27 Feb 20

Wakeham Wood, Perryfields Quarry Butterfly Reserve, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove Wood, Church Ope Cove, Rufus Castle and Portland Museum.

Yet another day which saw the morning rain move away to leave a bright, sunny but still breezy day.

Lots of highlights today with the cove throwing up a single Firecrest, a Peacock Butterfly, a Blood-nosed Beetle and several Tapered Droneflies.

In Penns Wood there was no sign of the 2 Firecrests and in fact there was very little bird life other than singles of Robin, Dunnock and Chaffinch singing, plus a fly-by Grey Wagtail.

The church grounds turned up trumps with 12 Wall Lizards and there was a lone lizard at Rufus Castle and 2 behind the beach huts again.

Here are a few images and a couple of videos from today:

I just managed to photograph this very busy Firecrest at the back of the cove. However the two normally seen in Penns Wood were nowhere to be found today.

Other than the Robins and Chaffinches, the Dunnocks are also in good voice as you can...........

.............tell by this one at the top of Penns Wood. The grass strimmers you can hear in the background is from the Perryfields Quarry Butterfly Reserve. There was a team there today, from presumably the Dorset Branch of the Butterfly Conservation Group, cutting back the grass to create clear circular areas for the butterflies.

I'm not sure if the weather is going to remain sunny or not over the next few days, so here are a few Wall Lizard photos showing you just how mild and sunny it has been to date.

Here the Wall Lizards of all ages jostle for the sunniest spot.

I counted 12 in the grounds of St Andrew's Church.

Here are 4 of them (there are 2 together at the bottom of the photo)

I would normally pick up rubbish from the paths and beaches, but these two are loving the heat coming off this piece of plastic at the back of the cove. Tomorrow I will replace the plastic with nice flat stone for them to bask on.

My first Bloody-nosed Beetle of the year. This was on an Alexanders which is proving to be a lifeline for so many insects, tempted out by the mild conditions.

Also on the Alexanders this pollen covered Yellow Dung Fly and........

............Muscid Fly, Phaonia subventa.

As I was talking to one of the gardeners, who works for Pennsylvania Castle, I noticed these.........

.............which are Jelly Ear Fungus (Auricularia auricula-judae) on the tree next to us. This fungi is usually seen in Winter through to Spring. More on this fungi Here.

This is Herb Robert, Geranium robertianum. It also goes by many other names such as Red Robin, Death come quickly, Storksbill, Fox Geranium, Stinking Bob, Squinter-pip, Crow's Foot, or Roberts Geranium.

Birds Recorded: Cormorant, Kestrel, Herring Gull, 2 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Firecrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch and Goldfinch

Reptiles Recorded: 15 Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)

Butterflies Recorded: 1 Peacock

Hoverflies Recorded: 6 Tapered Drone Fly (Eristalis pertinax)

Flies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: Muscid Fly (Phaonia subventa) and Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria)

Bugs and Beetles Recorded: 1 Bloody-nosed Beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa)

Ships Today

This is the Liberian Bulk Carrier "Sakura" on its way from Jelsa (Norway) to Portland. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Container Ship "Allegro" flying the flag of Antigua Barbuda. It is on its way from Rotterdam (Holland) to Dublin). More on this vessel Here.

This is the Cypriot Container Ship "Jork" on its way from Zeebrugge (Belgium) to Dublin. More on this vessel Here.

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On this day..........

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today's Sightings Here.