It was a day walking around Chesil Beach, Portland Castle Beach and then out in Portland Harbour on the kayak, with lots to see.
Birds Recorded:
Gannet -1 diving in the harbour, 1 deceased on Chesil Beach
Cormorant - 18+ Portland Marina Breakwater
Shag - 2 Portland Marina Breakwater
8 Oystercatcher - Portland Marina Breakwater
6 Turnstone - Portland Marina Breakwater
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Collared Dove
Robin
2 Wheatear - Chesil Beach
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
A 3rd Calendar Year Herring Gull on Chesil Beach
A fem/juv Wheatear has a..........
...............quick ruffle before heading off again.
20+ Pollack
5 Garfish
Its taken awhile but I have finally caught.........
............a fish on the kayak. Its not a monster, but a nice Pollack all the same, which I slipped back into the water.
Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
A Buff-tailed Bumblebee along the esplanade next to Portland Castle
Wasps, Ichneumon Wasps, Parasitic Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
A Common Wasp gives me a long hard stare.
Hoverflies Recorded:
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
hoverfly sp.
A Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
hoverfly sp.
Rock Samphire (Crithmum maritimum)
General Shots:
Ships Today:
From left to right the Bahamian Passenger (Cruise) Ship "Seabourn Ovation", the Italian Passenger (Cruise) ship "Aidaaura" and the British Offshore Support Ship "Stirling Castle". More on "Seabourn Ovation" Here , "Aidaaura" Here. and "Stirling Castle" Here
This is the Container Ship "Independent Quest" flying the flag of Madeira. It was anchored up in Portland Harbour.............
..........but later was seen heading out of Portland Harbour on its way to Antwerp (Belgium). More on this vessel here.
This is Sea Kale (Crambe maritima)
And a close up of those cabbage-like leaves. More on this plant here.
And Rock Samphire (Crithmum maritimum)
General Shots:
Portland was shrouded in cloud all day.
Ted:
One beach and a lone dog. In this case Ted
This is the British Sailing Ship "Moonfleet" on its way out of Portland Harbour...........
...........and then later returning to Portland Marina. More on this vessel here.
This is the British PO9 Fishing Boat "Freya May" in Portland Harbour
Aircraft Today:
This is the Royal Navy ZJ135 Westland EH101 Merlin HC3................
............coming into land at Portland's Heliport.
Almost there. More on this aircraft Here. Before the Navy took this aircraft onboard, it was previously flown the RAF. This photo here is when it was at Bardufoss Airfield, a Norwegian military base 200 miles inside the Arctic Circle. This base is one I know very well from my time in the airforce many years ago.