Museum, Rufus Castle, Penn's Copse and Penn's Weare
Something I haven't done in a long time and that was spending a few hours sea fishing. Not from a boat, but off one of the jetty's along Penn's Weare. And what a great couple of hours it was with 6 Ballan Wrasse and a small Pollack caught on very light tackle and Ragworm for bait. Plus all the fish were returned safely.
The birding was pretty good as well, with 6 Wheatear, a Whinchat and several Swallows passing through. On the way back home, I came across a few Chiffchaffs and at least 3 Blackcaps.
The main highlight though, was on my way down to the jetty and finding a huge colony of Ivy Bees, with probably a good 200+.
Birds Recorded:
2 Sparrowhawk
1 Buzzard
2 Peregrine Falcon
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
7+ Swallow
Meadow Pipit
1 Grey Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
1 Whinchat
6 Wheatear
Blackbird
3 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Raven
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
Something I haven't done in a long time and that was spending a few hours sea fishing. Not from a boat, but off one of the jetty's along Penn's Weare. And what a great couple of hours it was with 6 Ballan Wrasse and a small Pollack caught on very light tackle and Ragworm for bait. Plus all the fish were returned safely.
The birding was pretty good as well, with 6 Wheatear, a Whinchat and several Swallows passing through. On the way back home, I came across a few Chiffchaffs and at least 3 Blackcaps.
The main highlight though, was on my way down to the jetty and finding a huge colony of Ivy Bees, with probably a good 200+.
Birds Recorded:
2 Sparrowhawk
1 Buzzard
2 Peregrine Falcon
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
7+ Swallow
Meadow Pipit
1 Grey Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
1 Whinchat
6 Wheatear
Blackbird
3 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Raven
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
These two Wheatear look more like Meerkats on lookout.
And a Raven also having a look at something. Am I missing something!!
It was quite raucous as is sat on the rocks next to me.
Fish Recorded:
6 Ballan Wrasse
1 Pollack
One of the 6 Ballan Wrasse I caught today
And a close up of one of the other Wrasse I caught. A very pretty fish.
Reptiles Recorded:
Wall Lizard
The sun was out and so were the Wall Lizards.
Large White
Small White
Speckled Wood
Red Admiral
4 Painted Lady
1 Small Tortoiseshell
1 Holly Blue
Red Admiral
Painted Lady
Small Tortoiseshell
And a Small Copper
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum)
Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)
A Honey Bee
A Buff-tailed Bumblebee
The sandy cliff face I came across where this..........
...............Ivy Bee colony was in full swing.
A few of the Ivy Bees coming into land
A close up of the Ivy Bees
Not from the colony shown above, but an Ivy Bee from another nest site.
Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Plain-faced Dronefly (Eristalis arbustorum)
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
hoverfly sp.
Common Dronefly
A male Plain-faced Dronefly
And another male Plain-faced Dronefly
A Dead Head Hoverfly
hoverfly sp.
As above
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida)
General Shots:
An hour after high water
And 3 hours after high water. That's when I packed up.
Ted:
Ted trying to fathom out how he can get down to me
And then he found himself on this block of rock and........
........decided that was where he was going to stay until I helped him off.
Here he is being very helpful watching my float for a bite.
And here it goes
And here's Ted looking for more fish for me to catch
Break Time
This is the British Destroyer "HMS Dragon" just off Portland. again for the third day running More on this vessel Here.
This is the British fishing boat "Kathleen II" from Weymouth, bringing in its pots.
This is one of the British Range Safety Boats "Smit Frome" on its way into Portland Harbour. More on this vessel Here.
