Weather-wise a much better day. The dense fog of yesterday dispersed through the night and though it was a cloudy day, at least the visibility was better.
Today's main highlight was 2 Firecrests in Penns Wood, plus an increase in Long-tailed Tit numbers with 37 recorded in two flocks.
Here is a breakdown of what was seen and where.
Wakeham Railway Cuttings: 25 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Song Thrush and 12+ Chaffinches
Penns Wood: 2 Goldcrest, 2 Firecrest, 12 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Song Thrush, 4 Blackbirds and 12+ Chaffinches
Church Ope Cove: 2 Rock Pipit and 2 Ravens. Out to sea 10 Herring Gulls and a Cormorant.
Church Ope Cove Wood: 1 Chiffchaff
Wakeham Wood: 19 Goldfinch and a Kestrel
Also of note were 3 Dunnocks all singing at 3 different locations. Spring is in the air!!!
With the mild damp conditions a Black Slug on Penn's Weare wasn't unexpected, but a Winter Moth in Penn's Copse was a bit of a surprise, especially as it was the first one I have ever come across
Being so damp there appears to be more and more lichens appearing and today was no exception with 2 species on a Cotoneaster. Just need to ID them.
On the beach I found dozens of sandhoppers under the rocks.
Here are a few images from today:
Whether its because there are few leaves on the trees, I dont know, but I'm seeing an awful lot of Grey Squirrels here in Wakeham
There are many species of Sandhopper, but the most common one in the UK is Talitrus saltator. More on this sandhopper Here.
............narrows them down from the other 8 growth forms, which are fruticose (leafless branches), crustose (crust-like), squamulose (small leaf-like scales), leprose (powdery), gelatinous (jelly-like), filamentous (stringy), byssoid (wispy) and structureless. More on lichens here and here.
Mammals Recorded: Grey Squirrel
Birds Recorded: Cormorant, Kestrel, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 2 Rock Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Firecrest, 37 Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 2 Raven, Starling, Chaffinch and Goldfinch
Moths Recorded: Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata)
Flies Recorded: Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida)
Slugs and Snails Recorded: Black Slug (Arion ater)
Amphipods Recorded: Sandhopper probably Talitrus saltator
Fungi Recorded: Smokey Bracket (Bjerkandera adusta)
Today's Sightings Here.
2018
Today's Sightings Here.
On the beach I found dozens of sandhoppers under the rocks.
Here are a few images from today:
It appears to be a good Winter for Firecrests with this one and.........
.........this second bird both frequenting Penns Wood.
A Song Thrush in the tree tops in Penns wood. There was another Song Thrush along the Railway Cuttings.
At the back of the cove a Chiffchaff feeding in amongst the brambles behind the huts,
A Dunnock. This one was silent but I came across 3 separate birds singing. Spring!!!
In Penn's Copse I came across this...........
...............Winter Moth, Operophtera brumata. A lifer.
This is a sandhopper and a member of the Amphipods, an order of crustacea which are shrimp-like in form.
The two lichens here are foliose lichens which have flat leaf-like structures and at least.......
Another Smokey Bracket (Bjerkandera adusta) in Penns Wood.
Mammals Recorded: Grey Squirrel
Birds Recorded: Cormorant, Kestrel, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 2 Rock Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Firecrest, 37 Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 2 Raven, Starling, Chaffinch and Goldfinch
Moths Recorded: Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata)
Flies Recorded: Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida)
Slugs and Snails Recorded: Black Slug (Arion ater)
Amphipods Recorded: Sandhopper probably Talitrus saltator
Fungi Recorded: Smokey Bracket (Bjerkandera adusta)
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On this day..........
2019Today's Sightings Here.
2018
Today's Sightings Here.