After yesterdays storm with wind speeds reaching 74 mph on Portland and a 96 mph gust recorded at the Needles, today's weather was a complete contrast, with wall to wall blue skies and sunshine.
Today's Spring migrant highlights were 2 Swallows, 3 Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler.
And a Cliff Mining Bee was new for the year.
Mammals Recorded:
Brown Rat
Birds Recorded:
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
2 Swallow
Meadow Pipit
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
3 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
A Sparrowhawk passes over head......
...........causing panic with the smaller birds.
A Common Buzzard drifts by, before......
........."hovering" over the Lower Horse paddock.
On the butterfly reserve a Willow Warbler feeds.............
.............in amongst the Sycamore branches. Note the pollen residue around the bill
One of the two male Greenfinches on the reserve.
Here is the other male.
Two male Greenfinches trying to out sing each other on Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve
Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Cliff Mining Bee (Andrena thoracica)
This Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) is very popular with a Cliff Mining Bee above and a Honey Bee below.
The Cliff Mining Bee on the Grape Hyacinth.
Ted:
Come on Dad
Ships Today:
This is the Cypriot Cargo/Container Ship "Arklow Fame" on its way from Portland to Newport. More on this vessel Here.
Aircraft Today:
This is the Virgin Atlantic Airbus A330 VS138 on its way from New York to London.