Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Church Ope Cove Wood, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, Rufus Castle, Bumpers Lane, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve and Lower Horse Paddock
A much better day with wall to wall blue skies and sunshine. Mind you there is still a bit of a nip in the air, especially in a few exposed areas along my walk.
Main highlights today were singles of Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler all of which were singing. The Willow Warbler song was a bit more subdued, in fact if you weren't within 20 feet of it, I doubt whether you would have heard it.
Just a few Small and Large Whites on the wing, and new for the year was the caterpillar of the Oak Eggar Moth which I came across on the steps leading up to Rufus Castle.
Mammals Recorded:
Grey Squirrel
A much better day with wall to wall blue skies and sunshine. Mind you there is still a bit of a nip in the air, especially in a few exposed areas along my walk.
Main highlights today were singles of Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler all of which were singing. The Willow Warbler song was a bit more subdued, in fact if you weren't within 20 feet of it, I doubt whether you would have heard it.
Just a few Small and Large Whites on the wing, and new for the year was the caterpillar of the Oak Eggar Moth which I came across on the steps leading up to Rufus Castle.
Mammals Recorded:
Grey Squirrel
3 Buzzards
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
1 Blackcap (heard singing)
1 Chiffchaff (heard singing)
1 Willow Warbler (seen singing sub-song)
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Spring is definitely in the air with not just this Robin singing but also........
............this Willow Warbler which I came across in Broadcroft Quarry Lane.
If had been a bit further away I doubt very much I would have heard the sub-song this Willow Warbler was singing. Not an easy bird to follow in amongst the branches. In the background is a Greenfinch "wheezing".
Reptiles Recorded:
Wall Lizard
Reptiles Recorded:
Wall Lizard
Wall Lizards everywhere today.
Butterflies Recorded:
Large White
Small White
A male Large White on a Dandelion flower.
Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)
Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
Hairy-eyed Flower Fly (Syrphus torvus)
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida)
Muscid Fly (Phaonia subventa)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
A Common Green Shieldbug in Penns Wood
Caterpillars Recorded:
Oak Eggar Moth
The caterpillar of the Oak Eggar Moth
Ted:
Ted on lookout duties
So much energy.
Aircraft Today:
This is the privately owned Van's RV-9A aircraft flying over Portland. More on this aircraft Here and Here.
Ships Today:
This is the Cypriot General Cargo Ship "Nina" on its way from Portland Harbour to La Pallice (France).............
Here she is passing Church Ope Cove. More on this vessel Here.
This is the Container Ship "Mol Triumph" flying the flag of the Marshall Islands. It is on its way from Algeciras (Spain) to Rotterdam. More on this vessel Here.
One of the local fishing boats "Girl KP" in Church Ope Cove. This boat was first registered in Poole as PO24.
