After days of heavy rain and hail, it looks like we have some nice weather again and an opportunity to walk down to the cove without get soaking wet.
Main highlight today was a Willow Warbler singing away behind the cove huts and whilst I was photographing it another bird joined it. Both were very pale coloured and very active in amongst the trees and flowering Blackthorn.
Also about were 3 birds of prey. Over Pennsylvania Castle a Peregrine was holding itself absolutely still in the updraft, before swooping down towards the cove. At the back of the cove a Kestrel swapped a tree branch for a rocky outcrop for an observation point, whilst a Sparrowhawk passed over the cove towards Penns Weare.
On the beach were 2 Rock Pipits and a Pied Wagtail, with the former looking as if they may have set up 'camp' on the north cliff. Overhead 5 Meadow Pipit flew north..
On the way up the steps towards Rufus Castle I took a slight detour through the copse on Penns Weare and came across an Alexanders with 12 7-spot Ladybirds and 2 Harlequins covering it. As I continued my way up the steps I came across 2 Celery Flies and an Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa) resting on a Red Valerian.
Here are a few images from today:
Penns Wood
A Common Green Shieldbug comes into land and folds its wing up..........
All done.
One of the Syrphus hoverflies.
The back of the cove where there were............
...........2 Willow Warblers feeding in the Blackthorn.
And the second bird.
A better advantage point than the tree this Kestrel was on a few moments earlier.
It wasn't just the Kestrel and Peregrine out hunting, but also this Sparrowhawk making its way up Penns Weare.
Borage a new plant for my Plant List I have put together Here.
Church Ope Cove from Penns Weare.
On the steps up to Rufus Castle I acme across this Early Mining Bee and.......
........and 2 of these Celery Flies.
Birds recorded: 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Kestrel, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, 5 Meadow Pipit, 2 Rock Pipit, 1 Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.
Also recorded: 3 Buff-tailed Bumblebees, 1 Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa), 1 Common Green Shieldbug, 2 Celery Flies and several hoverflies sp.
Also recorded: 3 Buff-tailed Bumblebees, 1 Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa), 1 Common Green Shieldbug, 2 Celery Flies and several hoverflies sp.
Ships Today
