9 Mar 23

Pennsylvania Castle Woods, St Andrew's Church and Church Ope Cove

I should have taken note of the weather forecast, which was for rain late afternoon. And yep, Ted and I got a right soaking as we returned home.

However before the heavens opened, I did have some good highlights with:
Blackcap - A male singing (Sub-song) within the Japanese Spindle at the the top of Pennsylvania Castle Woods
Firecrest - A single bird in the woods behind the huts at the back of Church Ope Cove.


Birds Recorded:
1 Cormorant
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
1 Blackcap
1 Firecrest
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch

I tried many times to tempt a Robin to take these mealworms, but it was more interested in out singing another Robin close by.


Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

A wet and miserable Buff-tailed Bumblebee on a Hebe.

Hoverflies Recorded:
Hairy-eyed Flower Fly (Syrphus torvus)

A Hairy-eyed Flower Fly on a flowering Alexanders

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida) - Possibly!!

Also on the Alexanders were these flies, possibly Kelp Flies. I will check.

Plants:

Russian Comfrey (Symphytum x Uplandicum)
Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)
Snowflakes (Leucojum Vernum)

This is Russian Comfrey which is a cross or hybrid of Common Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) and Rough Comfrey (Symphytum asperum).

Many thanks to Martin Newman, who kindly pointed out, that what I thought were Snowdrops are actually...........

.......................Snowflakes (Leucojum Vernum) and a plant I have never heard of before. They like moist ground and prefer semi-shaded areas. When they are in bloom they have scented flowers. I shall have to find out how scented they are next time I visit the grounds of St Andrew's Church. More on this plant Here.

General Shots:

The weather starts to close-in at the cove.

Ted:

A sequence of events

Nice and dry

A little bit of drizzle.

And a soaking!!!!!!!