Wakeham Wood, Perryfields, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penns Weare, Penns Copse and Rufus Castle
A beautiful sunny start to the day and a lovely walk through Wakeham Wood, Penns Wood down to Church Ope Cove.
Some good highlights with the following birds noted:
Wakeham Wood: 4 Chiffchaff (1 singing), 5 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Goldcrest and passing overhead 2 Ravens and a Rook.
Perryfield: 1 Chiffchaff and a Wheatear
Penns Wood: 2 Chiffchaff
The woods between St Andrews Church and Church Ope Cove: 5 Chiffchaff and 2 Blackcap
Church Ope Cove: 5 Rock Pipits, 2 Pied Wagtails and 100+ House Martins and Swallows passing through
Penns Copse: 3 Chiffchaff, 7 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Great Tit and 2 Blue Tit
Butterflies seen today were very few with just 4 Red Admirals, 2 Large Whites, 1 Painted Lady and my first Peacock for quite awhile. The latter was resting high up in a tree in the church grounds.
Lots of Ivy Bees out now in the church grounds, the Rufus Castle Steps, Penns Weare and along the path up to Portland Museum. And also many hoverflies.
Here are a few images and a video from this morning:
Between the quarry and the butterfly reserve at Perryfields was this Wheatear
On the beach today were......
........Rock Pipits..........
........and a juvenile and adult Herring Gull
As the wave crashed over the rocks the juvenile Herring Gull just managed to stay put.
Also on the beach was this juvenile Pied Wagtail.
Later it joined another juvenile on top of one of the beach huts.
In front of the huts is this patch of brambles and Valerian and I was in luck as a .....
............Hummingbird Hawk-moth decided to feed on the flowers.
Very busy as it made its way from one flower head to.........
........another.
Behind the huts today were 5 Chiffchaffs and 2 Blackcaps.
Chiffchaff
And another.
Just above the cove is Penns wood which was also "home" this morning to 7 Long-tailed Tits and 3 Chiffchaffs.
Chiffchaff
Chiffchaff
One in flight.
Another Chiffchaff
This one has caught what looks like a spider possibly.
Whatever it was it was eaten very quickly.
A Honey Bee and for comparison an.........
........Ivy Bee.
This is a Thick-headed Fly - Conops quadrifasciatus
Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, House Martin, Swallow, Meadow Pipit, 5 Rock Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 1 Wheatear, Blackbird, Song Thrush, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Common Whitethroat, 7 Blackcap, 15 Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, 7 Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, 1 Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 2 Raven, Chaffinch and Linnet
Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)
Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, 1 Painted Lady and 1 Peacock.
Moths Recorded: 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae) and a possible Sweat Bee
Wasps Recorded: German Wasp (Vespula germanica) and Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea), Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria), Lesser Hornet Hoverfly (Volucella inanis), Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax) and Tapered Drone Fly (Eristalis pertinax)
Flies Recorded: Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida) and a Thick-headed Fly (Conops quadrifasciatus)
If I've got this right this is the British Auxiliary Ship "RFA Argus" on its way out of Portland Harbour to an unknown destination. More on this vessel Here.
Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)
Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, 1 Painted Lady and 1 Peacock.
Moths Recorded: 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae) and a possible Sweat Bee
Wasps Recorded: German Wasp (Vespula germanica) and Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea), Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria), Lesser Hornet Hoverfly (Volucella inanis), Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax) and Tapered Drone Fly (Eristalis pertinax)
Flies Recorded: Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida) and a Thick-headed Fly (Conops quadrifasciatus)
Ships Today
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