31 Mar 21

Wakeham

No walk today as I spent the afternoon playing with my new "toy" in the back garden and very successful it was to. Nothing special, just an electric chainsaw, which will hopefully pay for itself as long as I can find enough logs for the fire.

So when it wasn't running I managed to do a bit of bird spotting and managed 15 species seen from the garden, including a Chiffchaff and a Grey Wagtail. The latter the first I have seen for quite awhile.

As I was shifting the logs and wood, a mouse shot out from the log pile and disappeared into the undergrowth. A quick check revealed that there wasn't a nest, so all was good.

Despite it being dry, it was fairly overcast with a bit of a nip in the air and the only invertebrates I saw were a Buff-tailed Bumblebee and a Miridae sp.

Here are a few images and a video from today:

Hiding behind the bush a Dunnock

Later he was singing his heart out. In the back ground there is a Blackbird singing, a pair of Wood Pigeons, Herring Gulls and the briefest of songs by a Robin

A female Blue Tit, which reminds me that our nest box is vacant this year.

And a very small bug, which I suspect is from the Miridae Family of which there are many.

And Ted checking to see what I'm up to.

And yep we have 2 dogs. This is Benji who does have the occasional walk, but would rather stay at home.

Mammals Recorded: Mouse sp.

Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch

Bees Recorded: 1 Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Miridae sp.

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.

30 Mar 21

Wakeham Cuttings, Perryfield Quarry Butterfly Reserve, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, Rufus Castle, Bumpers Lane, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve and Lower Horse Paddock

The fine weather was still with us today and there were a lot of butterflies on the wing. Highlight of course went to a Large Tortoiseshell, which was settled on a Blackthorn at the back of the cove. And with the warm weather coming up from the south a Hummingbird Hawk-moth also put in an appearance at the Pirates Graveyard.

On the birding front there was a male Blackcap singing (sub-song) in Penns Wood and I also came across 2 Willow Warblers singing along Bumpers Lane.

As always when the sun is out there were plenty of Wall Lizards about and I also came across a couple of Common Lizards up on Penn's Weare.

With the warm weather there were a lot of flying insects about, and I came across several Dark-edged Bee-flies. Apparently the ones I have been seeing lately are the smaller males. Another guy I met also recorded a Dotted Bee-fly (Bombylius discolor)

Penns Wood is full of Common Green Shieldbugs at the moment and they were on both the Russian Comfrey and the leaves of the Japanese Spindle. I also came across a 7-Spot Ladybird on an Alexanders, on my way up the steps to Rufus Castle.

Here are a few images from today:

The Bluebells on Portland seemed to be flowering earlier and earlier every year.

Penns Wood and a wall to wall carpet of Russian Comfrey. Great for Hairy-footed Flower Bees, though sadly I didn't see any today

One of a few Yellow Dung Flies in Penns Wood

And one of several Common Green Shieldbugs. Penns Wood seems to be quite a good location for this shieldbug.

And one of many Robins singing along my walk.

I suppose this is what you call a Record Shot of a Large Tortoiseshell. Its pretty worn, so I suspect one that has overwintered.

I said it was a good day for butterflies and there were quite a few Commas about.

Here's another looking slightly worn

And another which is in pristine condition.

This Red Admiral, nearly got ID'd as a Peacock, as there were quite a few flying about, especially around the beach huts. I'm glad I checked it out when it landed.

And one of at least 3, possibly 4 Brimstones I saw today. This one was taking off as I pressed the shutter release.

The Wall Lizards were out in their dozens.

And I learnt something new today, these tiny Dark-edged Bee-flies are males. The females are a lot larger.

And a 7-Spot Ladybird. Hopefully there will be many more seen

Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch and Greenfinch

Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizard and Common Lizard

Butterflies Recorded: 3 Small White, 3 Brimstone, 1 Red Admiral, 6+ Peacock, 1 Large Tortoiseshell and 4 Comma

Moths Recorded: Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum)

Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) and White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)

Hoverflies Recorded: Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida), Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria) and several Dark-edged Bee-fly (Bombylius major)

Bugs and Beetles Recorded: 7-spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata) and 6 Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)

Ships Today

This is the British Fishing Boat "Royal Escape WH768" on its way from Teignmouth to Weymouth. More on this vessel Here.

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.

29 Mar 21

King Barrow Quarries Nature Reserve, Fancy's Farm and New Ground

Whilst every man/woman and their binoculars and cameras, were travelling to Lodmoor to tick off the Laughing Gull and Desert Wheatear, I decided to keep safe and stick to the island. Well it's still Lockdown and were still being advised to stay local. So that's what I'm doing, keeping safe.

As it was fairly late (midday), I decided that if there were any migrants about they would more than likely be at the top end of the island. And so it proved to be, with dozens of Chiffchaffs, several Willow Warblers (with a couple singing), at least 10 if not more Blackcaps, around 10 Wheatears, 2 Black Redstarts, 4 Stonechat, a House Martin (don't think I've ever had a House Martin before I've seen a Sand Martin or Swallow) and the icing on the cake a Ring Ouzel. Phew what a great walk.

There was also a steady trickle of Meadow Pipits heading north in small numbers, and it didn't seem to matter where I was on my walk, you could hear them continuously calling away.

Here are a few images and videos from today:

king Barrow Quarries Nature Reserve

And on the north side of the reserve was this...........

............Ring Ouzel. It looks a little dull, so perhaps a female. It was a real surprise as it flew up off the track I was on and landed on top of the embankment.

And as it flew off I could hear it call. This was the first time I've ever heard a Ring Ouzel.

One of the two Black Redstarts I came across on the reserve.

This was the other one. Well its red tail.

Well this makes it easy to identify. With those straw-coloured legs and......

...........long primaries this has to be a Willow Warbler.

And one more photo of it.

In comparison this is a Chiffchaff, eying up an insect not the Sheep droppings.

The wing tips here are more rounded and shorter than the Willow Warbler.

There were quite a few Wheatear about. This pair were feeding pretty close to each other.

The male here is in pristine condition.

Here is the female Wheatear

And the male Wheatear from the above photo.

Another male Wheatear

And this male Stonechat was in good voice. Unfortunately.........

............I only managed the briefest of songs, before it flew off.

And a pair of Stonechats

Naughty Ted scaring the Carrion Crows. Mind you he was probably thinking about getting his own back after he was mobbed by one on Penn's Weare a few months back.

Birds Recorded: 4 Buzzard, 3 Kestrel, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, 4 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 1 House Martin, 50+ Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 4 Stonechat, 2 Black Redstart, 10+ Wheatear, Blackbird, 1 Ring Ouzel, 2 Song Thrush, 10+ Blackcap, 12+ Chiffchaff, 6+ Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, 2 Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch

Butterflies Recorded: 5 Peacock

Bees Recorded: Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

Ships Today

This is the Maltese Passenger Ship "Marella Explorer" just off Portland. More on this vessel Here.

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.

28 Mar 21

Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, Rufus Castle, Bumpers Lane Quarry, Bumpers Lane and Lower Horse Paddock

Ted and I had a very late afternoon walk today, so I wasn't expecting to see much. In fact it was looking that way until I got to Bumpers Lane Quarry, where a pale looking Common Buzzard was perched on one of the rocky outcrops. I watched it and even managed to video it, before it took off and faced a barrage of Herring Gulls as it headed south.

In the Lower Horse Paddock, I thought I heard a Chiffchaff calling and in the brambles there were not one but two calling and feeding in the bushes and then later in amongst the Daisies.

Here are a few images and videos from today:

Bumpers Lane Quarry and perched on one of the ledges was this...........

.............Common Buzzard.

It might have been just the light, but it does look quite pale looking.

Here it is again, just a few seconds before it took off and faced the Herring Gulls circling above it.

The southwest corner of the Lower Horse paddock. A great spot for migrating warblers. This afternoon there were...........

..............these 2 Chiffchaffs feeding in the field.

I managed to video one of them until something spooked it.

A Buff-tailed Bumblebee on an Alexanders.

And of course Ted, who didn't want to be left behind on our walk.

Mammals Recorded: Bunny

Birds Recorded: 1 Buzzard, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch

Bees Recorded: 2 Buff-tailed Bumblebees (Bombus terrestris)

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.

27 Mar 21

Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, Rufus Castle, Bumpers Lane, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve and Lower Horse Paddock

Well I got off to a great start today with a Willow Warbler singing from the top of my neighbours Sycamore Tree. I wasn't too sure whether it was a Chiffchaff and then it began to sing.

Chiffchaff Song (courtesy of Xeno-canto)

Willow Warbler Song (courtesy of Xeno-canto)

Alas the walk wasn't as fortuitous as my back garden tick was and the best I could do was a male Greenfinch singing away in Bumpers Lane.

I think I left it a bit late for my walk, and by the time I had reached the cove, the clouds were moving in quick and if there were any butterflies about, they had all taken shelter.

In fact it was pretty cold, which would probably account for the fact, that as well as the absence of any butterflies, I didn't see a single bee or hoverfly either. Roll on Tuesday!!!

Here are a few images from today:

A very smart looking male Blackbird in the Lower Horse Paddock

One of a few Wall Lizards I came across today. This one was on a beach hut.

And a Red Velvet Spider Mite (Trombidiidae sp). Now that I know what they are, I'm now seeing lots of them.

And a meadow full of daisies.

He can fly through the air. One very happy dog is Ted. He just loves his walks.

Tuesday 30th March 2021 is looking good

Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Greenfinch

Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)

Mites, Ticks & Pseudoscorpions: Red Velvet Spider Mite (Trombidiidae sp)

Ships Today

This is the British Cargo Ship "Scot Venture" on its way from Varberg (Sweden) to Newport. More on this vessel Here.

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.