Well the weatherman was spot on this morning and the rain forecast for the day arrived around 10:00am. At least being forewarned I was able to get a walk in this morning before it arrived.
Main highlight was not one but 2 juvenile Sparrowhawks in the grounds of Pennsylvania Castle. I had suspected there were two, only because when the bird on the bridge was calling yesterday I thought i had heard another further away. This juvenile on the bridge today was a real youngster and still moulting out its downy feathers.
A Willow Warbler was at the back of the cove and sadly the only migrant noted.
Butterflies seen this morning were all Painted Lady's and 6 were seen along the South West Coast path and along The Mermaid Track.
Other things of note were 3 Bloody-nosed Beetles including one that had been predated, 3 Hornet Mimic Hoverflies, 2 Marmalade Hoverflies and a few "dozy" Bumblebees. Sadly that was it.
Here are a few images from today
The gorge in the grounds of Pennsylvania Castle and on the bridge today..........
........another juvenile Sparrowhawk.
This individual is just moulting out those downy feathers.
Church Ope Cove and just off the beach............
...........at least 50 immature Herring Gulls and 2 adults.
A fly-by Shag
Along Penns Weare a Bloody-nosed Beetle and......
........another clambering about in The Cuttings Quarry.
Not the ideal weather for hoverflies. This is a Marmalade Hoverfly.
Another hoverfly seen today was this Hornet Mimic Hoverfly
And I now know that these wasps are German Wasps.
A male Red-tailed Bumblebee looking a bit sorry for himself.
Birds Recorded: Shag, 2 Sparrowhawk, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch
Butterflies Recorded: 6 Painted Lady
Bees Recorded: Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Wasps Recorded: German Wasp (Vespula germanica)
Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) and 3 Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Bloody-nosed Beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa)
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