A lot fresher feel to the weather today and after a couple of days of strong gale force winds, it was nice to have a walk without having to hang on to anything.
Main highlights today were the number of birds heading south with dozens of Swallows feeding on the Kelp Flies on Church Ope Cove. The stormy seas washed up tonnes of Kelp and the Swallows were having a feast. So much so that one or two birds even landed on the Seaweed to pick off a few flies. Certainly not something I've seen before.
Elsewhere there were Phylloscopus warblers, presumed Willow Warblers, but not that easy to separate at this time of year. In fact there is an excellent guide on how to separate them on BirdGuides Here. But I still find it difficult.
The Leaf warblers were in amongst a small flock of 7 Long-tailed Tits foraging close to Bumpers Lane and The Mermaid Track. And accompanying them were 4 Great Tit, 3 Blue Tit and a Lesser Whitethroat. Further along the track there was a Blackcap.
A juvenile Sparrowhawk was begging for food around Pennsylvania Castle and eventually found its way on to the footbridge which spans the ravine just south of St Andrew's Church.
Still a few butterflies about with Large White, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Comma, and Common Blue in the grounds of St Andrews Church where there are still several Hornet Mimic Hoverflies and the Jersey Tiger Moth present.
Along the Mermaid Track more Hornet Mimic Hoverflies, a Speckled Wood and Chalk Hill Blues
Note: Autumn Warblers highlighted in Orange
Here are a few images and videos from today
A juvenile Sparrowhawk
A very noisy juvenile Sparrowhawk
The washed up seaweed on the beach has attracted thousands of Kelp Flies and in turn providing........
...........these Swallows with a top up meal before leaving our shores.
Having read and now seen several images of Phylloscopus warblers, I'm pretty sure this is a juvenile Willow Warbler.
Apparently the yellowish legs,.................
............long wings and................
Two Bottlenose Dolphins making their way down the east coast of Portland this morning.
Always a lovely sight watching dolphins, especially on your doorstep.
Its not often you see the bright orange underwing of a Jersey Tiger moth, except when its flying that is.
This is is the second I have seen this Jersey Tiger moth feeding on the Buddleia here in the grounds of St Andrew's Church
Not one but........
The Common Wasp nest in the wall of St Andrew's Church seems to be busier than ever.
A very distant video of the wasp nest. As was the photo above. No point in upsetting them.
Pellucid Hoverfly - Volucella pellucens
Hornet Mimic Hoverfly - Volucella zonaria
Common Drone Fly - Eristalis tenax
Birds Recorded: Cormorant, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, 12+ Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, Chiffchaff/Willow Warbler, 7 Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.
Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Comma, Common Blue and Chalk Hill Blue
Moths Recorded: 1 Jersey Tiger (Euplagia quadripunctaria)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum), Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) and Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
Wasps Recorded: Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), Dead Head Fly (Myathropa florea), Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria), Pellucid Hoverfly (Volucella pellucens) and Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: 2 Bloody-nosed Beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa)
Ships Today
