs here today.

On the beach there were 4 Rock Pipits, a Grey Wagtail and 2 Wrens.

Also found was a Marmalade Hoverfly on the flowering Hebes at the back of the cove.

Here are a few images and videos from today:

A few shots of the 3 Firecrests in Penns Wood today.

And a video of one of the Firecrest, if you can keep up with it.

Also in Penns Wood were these very noisy Long-tailed Tits.

On the beach today a Grey Wagtail.

Also 4 Rock Pipits and a.......

.........couple of Wrens.

Talk about Hide and Seek. This Wren was in every nook and cranny looking for insects on the beach.

A Marmalade Hoverfly on a Hebe.

And the underside of the Smoky Bracket (Bjerkandera adusta), which I came across yesterday in Penns wood on the fallen Horse Chestnut Tree

Mammals Recorded: Grey Squirrel

Birds Recorded: Cormorant, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, 4 Rock Pipit, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Goldcrest, 3 Firecrest, 20+ Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and a Greenfinch

Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

Flies Recorded: Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida)

Ships Today

This is the British Fishing Boat "Boy Lynham" dropping pots off, just off Church Ope Cove. More on this vessel Here.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On this day..........

2018
Today's Sightings Here.

2017
Today's Sightings Here.

29 Dec 19

Wakeham Railway Cuttings, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove and Church Ope Cove Wood

It really is getting hard to find any birds of note this Winter and the only highlights today were in Penns Wood with a Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, 20+ Long-tailed Tits and overhead a Grey Wagtail.

The beach was void of birds, but then it was packed with visitors and the wood at the back of the cove was also very quiet.

However I did find another new fungi called a Smoky Bracket (Bjerkandera adusta) and a new shrub called Gwenllian (Viburnum tinus)

Here are a few images from today:

This Kestrel was back again along the Railway Cuttings. The area it is in is where the "Eastern" Lesser Whitethroat was seen a few days ago, but not since.

Girdled Snail

White-lipped Banded-snail

The handy-work of the Golden Pygmy Moth caterpillar. The squiggles are where the caterpillar has been "mining" on this bramble leaf.

This is Viburnum tinus and also goes by the name of Laurustinus 'Gwenllian'. It is a........

..........native shrub of the Mediterranean and North African maccchia regions and was first cultivated in Britain in the 16th Century. Ever since then it has been a popular garden plant and also on Penns Weare by the looks of it. (More on macchia and maquis Here and V. tinus Here).

Once you notice the Alexanders Rust (Puccinia smyrnii) on the Alexanders, you do begin to realise that this rust fungus is quite abundant amongst them.

Another fungus which has just appeared in Penns Wood on a felled Horse Chestnut Tree and is.........

..........Smoky Bracket (Bjerkandera adusta). More on this fungi Here.

Birds Recorded: Cormorant, Kestrel, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow and Chaffinch

Flies Recorded: Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida)

Slugs and Snails Recorded: White-lipped Banded Snail (Cepaea hortensis) and Girdled Snail (Hygromia cinctella)

Plants Recorded: Gwenllian (Viburnum tinus)

Fungi Recorded: Smoky Bracket (Bjerkandera adusta) 

Ships Today

This is the Vehicles Carrier "Harvest Leader" flying the flag of the Bahamas. It is on its way from Bremerhaven (Denmark) to Barcelona (Spain) More on this vessel Here.

This is the Dutch Container Ship "Endurance" on its way from Antwerp (Belgium) to Belfast. More on this vessel Here.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On this day..........

2018
Today's Sightings Here.

2017
Today's Sightings Here.

28 Dec 19

Wakeham Railway Cuttings, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Church Ope Cove Wood and Bumpers Lane

The thick fog of yesterday finally dispersed this morning and even though it was cloudy, the main thing was you could actually see where you were walking. Not that there was much about and with just a Firecrest at Church Ope Cove and a Goldcrest in Penns Wood it was pretty dire.

Elsewhere there were 5 Rock Pipits and a Wren on the beach, plus 2 Ravens overhead.

Along Bumpers Lane close to to the west side of the railway cuttings there were 15+ Chaffinches in the Buddleia. Also moving through a flock of around a dozen Long-tailed Tits. A Song Thrush and 3 Blackbirds were here also.

The biggest "commotion"of the day, which actually started at around 8:30am this morning outside the front of the cottage, was still carrying on at the back of Portland Museum 2 hours later and was a "murder" of 26 Carrion Crows. I've not heard them here before and I have no idea why they turned up today, but what a racket. And I thought the local Herring Gulls were noisy!!!

Here are a few images from today:

Behind Portland Museum were these............

..............very noisy Carrion Crows. The only thing I can surmise is that having left their roost they have met up again to "discuss" where the best feeding grounds are. I witnessed something similar in Swindon a few years back where they would meet up for 20 minutes or so before dispersing. Just a theory!

Just a few Rock Pipits on the beach today plus..........

............this Wren feeding in amongst the boulders.

There are still quite a few empty Whelk egg cases being washed up onto the beach.

I also found these "Mermaid" Purses, which of course are the egg cases for rays and sharks. I'm not an expert but this could possibly the egg case of what sea anglers call a Dogfish. The scientific name would be Scyliorhinus canicula (Small-spotted Catfish), but there are other similar catfish.

The shape of this egg case would suggest a Ray and most likely possibly Thornback or Blonde Ray. These two rays are often caught around the Shambles Sandbanks. Here's a useful website from the Shark Trust. Click Here.

This is Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)............

................and these yellow blotches are Alexanders Rust (Puccinia smyrnii), which is a rust fungus that affects Alexanders. More on this rust fungus Here.

And finally a Robin to brighten up the day.

Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, 5 Rock Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, 26 Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 2 Raven, Chaffinch and Goldfinch

Flies Recorded: Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida)

Slugs and Snails Recorded: Girdled Snail (Hygromia cinctella)

Fungus Recorded: Alexanders Rust (Puccinia smyrnii)

Ships Today

This is the Maltese Cargo Ship "Delphine" on its way from Zeebrugge to Dublin. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Tanker "Anuket Ruby" flying the flag of Panama. It is on its way from Rotterdam to Plymouth. More on this vessel Here.

This is the British Offshore Supply Ship "Ocean Osprey" in Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On this day..........

2018
Today's Sightings Here.

2017
Today's Sightings Here.