I paid a trip down to the sand-flats this afternoon, just before the heavens opened, to see what was about at low water. Sadly and not for the first time a dog owner had his Alsatian off the lead and it was running amok, scaring the waders along the shoreline.
What birds there were, were continually on the move as this owner was oblivious to the notices asking owners to keep dogs on their leads.
I did manage a sort of count with around 30+ Ringed Plovers, 20+ Dunlin, 3 Sanderling, a single Knot and 3 Oystercatchers.
Other birds noted were 3 Mediterranean Gulls, Herring Gulls, Starlings, Linnets and a Pied Wagtail.
Here are a few images and two videos.
Three Ringed Plovers
Ringed Plover
Sanderling
Knot and a Dunlin behind.
A Knot feeding on the Sand-flats
Mediterranean Gull
And another Med.
And sadly and despite the signs this is still happening.......................
..........a dog running loose and scaring the waders.
Obs Quarry, Crown Estate Fields, Top Fields and Culverwell
Very quiet on the migration front and the best I could do today was 6 Wheatear, and singles of Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martins passing overhead. Other birds noted were a single Stonechat in the Crown Estate Fields, a fly-by Sparrowhawk and 3 Kestrels hawking the fields for prey.
Very few butterfly species about and other than a dozen or so Large Whites, the other only numerous butterfly about were Small Heaths.
Here are a few images from this morning:
Not many migrants about today, except for 6 Wheatear in the Top Fields, including this individual who flew up to the post next to me on the track.
One of the 3 Kestrels "working" the fields.
A juvenile Pied Wagtail
And a Small Heath.
Ships Today
On the horizon is the General Cargo ship "Aasnes"flying the flag of Gibraltar. It is on its way from Purfleet to Port Talbot. More on this vessel Here.
Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Penns Weare, Penns Copse, Rufus Castle, The Cuttings Quarry and The Mermaid Track.
A nice sunny day with a bit of a breeze coming up the island. Main highlight this afternoon was coming across a large flock of Long-tailed Tits foraging in the canopy of Penns Wood. In amongst them were Great Tits, Blue Tits, Chaffinches, and at least 2 Willow Warblers.
Other warblers noted were a Willow Warbler in The Cuttings Quarry and another one, plus a Common Whitethroat along The Mermaid Track.
Still a few butterflies about and my first Adonis Blue of the year in The Cuttings Quarry. Other butterflies noted were Large White, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Common Blue and Chalk Hill Blue.
The only moth seen today was yet another Hummingbird Hawk-moth.
For the first time in quite awhile a few Harlequin Ladybirds are beginning to show, with 3 found in Penns Wood. Two were the form conspicua, and the other succinea. More on Harlequins Here.
Here are a few images from today:
In the canopy of Penns Wood a Willow Warbler joins a large flock of Long-tailed Tits.
Meanwhile in The Cuttings Quarry another Willow Warbler...........
........makes its way through a Buddleia
A male Large White
I seem to be doing pretty well with Hummingbird hawk-moths this year.
This one was in the grounds of St Andrew's Church.
This one was captured on camera at 2000th of a second, and there is still movement in those wings.
Two Harlequin Ladybirds and two different forms.
The one above on the left and this one on a nettle is the form conspicua, whilst..........
..........this one is the form succinea
Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Common Whitethroat, 4 Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch
Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Green-veined White, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Common Blue, Adonis Blue and Chalk Hill Blue Moths Recorded: 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum)
King Barrow Quarries, Fancy Farm and High Angle Battery
Another cloudy start to the day and little cooler as well. Having walked around the middle of the island yesterday I thought I'd try the top of the island today.
No flycatchers today, but some good highlights nevertheless with 3 Tree Pipit, 8 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Wheatear, 2 Common Whitethroat and 2 Blackcap.
Both the Whitethroats and Blackcaps were singing their sub-songs from deep inside brambles at 4 separate locations. Apart from a brief view of one of the Whitethroat, the others were all heard.
Throughout my walk there were several Yellow Wagtailsflying about overhead and as I arrived at Fancy Farm 2 Tree Pipits took off and headed south, with a 3rd bird seen later overhead.
Just the 4 Wheatear seen and some good close-up views.
Unusual sighting this morning was another "bird" a Hummingbird Hawk-moth which was settled in the grass at the High Angle Battery's. I managed to coax it onto my finger and after a few seconds it flew off.
Here are a few images and a couple of videos from this morning. Plus my route.
My route today. (Image courtesy of Google Earth)
King Barrow Quarries
Chesil Beach and The Fleet
The old railway track leading up to the quarries.
In King Barrow Quarries was this lone Wheatear.
These two Wheatears were just south of Fancy Farm
Another shot.
And one of the other bird.
Wheatear
And my 4th Wheatear of the morning.
The sub-song of a Common Whitethroat, with the bird deep inside the brambles.
And something you don't see everyday........
.........a very docile Hummingbird Hawk-moth.
At times it was vibrating its wings at a rapid rate and..............
.......it gave me a quick look before flying off at high speed.
Birds Recorded: Kestrel, Herring Gull, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, 3 Tree Pipit, 8 Yellow Wagtail, Robin, 4 Wheatear, Blackbird, 2 Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 3 Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch
Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Green-veined White, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral, 10+ Painted Lady, Common Blue and Chalk Hill Blue
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum), Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) and Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
Ships Today
Far off on the horizon the Container Ship "Cosco Shipping Galaxy" flying the flag of Hong Kong. It is on its way from Wilhelmshaven, Denmark to Piraeus, Greece. More on this vessel Here.
This is the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel "Lyme Bay" on its way from Portland Harbour to Plymouth. More on this vessel Here.
Thumb Lane, Avalanche Road Wood and Reap Lane Barns
A few reports were coming through on social media that there were a few flycatchers about, so it was off to Thumb Lane to see what I could find. Well it didn't take me long to track down 2 Pied Flycatchers which were both calling very loudly in the Sycamores. Also here was a Spotted Flycatcher, Blackcap, a Willow Warbler and the pouring rain!!
In the copse at Thumb Lane were these 2 Pied Flycatchers.
And the second bird.
Here is one of the 2 Pied Flycatchers calling. At 23 seconds you can just about make it out, as it flies into the centre of the tree. Listening to the calls on Xeno-canto I suspect that both birds are juveniles. Click Here
Not a Pied Flycatcher but a Spotted Flycatcher. You can just about make out the spots on its breast.
One of the 2 Pied Flycatchers in the pouring rain.
Moving onto the woods at Avalanche Road and high up in the canopy was a single Spotted Flycatcher, sadly nothing else of note here.
Next stop were the Barns at Reap Lane and even before I got there, there were several Yellow Wagtails flying about in all directions. At first I didn't see anything apart from a single Robin, but as another light shower came down, so a Spotted Flycatcher appeared in the trees just east of the barns. A few seconds later a very vocal Pied Flycatcher popped up in the tree right next to me on the track.
The funny thing was I was so close to it, I couldn't actually see it until I stepped away a good 30 ft or more. Unfortunately and despite my stealth it wasn't me that scared it off, but a couple of walkers who stopped to talk to me. At that point it flew into the tree line and joined the Spotted Flycatcher. At least I managed a half decent shot of the Pied Flycatcherat its new location. Also here a very bright yellow warbler which I believe was a Willow Warbler despite the dark legs.
The barns at Reap Lane
A very bright yellow warbler I suspect this is a Willow Warbler, despite the dark legs.
And the Pied Flycatcher.
From Reap Lane I doubled back to Avalanche Road and as I passed through the wood and into the horse paddock area there were 2 more Pied Flycatchers in the clump of trees to my left here.
Moving on and just before I entered the copse at Thumb Lane there were at least 5 Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff and 2 Common Whitethroats in the scrub area.
Back into the woods and both the Pied Flycatchers were still present.
Birds Recorded: Kestrel, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Sand Martin, House Martin, Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, 20+ Yellow Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Common Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 5 Pied Flycatcher, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch
Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood and Red Admiral
Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded: Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator)
Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) and Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax)
After a very long drive back from Shropshire this morning it was great to just chill out in the back garden this afternoon, in the very warm sunshine.
Some great highlights, from the comfort of my Deckchair, with a dozen or so Yellow Wagtails all heading "north" to the Lower Horse Paddocks behind the Alessandria Hotel, a Tree Pipit heading south, 100's of Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins feeding high up above Wakeham and several Swifts also making their way south.
In the back garden we had 3 Willow Warblers, with one of them having a wash in the pond.
Also in the back garden a Hummingbird Hawk-moth made a couple of appearances, feeding on the Valerian, and I also had my first ever "garden" Hornet Mimic Hoverfly visit. A male Common Darter made several visits to pond and tried to land on the surrounding Lavender, but was "forced" off by the local Bumblebees.
Here are a few images and a couple of videos from this afternoon:
The garden pond. It might be small but it attracted a Willow Warbler this afternoon.
Take off. Having just had a drink from the bottom bowl this Willow Warbler then had a a bathe in the pond
This is the Willow Warbler shaking off the water, after bathing in the garden pond.
Here is another Willow warbler making its way through the Hazel Tree in my neighours garden.
A Hummingbird Hawk-moth on the Valerian
This Hummingbird Hawk-moth visited the garden a couple of times this evening.
A male Common Darter
And my first Hornet Mimic Hoverfly in the garden
After the splashing about by the Willow Warbler, this Prog came up to the to surface to see what all the commotion was about.
And finally I just had to show off our Giant Sunflowers, which amazingly survived the storms a few weeks back. There are are 6 of them and the tallest now is 10ft.
