3 Mar 20

Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove and Church Ope Cove Wood

Another very sunny day and for the second day running it was Church Ope Cove proving to be a hit, with 2 possibly 3 Large Tortoiseshell butterflies. All of them were around the south facing huts on the beach. Also here were 1 or 2 Peacock Butterflies.

A Firecrest was at the back of the cove, where there were also quite a few Wall Lizards, with a few actually on the huts.

Elsewhere there was a Chiffchaff in Penns Wood, but sadly no sign of the Firecrests here.

There were a good number of bees out today, especially Honey Bees, which have been absent for a week or so. Also many Buff-tailed Bumblebees and Early Bumblebees. With the Comfrey well in flower, I suspect there will be a few Hairy-footed Bumblebees out soon.

Here are a few images and videos of the Large Tortoiseshell butterflies here at Church Ope Cove today:

Andy with Brian from Swanage and Gary from Kent who both traveled here today to see the Large Tortoiseshells

This one is the one they were photographing by the blue hut above.

Also about was this Peacock butterfly, my second one this year. Difficult to say, with so many butterflies about, but there could have been 2 here today.

Here are few other images from today:

This is a lone Rock Pipit on the beach again. I have a distinct feeling that its mate could well be nesting close-by. One to keep an eye out on.

Common Lizard or Wall Lizard!!

This is a close up and quite clearly it has a mottled back and doesn't have a........

...........line running down the back like these Wall Lizards in the church grounds, but is it just a variation in colour and pattern. One to check.

Having looked back at my notes this is a Common Lizard, which I found in Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve on 9 Jun 17 and was confirmed as such by a Reptile Social Media Group I am on. So my mystery lizard hanging off the hut in the 2 photos above the is most certainly a Wall Lizard.

Here is a very juvenile Wall Lizard next to Garden Snails.

The warm sun again, has seen a.......

..........few Bloody-nosed Beetles running about. This one was on the steps going up to Rufus Castle

A Honey Bee on an Alexanders.

And a Yellow Dung Fly.

And another Syrphus torvus hoverfly. Where would these insects be without the Alexanders!!

Mammals Recorded: Grey Squirrel

Birds Recorded: 3 Oystercatcher, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, 1 Rock Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Firecrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch

Reptiles Recorded: 12+ Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)

Butterflies Recorded: 2 possibly 3 Large Tortoiseshell and 1 Peacock

Bees Recorded: 12+ Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum) and Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

Hoverflies Recorded: Tapered Drone Fly (Eristalis pertinax) and Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax) and a Syrphus torvus.

Flies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida), 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 Container Ship "Cosco Shipping Libra" flying the flag of Hong Kong. It is on its way from Rotterdam (Holland) to Port Said (Egypt). More on this vessel Here.

This is the Dutch Cargo Ship "Helga" on its way from Southampton to an unknown destination. More on this vessel Here.

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

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today's Sightings Here.