What a windy day with gusts reaching 40mph. I took a chance with the weather as there was rain forecast. Fortunately the few showers that did fall, moved on pretty quickly in that strong westerly.
All the highlights today were on and around the beach at Church Ope Cove:
Cormorant - one fishing 100 metres off the beach
Kestrel - one over the south facing cliff
Oystercatcher - one landed on the rocks in the northeast corner of the cove.
Rock Pipit - twelve feeding on kelp Flies on the beach including leg tagged "AAL"
Pied Wagtail - a pair on the beach
Grey Wagtail - one on the beach
Robin - five around the edge of the cove
Stonechat - a pair on the beach
Black Redstart - two fem/juv on and around the beach
Chiffchaff - two in the bushes to the north of the cove
Wren - several on and around the beach
Birds Recorded:
1 Cormorant
1 Kestrel
1 Oystercatcher
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
12 Rock Pipit
2 Pied Wagtail
1 Grey Wagtail
Dunnock
10+ Robin
2 Stonechat
2 Black Redstart
Blackbird
2 Chiffchaff
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
10+ Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
This Kestrel was hunting over the top of the south facing cliff at the cove.
As I was leaving the beach this Oystercatcher flew in to the northeast corner of the cove.
After disappearing for a week or so, it was good to see............
............"AAL" is back with eleven other Rock Pipits.
"AAL" was first trapped as a juvenile and ringed on the 30th August 2023 (Ring number 2699306 by Portland Bird Observatory) in a small cove just north of the Lobster Pot Cafe and has since moved to Church Ope Cove.
A Grey Wagtail at the cove.
Good to see that this male Stonechat is still about on the beach, after I failed to find it a few days ago....
..........and here is his mate.
This fem/juv Black Redstart was behind the beach huts. well.....
.........it was until it spotted me.
And so many Wrens on and around the beach searching for Kelp Flies.
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida)
General Shots:
Looking south along the beach at Church Ope Cove
Ted:
Effortless as Ted runs up the steps to the castle.
