It was another very sunny day, with the thermometer reaching 11.9°C. However with that biting south-easterly, it felt pretty raw in exposed areas.
Highlights today were many, with a Firecrest, Chiffchaff and a Siskin in Penns Wood, 11 Rock Pipits and a Pied Wagtail at the cove, and two more Chiffchaffs along Bumpers lane.
In the sheltered and sunny spots along my walk I came across at least 6 Wall Lizards.
On the Alexanders, which weren't blowing in the wind, there were many Honey Bees, hoverflies and flies on the flowers.
On the Hebes I came across more Honey Bees and Buff-tailed Bumblebees.
And I also came across my first beetle of the year, a Bloody-nosed Beetle trundling along one of the steps up to Rufus Castle.
Birds Recorded:
Kestrel
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
11 Rock Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
3 Chiffchaff
1 Firecrest
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
1 Siskin
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
And I also came across my first beetle of the year, a Bloody-nosed Beetle trundling along one of the steps up to Rufus Castle.
Birds Recorded:
Kestrel
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
11 Rock Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
3 Chiffchaff
1 Firecrest
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
1 Siskin
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
I'm almost level with this Kestrel as it hovers over Penn's Weare.
After days without seeing a Rock Pipit at the cove.......
...........there were 11 here today.
A male Pied Wagtail pauses for a second, before.........
........finding a stone to stand on, for a good old scratch and.......
................preen.
And the finishing touches to its preen before heading off.
Reptiles Recorded:
6+ Wall Lizards
Just one of the six or so Wall Lizards I found today.
Do you get that feeling you're being watched.
Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Today was a good day for Honey Bees, with many seen, especially on the Alexanders.
A Buff-tailed Bumblebee on a Hebe.
This one is warming up in the sun.
Hoverflies Recorded:
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
hoverfly sp.
Hairy-eyed Syrphus's on the Alexanders
A Common Dronefly also on an Alexanders.
Yep another hoverfly and a fly sp. on an Alexanders
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida)
Flies sp.
1 Bloody-nosed Beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa)
My first Bloody-nosed Beetle this year. There will be many more for sure, especially on Penn's Weare
A sunny Church Ope Cove.
Though the sea is looking a bit rough.
Looking back inland and Rufus Castle towering above the cove.
Ted:
Ted certainly had the wind is his hair, as he ran down to the cove.
And here he is again taking a leap of faith.