It was another lovely day, a bit cooler than yesterday, but nice and sunny again. And it was a morning walk for a change, though it was bit puzzling as there was no sign of the overwintering Stonechats and the female Black Redstart.
Also absent were 3 Pied Wagtails, the Grey Wagtail and 2 Chiffchaffs from yesterday afternoon, with just 5 Rock Pipits, including the leg-ringed "AAL", a single Pied Wagtail and 2 Chiffchaffs remaining.
In Penns Wood there was a Blackcap and a Goldcrest both singing.
Birds Recorded:
1 Cormorant
1 Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
5 Rock Pipit
1 Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
1 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaff
1 Goldcrest
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
A lone Black-headed Gull just off the beach.
On the rocks was this adult Herring Gull
And my first confirmed sighting of the ringed Rock Pipit "AAL" this year.
I did see a ringed individual on 3 Feb 24, but I couldn't tell if it was "AAL" or "AAX"
Here "AAL" is in a partial moult.
Note:
"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.
Reptiles Recorded:
4 Wall Lizard
Bees Recorded:
8 Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Hoverflies Recorded:
1 Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Trillions Kelp Flies (Coelopa frigida)
General Shots:
The grounds of St Andrew's Church, where there both a Blackcap and a Goldcrest singing in the woods behind the wall.
Ted and Theo:
Ships Today:
On the left is the British Utility Vessel "SD Navigator" on its way from Poole to Torquay. More on this vessel here. On the right is.............
"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.
Another Rock Pipit eyes up a Kelp fly.
All you do is wait until a fly comes close enough to grab.
Here is another Rock Pipit and a Pied Wagtail waiting as well.
This Chiffchaff likes sitting on the branches of a sapling on the beach....
.......waiting for a fly to land.
Reptiles Recorded:
4 Wall Lizard
Four juvenile Wall Lizards were noted around Rufus Castle.
There are two here and....
.......a fourth one here.
Bees Recorded:
8 Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Hoverflies Recorded:
1 Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
A Common Dronefly
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Trillions Kelp Flies (Coelopa frigida)
General Shots:
Ted and Theo:
Ted and Theo waiting for me to catch up.
Ships Today:
This is the British Sailing Vessel "Kandooma" in Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel here.
