10 Feb 24

Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penns Weare, Penns Copse, Rufus Castle and Portland Museum

At long last a bit of sunshine, to brighten up what has been a miserable week. Highlights today were plenty with 3 Rock Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, 2 Stonechat, 1 Black Redstart, 4 Chiffchaff and 5 Long-tailed Tit, all seen at the cove, where there was also a Grey Seal just off the beach.

Other birds of note were 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel and 2 Ravens overhead.

Also noted were a Wall Lizard by Rufus Castle and at least 5 Buff-tailed Bumblebees at different locations.

Mammals Recorded:
1 Grey Seal

A Grey Seal.......

............a few metres from the shoreline


Birds Recorded:
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
Herring Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
3 Rock Pipit
4 Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
2 Stonechat
1 Black Redstart
Blackbird
4 Chiffchaff
5 Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
2 Raven
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch

One of the two Common Buzzards over the cove.

A male Kestrel............

............hovering over Penns Weare

This Great Black-backed Gull was picking up tit-bits from the surface.

One of the four Pied Wagtails on the beach today.

Here is the overwintering male Stonechat at the cove. The female was close by.

And the female Black Redstart is still............

........present along the south facing cliffs at the cove.


Below are a few photos of the four Chiffchaffs at the cove.






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A pair of Ravens...........

................over the cove.


Reptiles Recorded
:
1 Wall Lizard

A juvenile Wall Lizard making the most of the sun


Bees Recorded:
5 Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)


Hoverflies Recorded:
1 Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)


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


Plants:
Russian Comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum)
Japanese Spindle Tree (Euonymus japonicus)

And there is a good carpet of Russian Comfrey starting to appear in Penns Wood

Still lots of berries on the Japanese Spindle


Ted and Theo:

I don't think you're going to stop him Ted.........

...............and Theo's away.