Wakeham Wood, Wakeham Railway Cutting, Perryfield, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penns Weare, Penns Copse, Rufus Castle, The Cuttings Quarry, Bumpers Lane, Bumpers Quarry, Broadcroft Quarry Lane and Lower Horse Paddocks.
An extended walk today and I don't know about "The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music", but today it was the "Skies were Alive with the Sound of Birds", especially the Lower Horse Paddocks Here, where there must have been 400+ Meadow Pipits. On the ground it was difficult to count them, but when the local Kestrel appeared over the field they all came up and a rough count was made.
Elsewhere it was much the same with hundreds of Meadow Pipits, Swallows and Pied Wagtails passing overhead for a good 3 hours.
Other birds noted were:
Wakeham Wood: 6 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 2 Goldcrest a Song Thrush and 150+ Meadow Pipits heading south.
An extended walk today and I don't know about "The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music", but today it was the "Skies were Alive with the Sound of Birds", especially the Lower Horse Paddocks Here, where there must have been 400+ Meadow Pipits. On the ground it was difficult to count them, but when the local Kestrel appeared over the field they all came up and a rough count was made.
Elsewhere it was much the same with hundreds of Meadow Pipits, Swallows and Pied Wagtails passing overhead for a good 3 hours.
Other birds noted were:
Wakeham Wood: 6 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 2 Goldcrest a Song Thrush and 150+ Meadow Pipits heading south.
Bottom Combe Quarry: 5 Chiffchaff, 7 Blackcap and 2 Greenfinch
Wakeham Railway Cutting: 2 Chiffchaff
Perryfield: 3 Chiffchaff
Penns Wood: 4 Chiffchaff (1 singing), 2 Blackcap and 3 Goldcrest
Pennsylvania Castle Grounds: 2 Chiffchaff and 1 Blackcap
Church Ope Wood: 1 Chiffchaff
Church Ope Cove: 4 Rock Pipits, 2 Cormorants and 150+ Meadow Pipits moving south
Rufus Castle: 2 Chiffchaff
Bumpers Lane: 2 Chiffchaff
Bumpers Lane Quarry: 2 Chiffchaff
Broadcroft Quarry Lane: 6 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap and a Reed Bunting
Lower Paddocks: As well as the 300+ Meadow Pipits also here 40+ Starling and a Stonechat
Here are a few images from this morning:
Wakeham Railway Cutting: 2 Chiffchaff
Perryfield: 3 Chiffchaff
Penns Wood: 4 Chiffchaff (1 singing), 2 Blackcap and 3 Goldcrest
Pennsylvania Castle Grounds: 2 Chiffchaff and 1 Blackcap
Church Ope Wood: 1 Chiffchaff
Church Ope Cove: 4 Rock Pipits, 2 Cormorants and 150+ Meadow Pipits moving south
Rufus Castle: 2 Chiffchaff
Bumpers Lane: 2 Chiffchaff
Bumpers Lane Quarry: 2 Chiffchaff
Broadcroft Quarry Lane: 6 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap and a Reed Bunting
Lower Paddocks: As well as the 300+ Meadow Pipits also here 40+ Starling and a Stonechat
Here are a few images from this morning:
A female Blackcap in Wakeham Wood
Also in the wood a Chiffchaff.....
.......and another.
I think I've been spotted.
This Chiffchaff was in Bumpers Lane
And another Chiffchaff, this time in Broadcroft Quarry Lane
Probably the most Meadow Pipits I have ever seen in one flock. Here is just one of the 300+ seen in the Lower Paddock.
A Stonechat in the Lower paddock and seen here exactly a year ago today.
By the Cuttings Quarry the Ivy Bees nests are alive again along the right hand side of the cliff face.
Here are a few buzzing around their nests, in the same location as last year.
And a close up of one of the Ivy Bees.
A Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella) in Wakeham Wood again
There were several Harlequin Ladybirds, form succinea in Penns Wood today
Also in the woods 2 Harlequin Ladybird, form conspicua
And in the grounds of Pennsylvania Castle were these..........
...........two Grey Squirrels.
Mammals Recorded: 2 Grey Squirrel and a Bunny
Birds Recorded: 2 Cormorant, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, 30 Herring Gull, 1 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, 3 Skylark, 200+ Swallow, 600+ Meadow Pipit, 4 Rock Pipit, 40+ Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 1 Stonechat, Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 14 Blackcap, 35 Chiffchaff, 5 Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 50+ Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, 2 Greenfinch and a Reed Bunting.
Butterflies Recorded: 3 Large White and 2 Red Admiral
Moths Recorded: 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) and a Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) and Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)
Wasps Recorded: German Wasp (Vespula germanica) and Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Hoverflies Recorded: Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria), Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax) and Tapered Drone Fly (Eristalis pertinax)
Flies Recorded: Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis, form - conspicua) and Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis, form - succinea)
Ships Today
This is the Crude Oil Tanker "Eagle Kangar" flying the flag of Singapore. It is on its way from Ust-luga, Russia to Milazzo, Italy. More on this vessel Here.
This is the British Training Ship "TS Royalist" on its way from Portland Harbour to Brixham. More on this vessel Here.
This is the British Fishing Boat "King Explorer" on its way from Newlyn to an unknown destination.. More on this vessel Here.
This is the British Replenishment Vessel "RFA Tidesurge" on its way out of Weymouth Bay. More on this ship Here.
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