The rain eventually petered out this afternoon and for the first time in 4 days, Ted and I managed to get in a good walk.
Main highlights were a Black Redstart at the Cove and a pair of Stonechats in the Lower Horse Paddock. Whether the strong southerly wind was playing havoc with my hearing, I don't know, but I didn't hear or see any Chiffchaffs or Meadow Pipits on my walk.
Most of the action was at the cove, where, apart from the Black Redstart (which I believe was first seen here on Friday), there were a dozen Rock Pipits, 2 Pied Wagtails and a few Wrens. Out to sea were 2 Gannets and Cormorant.
The wet weather over the past few days seems to have had an effect on the Ivy Bees and I only found 2 at the back of the cove. Elsewhere, where there was still a few Ivy flowers out, it was the Honey Bees that were out in force.
When the sun eventually came out, so did the hoverflies with several Dead Head Hoverflies and a few Common Droneflies seen.
No grasshoppers seen or heard, but I did stumble over a Dark Bush-cricket
Here are a few images and videos from today:
A very busy Church Ope Cove, with lots of visitors here today.
Fortunately in the north-east corner it was fairly quiet.......
..............other than the waves crashing up the beach and it was good to see a........
........Black Redstart.
There has always been one or two overwintering here.
Hopefully this one will be a long stayer.
And of course the Rock Pipits, which are here because of the Kelp Flies. This one looks spoilt for choice.
Out to sea were a couple of Gannets.
It was pretty rough out there, which is probably why these Gannets were fairly close in.
On the way back I came across this male Stonechat at the bottom of the Lower Horse paddocks.
And next to him either an immature or female.
Also seen was this Dark Bush-cricket soaking up the Autumn sun.
It took me awhile to find a Ivy Bee today. All I could find were Honey Bees like this light coloured individual.
And another Honey Bee, which to me seems to be the "normal" orange abdomen specimen you normally find.
After looking at every Ivy Plant I walked pass, I eventually found a couple of Ivy Bees behind the cove.
This very large bee is a White-tailed Bumblebee.
And there were several wasps about, presumably Common Wasps. This one has caught an ant.
The one and only butterfly seen today. A Speckled Wood in Penns wood.
Grey Squirrels are certianly more visible now that Autumn is here.
And Ted on a mission.
Mammals Recorded: Grey Squirrel
Birds Recorded: 2 Gannet, 1 Cormorant, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 12 Rock Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Stonechat, 1 Black Redstart, Blackbird, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch
Butterflies Recorded: 1 Speckled Wood
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae) and White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)
Wasps Recorded: Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Hoverflies Recorded: Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) and Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida)
Crickets and Grasshoppers Recorded: Dark Bush-cricket (Pholidoptera griseoaptera)
This is the Vehicles Carrier "Iris Ace" flying the flag of the Cayman Islands. It is on its way from Tyne to Tanger Med (Morocco). More on this vessel Here.
Birds Recorded: 2 Gannet, 1 Cormorant, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 12 Rock Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Stonechat, 1 Black Redstart, Blackbird, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch
Butterflies Recorded: 1 Speckled Wood
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae) and White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)
Wasps Recorded: Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Hoverflies Recorded: Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) and Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida)
Crickets and Grasshoppers Recorded: Dark Bush-cricket (Pholidoptera griseoaptera)
Ships Today
