Wakeham Railway Cuttings, Perryfields Butterfly Reserve, Church Ope Car Park, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Church Ope Cove Wood and Wakeham Wood
The temperature is definitely dropping with an early morning ground frost and the thermometer in the back garden not getting any higher than 4.9°C. Incredibly 4 Wall Lizards and 2 Marmalade Hoverflies seemed oblivious to the cold and were all basking in the sun at St Andrew's Church and the back of the Cove respectively.
It is now a case of "if you find the Long-tailed Tits" you will find a few Firecrests, Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs close-by. The 20* Long-tailed Tits seen along the Railway Cuttings and Penns Wood are almost certainly the same wandering flock, with the 5 at Church Ope Cove Wood being a separate flock.
Even though the Long-tailed Tit flock is mobile, I dont think the crests and Chiffchaffs venture far from Penns Wood and at the back of the cove. They just seem to be more vocal when the Long-tailed Tits are about.
It wasn't just the hoverflies out, but quite a few Bluebottles and 2 Phaonia subventa, Muscidae Flies. There was also a mosquito-type looking insect to check.
Here are today's sightings at a few locations along my walk.
Penns Wood: 1 Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrest, 3 Firecrest, 20+ Long-tailed Tit*, 5 Robin and 1 Buzzard
St Andrews Church grounds: 1 Firecrest
Church Ope Cove Wood: 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest and 5 Long-tailed Tits
Wakeham Railway Cuttings: 20+ Long-tailed Tit*, 2 Goldcrests, 3 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush and 5 Blackbirds
Here are a few images from today:
In Penns Wood today were 3 Firecrests.
And very busy they were feeding in amongst the Japonica's
One of the Robins at the top of wood.
Another Firecrest at St Andrew's Church
3 Dark-bellied Brent Geese presumably doing a lap of the island before heading back to The Fleet.
It might have been cold, but these Wall Lizards are made of hardy stuff.
Even the juveniles here in the church grounds were out.
And munching away on any unsuspecting insect!!!
This Marmalade Hoverfly was also out in the sun as well as........
..............this Muscidae Fly (Phaonia subventa)
I'm not sure what this is a mosquito maybe. One to check!!
Mammals Recorded: Grey Squirrel
Birds Recorded: Cormorant, 3 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Buzzard, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, 4 Rock Pipit, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 3 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Chiffchaff, 8 Goldcrest, 4 Firecrest, 25+ Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 1 Raven, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch
Reptiles Recorded: 4 Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)
Wasps Recorded: German Wasp (Vespula germanica)
Hoverflies Recorded: 2 Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Flies Recorded: Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida), 2 Muscidae Fly (Phaonia subventa) and a fly sp.
Ships Today
This is the British Patrol Ship "HMS Medway" in Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.
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On this day..........
2018Today's Sightings Here.
2017
Today's Sightings Here.