9 Apr 24

Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penns Weare, Penns Copse, Rufus Castle, Bumpers Lane, Silklake Quarry, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve, Higher Horse Paddock, Lower Horse Paddock, Wakeham Meadow and Old Quarry Lane.

I know I shouldn't complain, as it was a very sunny day, but that wind was pretty raw. Once out of it and in sheltered spots, it did feel pretty warm.

Main highlights today were:

Blackcap: A male in Penns Weare

Chiffchaff: 2 at the back of the cove, 1 Penns Copse and 1 Broadcroft Quarry Lane


Mammals Recorded:
1 Grey Seal (Just off the cove)


Birds Recorded:
Cormorant
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
1 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaff
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
Greenfinch

One of the resident Common Buzzards over Penns Wood

Reptiles Recorded:
2 Wall Lizard

A Wall Lizard on the beach

Butterflies Recorded:
None!!


Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Grey-patched Mining Bee (Andrena nitida)

A Grey-patched Mining Bee (Andrena nitida)

Hoverflies Recorded:
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
Spring Epistrophe (Epistrophe eligans)

A Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) in Penns Wood, where there was......

............also this Spring Epistrophe (Epistrophe eligans). Both firsts for the year.

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
1 Bloody-nosed Beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa)

On the steps leading up to Rufus Castle was this Bloody-nosed Beetle.

Plants:

Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris)

Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) in its usual spot along Broadcroft Quarry Lane.

Ships Today:

This is the General Cargo Ship "Celtic Crusader" flying the flag of Antigua & Barbuda. It is on its way from Poole to Castellon (Spain). More on this vessel here.

This is the Dutch General Cargo Ship "Eems Dollard" on its way from Southwick to Dordrecht (Holland). More on this vessel here.

This is the British PO9 Fishing Boat "Freya May" heading down Portland's east coast towards the Bill.