15 Mar 19

Wakeham

This evening a weevil was found walking across the living room carpet. Turns out it's a Platyrhinus resinosus or by its common name of Scarce Fungus Weevil or Cramp-ball Fungus Weevil. The only conclusion as to how it got in the house is that it hitched a ride on the back of one of the days after our walk this afternoon.


An unusual weevil, the Scarce Fungus Weevil, where the larvae develop inside the black fungus known as King Alfred's Cakes or Cramp Balls (Daldinia concentrica), which is a common fungi of old and poor condition Ash trees.

Penns Wood, Church Ope Cove, Penns Weare, Grove Cliffs, South-west Coast path and Broadcroft Quarry Lane

Another very windy and cloudy day, and another extended walk which took me along the whole length of Penns Weare and up the slope to the Young Offenders Institute.

Only Spring migrants recorded today were Chiffchaffs at the following locations: 2 - Penns Wood, 3 - Church Ope Cove, 8 - Penns Weare and 1 - Broadcroft Quarry Lane.

Other birds noted were just 2 Rock Pipits at the cove, where a Pied Wagtail was thinking about landing on the beach but turned and flew off towards Rufus Castle. All along my walk were several Wrens singing, with a few Dunnocks for company.

There were 2 Kestrels over the cove, with another on the Grove Cliffs. Also at the Grove 2 Peregrine Falcons with a male devouring a feral pigeon. Only 2 Fulmars noted, have they finished breeding now and left!!

Out to sea there were 3 Gannets making their way along the coastline.

On the way back to the cottage there was a flock of 15 Linnet close to Broadcroft Quarry Pools, whilst in the Lower Paddock there was a pair of Pied Wagtails and another Kestrel on the fence post.

Here are a few images from today:

Church Ope Cove

The Cuttings and in the centre of photo there were 4 Chiffchaffs in the bushes.

What an oddity. At first I couldn't make out how many birds were in the frame. There are just the one pair of feet, so what I'm looking at is a Cormorant attempting to dry its wings out in a gale force wind. But what a tangle of wings and tail.........

.........until they are all folded up.

All dry and now off.

One of the 3 Gannets just off the shore.

Grove Cliffs, where high up on the upper ledges these.........

..........Wallflowers are out in bloom.

A Close-up of a Wallflower. More on Wallflowers Here.

A Black Slug - Arion ater

A Kestrel braces itself against the gale force wind blowing across the Lower Paddock at Wakeham.

Birds Recorded: 2 Fulmar, 3 Gannet, 4 Cormorant, 2 Shag, 2 Peregrine Falcon, 4 Kestrel, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Collared Dove, 2 Rock Pipit, 3 Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 14 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrests, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 1 Raven, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, 15 Linnet and Goldfinch.

Also recorded: 4 Buff-tailed Bumblebees.

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On this day..........
2018
Today's Sightings Here.