6 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, Rufus Castle and Portland Museum

It was another blustery and showery day, and one that caught me and Ted out when a shower from nowhere caught us unaware. I'm not sure why we put on our waterproofs, as we soaked before I had a chance to get them out of the backpack.

And as usual, once they were on, it stopped raining and the sun came out.

There were some good highlights today with my first Fieldfare of this Autumn close to Old Quarry Lane, where there were also 2 Chiffchaffs. Down the Wakeham Railway Cuttings there were another two Chiffchaffs, which was followed up by another in Penns Wood where there was also the Treecreeper and 2 Firecrests.

At the back of the cove there was a small flock of Long-tailed Tits with 2 Great Tits and a Chiffchaff tagging along.

Out to sea were dozens of Gannets and gulls, whilst on the beach I counted 27 Rock Pipits and singles of Pied Wagtail & Grey Wagtail.

There was just the one butterfly seen, a Red Admiral at the bottom of Penns Wood.

And for the first time in awhile I came across a few Honey Bees and White-tailed Bumblebees.

The sun also brought out lots of Common Wasps.

There were also a few hoverflies about with Common Dronefly, a Dead-head Hoverfly and a syrphus sp.


Mammals Recorded:
Grey Squirrel

A very acrobatic Grey Squirrel doing a quick 360.

Birds Recorded:
Gannet
Cormorant
Shag
1 Buzzard
2 Kestrel
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
27 Rock Pipit
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Grey Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
1 Fieldfare
6 Chiffchaff
2 Firecrest
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
1 Treecreeper
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
4 Siskin
Goldfinch

An adult Gannet just off the cove.

There were 27 Rock Pipits on the beach today. And most of them were keeping a wary eye, as to what was flying overhead.

Here's another keeping a watchful eye out for any threats from above.

Hiding in the bushes along Old Quarry Lane was this Fieldfare. My first this Autumn.

This Carrion Crow is having a good tug on the piece of seaweed.

This Carrion Crow has just blinked and appears to have a blue eye. In fact it is a third eye-lid and helps protect the eyes and moistens them. It is called a nictitating membrane.

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Red Admiral


Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)


Wasps Recorded:
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

One of many Common Wasps on the Ivy

Hoverflies Recorded:
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
Syrphus sp.

A Syrphus sp.

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida)

Fungi Recorded:

Field Mushroom (Agaricus campestris)

Possibly Bitter Bracket (Postia stiptica)

Scarlet Waxcap (Hygrocybe coccinea)

Now I'm not an expert on mushrooms and toadstools, but I'm pretty sure these are Field Mushrooms

I'm not too sure on this one. Possibly Bitter Bracket (Postia stiptica), but its most likely something else.

I came across these small toadstools close to Wakeham Meadow.

Not one I have come across before, but fairly easy to ID. They are Scarlet Waxcaps.

General Shots:

Looking up towards Rufus Castle from the beach at the cove.

And looking the other way towards the sea, a squally shower is on its way to the mainland.

Portland Museum

Ted:

Four Teds here and today I managed.........

........Five. Its taken awhile.

Ships Today:

This is the Dutch Cargo Ship "Rose" on its way from Drogheda (Ireland) to Ghent (Belgium). More on this vessel Here.

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

This is the British Ro-Ro Cargo Ship "Hurst Point" on its way from Southampton to Brixham. More on this vessel Here.