28 Aug 23

Bumpers Lane, Rufus Castle, Church Ope Cove, St Andrew's Church and Penns Wood

It was a lovely afternoon sat on the beach with my daughter's family. On the way there and back, there was plenty to see, and it was great to share what I was finding with my four grandchildren.


Birds Recorded:
2 Gannet

3 Cormorant
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
5 Swallow
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch

An adult (left) and an immature Gannet just off the cove.

Reptiles Recorded:
Slow-worm

A Slow-worm under one of the corrugated tin sheets along Bumpers Lane. The Grandchildren thought it was great.

Fish Recorded:

Gurnard

One of the anglers on this boat has just caught a Gurnard

Butterflies Recorded:
Large White
Small White
Green-veined White
Speckled Wood
Meadow Brown
Red Admiral
Peacock
Common Blue

Moths Recorded:

Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) - On the Valerian on the beach briefly

Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Common Carder Bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum)
Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)

Wasps, Ichneumon Wasps, Parasitic Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
German Wasp (Vespula germanica)

And a German Wasp peering over a pebble. It was probably after one of the ice lollies, the grandchildren were eating!!

Hoverflies Recorded:
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

A Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) on the flowering Japanese Spindle (Euonymus japonicus)

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

Plants:

Hedge Woundwort (Stachys sylvatica)

In amongst the nettles in Penns Wood was...........

.................Hedge Woundwort (Stachys sylvatica)

General Shots:

There were a few black clouds to the northwest behind Rufus Castle, but fortunately it kept dry

Ted:

Ted enjoying a hug from the grandchildren

Ships Today:

This is the Dutch General Cargo Ship "Eemslift Hendrika" on its way from Southampton to Alcudia (Spain). More on this vessel Here.

This is the Cypriot Container Ship "BG Emerald" on its way from Liverpool to Rotterdam. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Madeiran General Cargo Ship "Wes Elisa" on its way from Cuxhaven (Germany) to Dundalk (USA). More on this vessel Here.

This is the British Sailing Ship "Just So" on its way past Portland to an unknown destination. More on this vessel Here.

This is the British Diving Boat "Fearless II" on its way down Portland's east coastline. More on this vessel Here.

This is the British Sailing Ship "Jahmali" on its way from Cowes to Poole via Portland. More on this vessel Here.

This is the British Commercial Fishing Boat WH5 "Tina Louise" returning to Weymouth Harbour. There is a close-up shot of it in Weymouth Here

This is the British Fishing Boat WH22 "Marauder" owned by Dorset Shellfish (Weymouth) here

And finally if you want an ice cream on the beach then these guys will deliver. And they did.