With cooler cloudier weather today I decided to see what was coming in off the sea. It was certainly busy just west of the Pulpit, with hundreds of Herring Gulls sat 200 metres off the west cliffs, where there were dozens of Guillemots and Razorbills flying out to sea and presumably returning with food for youngsters! Also noted were a few Gannets and Cormorants heading east.
Coming straight off the sea though, were plenty Swallows and a handful of Sand Martins, which having reached land simply carried on up the island.
Around the Observatory a small number of Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and a lone Blackcap suddenly appeared and within a few minutes were gone. It was certainly all go!!
Also noted was a bull Grey Seal which having worked its way down to the Obelisk from the Red Crane, disappeared out of sight. The only butterfly seen today was a Speckled Wood in the Obs front garden.
Mammals Recorded:
1 Grey Seal
Birds Recorded:
4 Gannet
3 Cormorant
1 Oystercatcher
Herring Gull
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
5 Great Black-backed Gull
12 Razorbill
20+ Guillemot
Wood Pigeon
Skylark
5 Sand Martin
20+ Swallow
2 Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
1 Blackcap
10+ Chiffchaff/Willow Warbler
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
2 Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
4 Gannet
3 Cormorant
1 Oystercatcher
Herring Gull
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
5 Great Black-backed Gull
12 Razorbill
20+ Guillemot
Wood Pigeon
Skylark
5 Sand Martin
20+ Swallow
2 Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
1 Blackcap
10+ Chiffchaff/Willow Warbler
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
2 Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
A Gannet heading east.
A lone Oystercatcher...............
............just up from the Red Crane.
Something has caught its attention!!
In amongst the Herring Gulls was this adult Lesser Black-backed Gull with its bright yellow legs.
Behind the two Herring Gulls are two adult Great Black-backed Gulls.
Razorbills congregating close to The Pulpit
Two Guillemots heading back to the West Cliffs
A male Pied Wagtail.
A Willow Warbler in amongst the Blackthorn next to the Obs.
Escapees, Ferals, Possibles Etc.
Feral pigeon
Feral pigeon
Butterflies Recorded:
1 Speckled Wood
1 Speckled Wood
Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
On these Bluebells were this Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) and.......
.........................Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
Hoverflies Recorded:
1 Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
1 Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Many unidentified flies
Many unidentified flies
Plants:
Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)
Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)
Common Daisy (Bellis perennis)
Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Common Hawkweed (Hieracium vulgatum)
Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus arvensis)
Thrift (Armeria maritima)
Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)
Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)
Common Daisy (Bellis perennis)
Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Common Hawkweed (Hieracium vulgatum)
Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus arvensis)
Thrift (Armeria maritima)
This is Thrift (Armeria maritima) and is.............
............also known as Sea Pink.
Ships Today:
This is the British Fishing Boat PO1 "Pearl May". There is no further info on this vessel or.......
........this British Fishing Boat BL1 "Sole Trader II".