6 Mar 23

Bumpers Lane, The Cuttings, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve, Higher Horse Paddock and Lower Horse Paddock

What a bitterly cold day, which might account for two more Stonechats joining the over-wintering pair in the Higher Horse paddock. There are plenty of flies about, as the ponies are now residing there for the moment.

Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Dunnock
Robin
4 Stonechat
Blackbird
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Greenfinch

Female Stonechat no 1

Female Stonechat no 2

And two male Stonechats.

Here are all four Stonechats with the "over-wintering" pair sat together.

Plants:
Red Dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum)

More Red Dead-nettles in flower

Ted:

Ted having a good run along Bumpers Lane

I see no ships. Your'e looking the wrong way Ted!!

Aircraft Today:

An Apache helicopter heading towards RFA Ship "Argus" just off Portland.

Ships Today:

This is the British Auxiliary Ship - A135 "Argus" just off Portland..............

...................... with an Apache Helicopter coming into land. More on "Argus" Here.

This is the Container Ship "Ever Arm" flying the flag of Taiwan. It is on its way from Rotterdam to Brixham. More on this vessel Here. The video below is its sister ship "Ever Given" which...........

..........made all the headlines back in 2021 when it blocked the Suez Canal for nearly a week.

This is the Belgium Frigate F931 "Louise Marie" on its way from Portsmouth to Den Helder Anch (Holland). more on this vessel Here.

This is the Maltese Ro-Ro Cargo Ship "Delphine" on its way from Dublin to Zeebrugge. More on this vessel Here.