13 Mar 22

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

Today was a bit warmer than of late, but that southerly wind has still got a chill to it, especially in exposed areas along my walk.

Highlights today were a Grey Seal just off Church Ope Cove, the over-wintering Firecrest in Penns Wood, a Chiffchaff feeding in amongst a flowering Wild Cherry and another Peacock butterfly.


Mammals Recorded:
1 Grey Seal
Grey Squirrel
Bunny

This Grey Seal is becoming a regular visitor to the cove.

One of many Bunnies I came across this afternoon.

Birds Recorded:
1 Gannet
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Buzzard
2 Kestrel
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
2 Rock Pipit
1 Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
1 Chiffchaff
1 Firecrest
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
4 Greenfinch

This Herring Gull wasn't impressed by the Common Buzzard being in its airspace.

It was pretty vocal and........

..........determined to see the Buzzard off.

Eventually the Buzzard glided off and away from a very noisy gull.

The Kestrels on the island are pretty tolerant of us humans.

This female was just a few metres away from me, as she hovered over Penn's Weare.

So many Robins singing on the island. This one and 3 others were in Penns Wood.

I have heard a few Chiffchaffs calling over the past few days.......

..........but this is first I have seen up close. This one was in Broadcroft Quarry Lane.

The male Greenfinches appear to be setting up their territories. This one was in the butterfly reserve.

And this male posed really nicely for the camera.........

............just a few metres away from me in Broadcroft Quarry Lane.

Reptiles Recorded:
4 Wall Lizard

In a few sheltered and sunny spots along my walk, were a few Wall Lizards basking in the sun.

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Peacock

Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)

My first Red-tailed Bumblebee of the year, which I came across in Penns Wood. This is a male sat on the leaf of a Russian Comfrey.

Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)

A Common Dronefly

And a Marmalade Hoverfly, also on an Alexanders.

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

Muscid Fly (Phaonia subventa)

This is one of the Muscidae flies - Phaonia subventa

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Bloody-nosed Beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa)

A Bloody-nosed Beetle. This one was close to Bumpers Lane.

Plants:
Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna)
Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)

Lesser Celandine

Herb Robert. Also known as Red Robin, Death come quickly, Storksbill, Fox Geranium, Stinking Bob, Squinter-pip, Crow's Foot, or Roberts Geranium.

Ted:

Ted on lookout again.

Not Ted, but Bonny who belongs to a friend of mine who I met on Penn's Weare this afternoon.

Ships Today:

This is the Latvian General Cargo Ship "Aldebaran" on its way from Rotterdam to Portland. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Portuguese Vehicles Carrier "Autostar" on its way from Southampton to Santander (Spain). More on this vessel Here.