The forecast of a blanket of cloud over Portland this afternoon, thankfully didn't appear until very late in the day. So with blue skies and the sun out it was off to the cove to see what was about. That was the good side to the weather. On the the other-side it was absolutely freezing, with a bitter north wind dragging in some very cold air.
However, and despite the cool conditions, I had some really good highlights with a Firecrest, a male Great Spotted Woodpecker and a male Siskin all in Pennsylvania Castle Woods.
The beach yet again was a big disappointment and the only highlight here was an adult Gannet 300 metres or so off the beach.
Still no butterflies, no surprise there, but I did come across a few White-tailed Bumblebees, a Common Dronefly, 2 hoverflies sp. and lots of Kelp Flies.
When I got home there was a Light Brown Apple Moth in the conservatory.
Birds Recorded:
1 Gannet
1 Cormorant
1 Sparrowhawk
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
1 Firecrest
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
1 Siskin
Goldfinch
Gannet
male
male
Moths Recorded:
Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana)
Light Brown Apple Moth
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
2 hoverflies sp.
Common Dronefly
#1 hoverfly sp.
#2 hoverfly sp.
Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida)
Ted:
Ted looking a bit lost in the wood
This is the Bahamian Vehicles Carrier "Glovis Sigma" on its way from Zeebrugge (Belgium) to Santa Marta (Colombia) Here. More on this vessel Here.
This is the Finnish Container ship "Linda" on its way from Cork to Dunkirk. More on this vessel Here.
This is the British Sailing Ship "Tenacious" on its way from Worbarrow Bay to Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.
This is the British Fishing Boat "Loyal Friend" returning to Portland Harbour. More on this vessel Here.