With the forecast of rain this afternoon, I thought I better get out and about this morning. First stop was Wakeham Wood where a Willow Warbler was singing away. From there I doubled back to the cottage as Benji decided he had enough walking for one day. So having dropped him off I decided to walk up Broadcroft Quarry Lane instead. Here there was a male Blackcap singing and 3 Greenfinches. Overhead and flying at speed were 20+ Linnet.
Moving onto Bumpers Lane there was a male Linnet singing away above a bush. I suspect there was a nest close by and he stood his ground as I walked on by. Dropping down to the old railway track at The Cuttings there were small flocks of Meadow Pipit heading north up Penns Weare.
Very quiet at Rufus Castle, but as I walked down the steps to Penns Copse I came across a few Celery Flies in amongst the Alexanders. As normal there was quite a bit of rustling going on in the undergrowth and on one occasion a juvenile Wall Lizard popped out and showed itself. Also down the steps a Peacock butterfly landed on one of the flowering Blackthorn.
A walk through the copse and onto Penns Weare proved fruitless as the easterly wind cut right across the top of it. On the south facing cliff off Church Ope Cove another Peacock butterfly was flitting about.
From the clifftop I made my way up to the grounds of St Andrew's Church and I could hear a few Wall Lizards in the undergrowth, but none showed. The Alexanders yet again were the main point of interest as dozens of flies, hoverflies and a Marsham's Nomad Bee (Nomada marshamella) were feeding upon the flowers. The scent of the flowers was quite overwhelming.
In Penns Wood there were 3 Willow Warblers with 2 birds singing and also a male Blackcap singing as well. On the comfreys a few Small Garden Bumblebees.
Here are a few images from today:
Overlooking Broadcroft Quarry Lane into the Lower Paddocks behind Wakeham.
In the lane a female Greenfinch and.....
......the male. Its not called a Greenfinch for nothing.
In Bumpers Lane a male Linnet.
Looks like he's feeling that biting easterly wind as well.
The Cuttings where these.........
.......Wall Flowers are still in flower.
Along the coast path towards Rufus Castle and an Early Mining Bee.
This is a bit easier a Nursery-web Spider waiting for its dinner to pass on by.
On the Blackthorn flowers half-way down the steps from Rufus Castle a Peacock butterfly.
Whilst on the ground here a Black Slug, Arion ater
In amongst the Valerian a juvenile Wall Lizard and to its left keeping very still is a Celery Fly.
A very sultry Church Ope Cove.
The grounds of St Andrew's Church..........
An easy one to ID a Honey Bee.
One of the syrphus hoverflies.
Dead Head Fly, Myathropa florea on the wall in the grounds of the church.
Penns Wood and home today for...........
...........3 Willow Warblers and a Blackcap. Here a Willow feeds in amongst the leaves of this tree.
My first Marmalade Hoverfly of the year.
Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Blackcap, 3 Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch and Greenfinch.
Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizards
Butterflies Recorded: 2 Peacock
Bees Recorded: Buff-tailed Bumblebees, Small Garden Bumblebee, Grey Mining Bee, Honey Bee, Marsham's Nomad Bee (Nomada marshamella) and an Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa)
Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), Dead Head Fly (Myathropa florea) and Syrphus sp.
Also recorded: Nursery-web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis), Celery Flies and 2 Black Slug (Arion ater)
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On this day..........
2018Today's Sightings Here.