23 Mar 25

Barleycrates Lane, West Cliff and Reap Lane Barn

Back again, but including Barleycrates this time. The wind today had dropped considerably and when the sun was out it was very pleasant. Unfortunately a weather front moved in from the north and it became very cloudy and a lot cooler as the clock passed midday.

With a drop in the wind there was definitely more about and the main highlights included my first Swallow of Spring.

Also of note were:
Meadow Pipits - 20+ heading north
Pied Wagtails - 4 along with 4 White Wagtails in the ploughed field west of the barn.
Stonechat - 3 seen along my walk

Stonechat - 2 resident birds with the female collecting food for youngsters.
Wheatear - 6 seen in the horse field south of the barn.
Chiffchaff - 10+. several along Barleycrates, with the rest along the west cliff and Reap Lane Barn

A Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris) on an Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) was my first this year.

Birds Recorded:
1 Buzzard
2 Kestrel
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Stock Dove
Wood Pigeon
2 Skylark
1 Swallow
20+ Meadow Pipit
4 Pied Wagtail
4 White Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
5 Stonechat
6 Wheatear
Blackbird
10+ Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

A Common Buzzard heading up the island.

A record shot of my first Swallow of Spring.

A White Wagtail in the ploughed field west of the barn.

A Dunnock singing in Barleycrates Lane

A female Stonechat

And another female.

A very distant shot of one of the six Wheatears in the horse field south of the barn

One of many Chiffchaffs seen today.

Escapees, Ferals, Possibles Etc.
Feral pigeon


Bees Recorded:

2 Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)


Wasps, Ichneumon Wasps, Parasitic Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

My first Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris) of the year.

Hoverflies Recorded:
1 Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)


Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Many unidentified flies

General Shots:

A weather front approaching from the north.

And the ploughed field just west of the barn, which was very popular with the local corvids, Pied Wagtails, White Wagtails and Meadow Pipits.

Ted:

I think it's fair to say that Ted knows this walk like the back of his paw.

Ships Today:

This is the Maltese Ro-Ro Cargo Ship "Sixtine" on its way from Rotterdam to Dublin. More on this vessel here.

This is the British Trawler WY37 'Nicola-L' back out trawling along Portland's west coast. There is no info on this vessel but there is a close-up photo of her in Weymouth Harbour here.

This is the General Cargo Ship "Challenger" flying the flag of Antigua Barbuda. It is on its way from Goteborg (Denmark) to Port Everglades (USA). More on this vessel here.