Port and Wey: 18 Mar 22

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

It was another really sunny day, but so bitter with that easterly wind coming straight into the cove and over Penn's Weare. When I left the cottage I'd decided not to take my jacket as it was that warm out the front. Big mistake, next time it will be in my back-pack, regardless how warm it feels.

No migrant birds seen or heard and the only real highlights were 5 Peacock Butterflies, a Common Wasp (my first for the year) and a few hoverflies I haven't seen this year either.

Birds Recorded:
1 Buzzard
Oystercatcher
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
1 Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch

A Common Buzzard glides over Penn's Weare only to be.............

............harassed by a Carrion Crow. The Buzzard looks almost surprised!1

A very vocal Wren which........

............sadly has a "growth" above its right eye.

Reptiles Recorded:
2 Wall Lizard

Just two Wall Lizards seen this afternoon. Both were...............

...........on the wall behind the benches at the top of the cove steps.

Butterflies Recorded:
5 Peacock

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

There are good numbers of Honey Bees out now.

And also Buff-tailed Bumblebees

Wasps Recorded:
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

My first Common Wasp of the year.

The Alexanders are certainly a major food source for wasps, hoverflies, butterflies and flies

Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Plain-faced Dronefly (Eristalis arbustorum)
Hairy-eyed Flower Fly (Syrphus torvus)