11 Apr 22

Wakeham

At 10:40pm a Little Owl was heard calling from the other side of Bumpers Lane Housing Estate.

Here is an example of a Little Owl calling.


Earlier in the day a Willow Warbler was singing from my neighbours garden.

The song of the Willow Warbler is one of my favourites of Spring, along with that of a Cuckoo


I have seen a Cuckoo this year, would be great to hear one though.


Reap Lane Barn, Southwell Business Park, Top Fields and Sweethill Farm


I had a very busy day today, so I ended up with a late afternoon walk on Portland's west side. Not too many highlights, in that biting south-easterly, and they were 10+ Gannets feeding on a large shoal of fish way out to sea, 3 Stonechats, a Wheatear (only the second one I have seen this Spring), 1 Redwing (just south of Reap Lane Barn) and 2 Chiffchaffs


Birds Recorded:
10+ Gannet
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
Pheasant
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Stock Dove
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Skylark
Meadow Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
3 Stonechat
1 Wheatear
Blackbird
1 Redwing
2 Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
1 Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

This male Pheasant is very puffed up. Mind you I'm not surprised, it was pretty cold this afternoon.

A Great Black-backed Gull patrolling alongside the West Cliffs.

A Meadow Pipit.........

........which nearly got blown off its perch in the wind.

A rather handsome looking male Pied Wagtail.

And an equally good looking male Stonechat

Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)


Plants:
Bluebell

A Bluebell. Native, Spanish or a hybrid of the two!! More on Bluebells Here.

General Shots:

Reap Lane Barns. One of Portland's hotspots for migratory birds.

Looking south towards the Higher Lighthouse and Coastguard Lookout.

Ted:

Ted posing again.


Ships Today:

This is the British sailing vessel "Challenger 4" attempting to get through The Races at Portland Bill. More on this vessel Here.