30 Nov 21

Lower Horse Paddock, Higher Horse Paddock, Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve and Broadcroft Quarry Lane

At long last a car that works. I cant believe this is my fourth car this year. So it was a day of trips to the tip, to get rid of bags of green waste that have sat in the back garden for weeks.

It did mean our walk was very late, but I still managed to see the "over-wintering" pair of Stonechats still in the Higher Horse paddock and 2 Meadow Pipits hiding in the long grass of the butterfly reserve.

Mammals Recorded:
3 Bunnies


Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
2 Meadow Pipit
Dunnock
Robin
2 Stonechat
Blackbird
1 Song Thrush
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch

A short video taken in very poor light of the male Stonechat in the horse paddock

Ted:

Go Ted go.

Ships Today:

This is the British Combat Vessel "RFA Mounts Bay" just off Portland Bill. More on this vessel Here.

29 Nov 21

Ferrybridge and Portland Harbour

A quick stop at Ferrybridge this afternoon as the sun was setting. Main highlights were 9 Brent Geese and 100's of small waders.

In Portland Harbour I could just about make out a Great Crested Grebe and 3 Red-breasted Mergansers.

Birds Recorded:
1 Great Crested Grebe
Cormorant
2 Little Egret
9 Brent Goose
3 Red-breasted Merganser
1 Kestrel
2 Oystercatcher
100+ Ringed Plover
100+ Dunlin
Black-headed Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
1 Pied Wagtail
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Starling
Chaffinch

Two Cormorants make their way from the harbour to The Fleet

Five of the 8 Brent Geese on the Sandflats this afternoon.

A Brent Goose feeding along the shoreline

This Kestrel has found a good perch, on the soon to be demolished Ferrybridge Inn

This Oystercatcher is having to probe quite some depth, to find its next meal.

There I was videoing this Oystercatcher, when a Dunlin gate crashed the recording.

Just one of the hundreds of Ringed Plover which arrived on the sandflats as the tide dropped.

One of the Ringed Plovers feeding along the shoreline.

And there were good numbers of Dunlin arriving as well.

These Dunlin are such busy waders.

A lone Sea Angler walking back along Chesil Beach as the sun began to set.

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Easton

On my way out of Easton a Jay landed on the grass verge at the junction of Grove Road.

Recorded on my Dashcam, hence the poor quality, but on left a Jay lands on the grass at the base of the tree.

28 Nov 21

Lower Horse Paddock, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Bumpers Lane, Shepherd's Dinner, The Grove, Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve, Higher Horse Paddock, Wakeham Meadow and Old Quarry Lane.

It was another very cold sunny day, with certainly less wind than yesterday. The main highlights were 2 Meadow Pipits, 3 Stonechats, 4 Song Thrushes, and a Chiffchaff.


Mammals Recorded:
Bunny


Birds Recorded:
Cormorant
Shag
Kestrel
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
2 Stock Dove
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
2 Meadow Pipit
1 Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
3 Stonechat
Blackbird
4 Song Thrush
1 Chiffchaff
3 Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Raven
Starling
House Sparrow,
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
2 Greenfinch

A Kestrel hunting above one of the fields by The Grove.

Here it is ready to pounce on an unsuspecting vole.

After several failed attempts, it decided to have a break and rest up on this post.

A male Stonechat in the Higher Horse paddock, sporting a leg ring.

And here is its mate.

Not the best shot of a Song Thrush. But with 4 seen this afternoon, I suppose it was odds on I would at least get one record shot.

A bit harder to photograph, was this very vocal Chiffchaff by Wakeham Meadow.

Here's songful Starling singing away on a bramble in the Lower Horse paddock.

General Shots:

Looking south from Shepherd's Dinner with Portland Lighthouse just visible.

Also photographed from Shepherd's Dinner is the Isle of Wight.

Ted:

This is Ted's way of saying "get a move on".

Ships Today:

This is the Panamanian Vehicles Carrier "Malacca Highway" on its way from Zeebrugge to Dublin. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Maltese Ro-Ro Cargo Ship "Vespertine" on its way from Dublin to Rotterdam. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Maltese Ro-Ro Cargo Ship "Opaline" on its way from Rotterdam to Dublin. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Cypriot Container Ship "Elbfeeder" on its way from Cork to Antwerp. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Dutch General Cargo Ship "Elisa K" on its way from Terneuzen (Holland) to Piombino (Italy). More on this vessel Here.

27 Nov 21

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadow, The Windmills, Wakeham Railway Cuttings, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Church Ope Cove Wood, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, Rufus Castle and the Museum

In the wake of Storm Arwen, the north-westerly wind was still pretty strong with gusts up to 54mph. But surprisingly the cove was pretty calm, so much so that a Grey Seal was having a siesta just off the beach and a female/juvenile Black Redstart was running around the beach catching Kelp Flies.

In the grounds of St Andrew's Church there was a Chiffchaff, whilst overhead a Grey Wagtail was seen heading to the beach. Though when I got down there it was nowhere to be found and instead I came across 2 Rock Pipits and of course the Black Redstart.

Mammals Recorded:
1 Grey Seal
3 Grey Squirrel

A Grey Seal just off the beach at Church Ope Cove

It was looking pretty relaxed and at times appeared to be sleeping.

Here it is having a good look around.

And the last one in a bit closer.  More on Grey Seals and Common Seals Here.

I came across three Grey Squirrels today.

Including this one that was a bit too quick for the camera.

Birds Recorded:
Gannet
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
2 Rock Pipit
1 Grey Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
1 Black Redstart
Blackbird
1 Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
30+ Goldfinch

My second Black Redstart of the Autumn at the cove. Its either a female or a juvenile. Not that easy to tell at this time of year.

Here are a few videos of the Black Redstart feeding on the beach.

Note the feet are slightly swollen on this male Chaffinch. It is caused either by mites or a disease known as Fringilla papillomavirus. More on this Here.

Slugs and Snails Recorded:
White-lipped Banded Snail (Cepaea hortensis)

A White-lipped Banded Snail making its way across a busy path by the castle. Fearing it would be crushed, I placed it by the wall. Lets just hope I put it on the side of the path it was heading for!!!


Plants:

Common Gorse (Ulex europaeus)

Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum)

This is Common Gorse and not only......

...........very prickly, but in flower in November. More on this plant Here.

The berries of Honeysuckle are poisonous, however the leaves, flowers and seeds have been used for medicinal purposes for a variety of conditions.

General Shots:

Church Ope Cove viewed from St Andrew's Church. Inside the black circle is the Grey Seal with its head stuck out of the water.

Looking south along the beach at the cove

Ted:

Just two Ted's today

Ships Today:

This is the British Trawler "MFV William Henry II" on its way from Dartmouth to Weymouth. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Cargo Ship "Eems Dart" flying the flag of Gibraltar. It is on its way from Rotterdam (Holland) to Villagarcia (Spain). More on this vessel Here.

This is the Italian Vehicles Carrier "Grande Halifax" on its way from Bremerhaven (Denmark) to the Suez Canal (Egypt). More on this vessel Here.

26 Nov 21

Wakeham

Today was a very wet and windy day, and though we still haven't had the full force of it, Storm Arwen looks like being a pretty mean depression, with parts of Britain likely to see wind speeds of up to 100mph. More on Storm Arwen Here.

Needless to say it was a day spent indoors and catching up on those neglected household chores.

So no photos from today, but here are a few Storm Photos and Videos from my time on Portland:

Church Ope Cove

Storm Evert - 30 Jul 21

Church Ope Cove

Pre-Storm Christoph - 19 Jan 21

Chesil Beach

Storm Ellen - 21 Aug 20

Portland Bill

Storm Jorge - 29 Feb 20

Chesil Beach

Pre-Storm Dennis - 15 Feb 20

Chesil Cove

Storm Miguel - 7 Jun 19

(Image courtesy of Portland Heights Webcam Here)

Church Ope Cove

Storm Freya - 3 Mar 19

Church Ope Cove

Storm Bronagh - 21 Sep 18

Wakeham 

Post-Storm Emma - 2 Mar 18

Chesil Beach

Storm Eleanor - 3 Jan 18

Chesil Beach

Storm Brian - 22 Oct 17

25 Nov 21

Radipole RSPB Reserve

Well its not often I spend most of the day walking around a RSPB Reserve. But as the car was having some work done on it in Weymouth, it would have been a shame not to. Not only that, but there was a cloudless sky, sunshine and a raw northerly blowing. Well 2 out of 3 isn't bad.

Lots of highlights, including 6 Chiffchaff, 4 Goldcrests, 4+ Bearded Tits and my first Bullfinch of the year.

Just the one butterfly seen a Red Admiral, plus several Common Wasps

Birds Recorded:
Cormorant
Mute Swan
Canada Geese
Shelduck
Mallard
Gadwall
Teal

Shoveler
Tufted Duck
Buzzard

Kestrel
Water Rail
Moorhen
Coot
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker

1 Grey Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Cetti's Warbler
6 Chiffchaff
4 Goldcrest
4+ Bearded Tit
Long-tailed Tit

Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch

1 Bullfinch
Reed Bunting

41 species

Also

1 Black Swan

A Mute Swan having a stretch in amongst a few sleepy Canada Geese

And a Black Swan. An escapee from a wildfowl collection no doubt.

It seems quite happy feeding alongside the ducks and......

............the Mute Swan.

A Shelduck

This is a drake Shoveler

A Common Buzzard circling above the reserve.

This was quite bizarre. These are Black-headed Gulls.......................... 

........................and they appear to be picking off insects above this tree, or are they plucking berries off it!!

There were at least 6 Chiffchaffs on the reserve.

Wasps Recorded:
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

A Common Wasp

And another one.

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Red Admiral


Plants Recorded:

Mistletoe

Not two nests high up in the right-hand tree, but...............

..........Mistletoe. More on this hemi parasitic plant Here.

General Shot:

These cattle are now part of the reserve, and have encouraged Cattle Egrets to visit. Though not today.

Ted:

This was a long walk today, but Ted was certainly enjoying himself.