18 Feb 23

Pennsylvania Castle Woods, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, Rufus Castle, The Cuttings and Bumpers Lane

What miserable weather we're having. It didn't rain, but it was overcast all day, with fog/low cloud moving up the island again.

The beach was void of birds again other than five Herring Gulls that landed on the rocks to the north of the cove.

Only highlight was lone Goldcrest in Penns Wood.


Birds Recorded:
1 Cormorant

Herring Gull

Wood Pigeon

Dunnock

Robin

Blackbird

1 Goldcrest

Great Tit

Blue Tit

Wren

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Jackdaw

Starling

House Sparrow

Chaffinch

Goldfinch

A "posse" of Herring Gulls coming into land at the cove.

One of many Robins along my walk today. And most were in good song.

Plants:
Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)

Russian Comfrey (Symphytum x Uplandicum)

Milkwort sp (Polygala sp.)

Alexanders just coming into flower. These are......

..........in Pennsylvania Castle Woods

Also in Pennsylvania Castle Woods were these Russian Comfrey which are just appearing. This comfrey is a cross or hybrid of Common Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) and Rough Comfrey (Symphytum asperum)

This is a Milkwort and most likely Common Milkwort (Polygala vulgaris). However there are a few others it could be - Heath Milkwort (Polygala serpyllifolia), Chalk Milkwort (Polygala calcarea) and Dwarf Milkwort or Kentish Milkwort (Polygala amarella).

Ted:

Ted on seawatch.