21 Mar 20

Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Church Ope Cove Wood, Penn's Weare and Penn's Copse.

Well if I thought yesterday's ENE wind was strong, it paled into insignificance today as the wind moved around to the E, with gusts over 30 mph hitting the cove. The sea was really churned up, creating masses of foam, which periodically was blown up the beach. At least the sun was out.

Two great highlights today starting off with a male Large Tortoiseshell in the flowering Blackthorn (by the sign for St Andrew's Church below Rufus Castle) and then a real surprise with a Humming-bird Hawkmoth at the same location Here, which was feeding so close to me I couldn't photograph or video it.

Other butterflies noted were 3 Peacocks and a Brimstone all on the south facing slopes at the cove.

Also about were 2 Firecrests and a Chiffchaff in Penns Wood and 3 more Chiffchaffs along the slopes at the back of the cove.

Other wildlife noted were 6 Wall Lizards, several Buff-tailed Bumblebees and a few Early Bumblebees. Also seen was a Common Wasp, a pair of Bloody-nosed Beetles mating and a small black spider.

Here are a few images and videos from today:

This is the first time I have seen any of the Large Tortoiseshell Butterflies feeding. This is on a flowering Blackthorn

It eventually flew off and I found it again by the south facing huts Here.

Despite the wind I just about managed to hold the camera still to video the Large Tortoiseshell

Also about were 3 Peacock Butterflies and a Brimstone.

Not many Chiffchaffs about today. This one was moving down through the Japanese Spindle in Penns Wood.

On the beach were 4 Rock Pipits braving the elements. No Kelp Flies seen today.

Where there was shelter a few hardy Wall Lizards were out basking.

A Common Dronefly on an Alexanders.

And a different species of Andrena bee. One to investigate further.

The same Common Green Shieldbug that I have seen on the Comfrey leaf in Penns Wood for the past few day. It is alive!!

A very fast small dark spider I came across by the huts. One to ID.

And finally the waves crashing onto the beach.

The sea is so churned up it has created "Sea Foam"

And a view of the beach from St Andrew's Church

Birds Recorded: 1 Kestrel, 30+ Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 4 Rock Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Firecrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch

Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)

Butterflies Recorded: 1 Large Tortoiseshell, 3 Peacock and 1 Brimstone

Moths Recorded: 1 Humming-bird Hawkmoth

Bees Recorded: Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum) and Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

Wasps Recorded: 1 Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

Hoverflies Recorded: Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax) and Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)

Bugs and Beetles Recorded: 2 Bloody-nosed Beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa)

Spiders Recorded: Spider sp.

Ships Today

This is the Cargo Ship "Hav Pike" flying the flag of Antigua Barbuda. It is on its way from Waterford (Ireland) to Rotterdam (Holland). More on this vessel Here.

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On this day..........
2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today's Sightings Here.