14 May 24

Out and about

It was a day out today for me and Dawn, and our first stop was Dancing Ledge here, in the hope of seeing a Puffin. Unfortunately, and despite a beautiful sunny day, the sea was pretty rough and the best we could find were dozens of Razorbills and Guillemots.

Next stop was Kimmeridge here to see if we could find any fossils. They also alluded us, but we did find a few a Ammonite impressions in a few rocks on the beach.


Mammals Recorded:
7 Roe Deer

A doe Roe Deer

And a stag and doe together.

Birds Recorded:
1 Shag
1 Common Buzzards
1 Kestrel
1 Oystercatcher
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Razorbill
Guillemot
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove

Swift
Skylark
Swallow
Meadow Pipit
Rock Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Stonechat
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Common Whitethroat
Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Rook
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
2 Yellowhammer

A Meadow Pipit on the slopes leading down to Dancing Ledge.

And in comparison a Rock Pipit on Dancing Ledge

An unusual sight, a male Linnet and a male House Sparrow together at Dancing Ledge

There were dozens of Swifts were over the hilltops at Dancing Ledge

And an odd looking Swift. If I didn't know any different I would have said this was a Crag Martin. Could it be!!! No in fact it's a Swift, putting on its "air brakes". When it slows down like this, it certainly changes its shape.

Butterflies Recorded:
2 Orange-tip
4 Large White
1 Wall Brown
1 Peacock

Not the worse photo I have ever taken, but you can just about make out that this is a Wall Brown. My first this year.

Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)


Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
One 7-spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata)

A 7-spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata) on the beach at Kimmeridge 

Plants Recorded:

Water-cress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum)
Chalk Milkwort (Polygala calcarea)
Wild Clary (Salvia Verbenaca)

On the slopes behind Dancing Ledge was this small stream flowing down the hill. In the top right-hand corner of the photo is................

...............Water-cress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum). More on Water-cress here.

This I think Chalk Milkwort (Polygala calcarea)

I think this is Wild Clary (Salvia Verbenaca). It was also growing on the slopes.

General Images and videos:

Dancing Ledge

Looking west towards Dancing Ledge and St Aldhelm's Head.

In the distance is Swanage. And looking west.........

............is the chapel roof at St Aldhelm's Head, with the...........

...............farm houses a bit further inland. is St Aldhelm's Chapel Here. More on the Chapel Here and Here

And this is Dancing Ledge and..........

........looking west...............

.......................... is where I had hoped to have seen a few Puffins. Unfortunately not today.

And Dawn and Theo making their way back up the incredibly steep slopes behind Dancing Ledge.

Kimmeridge

Looking east into Kimmeridge Bay with...............

 .........Clavell Tower, a Georgian folly built on top of the cliff. More on the bay here and the folly here.

And looking west, where.........

...........there are strange looking outcrops of rock, plus............

................many Ammonites to be found.

Kimmeridge Bay with the folly and...................

......................waterfall on the east side of the bay.

Dawn being pulled along the beach by Theo.

Corfe Castle

On our travels we passed Corfe Castle. More on this castle here and here.

Ted and Theo

Two happy dogs enjoying their walk.

Note:

Dorset Wildlife Trust 30 Days Wild Here.