7 May 21

Portland Bird Observatory, Obs Quarry, Crown Estate Fields, Top Fields and Culverwell

A change of scenery today and an early afternoon walk around Portland's southern tip. Main highlight was a male Pied Flycatcher singing in the the front garden of the Obs. But try as I could, I just could not locate it and it just vanished into the trees.

I might not have seen the Pied Flycatcher, but it was lovely to hear it singing. Here is recording of one courtesy of Xeno-canto.

Other highlights were the number of Common Whitethroats singing from nearly every bush I passed. Also about were at least 11 Wheatear, along with singles of Whinchat and Chiffchaff. And it was great to see one of the Little Owls sat on its ledge in the Obs Quarry.

Overhead were small parties of Swallows, House Martins and a few Sand Martins heading up the island.

Here are a few images and videos from today:

Always popular with the visitors to the Obs Quarry. One of the Little Owls chilling out on its favourite ledge

There might have been a stiff south wind coming up the island, but it wasn't a problem for this Kestrel. They are real experts in holding there position above the ground whatever the wind strength. Well barring a hurricane of course.

A very distant shot of a Whinchat. Just the one seen, though I did hear there were several earlier in the day.

And it was definitely a Whitethroat fest today with at least 11 Common Whitethroats singing along my walk.

I'm pretty sure this is a Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)

And a very fluffy and well-groomed Ted.

Mammals Recorded: Rat

Birds Recorded: Kestrel, Pheasant, Herring Gull, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Skylark, Sand Martin, House Martin, Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, 1 Whinchat, 11 Wheatear, Blackbird, 11 Common Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Pied Flycatcher, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch

Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Small White and Speckled Wood

Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum) and Grey-patched Mining Bee (Andrena nitida)

Hoverflies Recorded: Spring Epistrophe (Epistrophe eligans)

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

Ships Today

This is the British Aircraft Carrier "HMS Queen Elizabeth" still off the tip of Portland. Apparently she will be taking part in an exercise off Scotland before departing for a tour of the Indo-Pacific region. More on this vessel Here and Here.

Beyond Portland Lighthouse is the British Replenishment ship "RFA Tiderace". More on this vessel Here.

This is the Liberian Container Ship "Independent Horizon" on its way from Southampton to Cork. More on this vessel Here.

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.

6 May 21

Ferrybridge, Portland Harbour and Hamm Beach

One of the problems of buying a second-hand car, is that sometimes you find something which isn't quite right. And so it was with the Kia I bought last Tuesday. The garage had washed it and waxed it prior to me driving it away, but so much water had leaked into the offside front light housing that a couple of Goldfish wouldn't have looked out of place swimming in it.

So it went back to the garage and whilst it was being looked at I walked from the Ferrybridge along The Fleet before crossing over and walking along the old railway track towards Hamm Beach. At the beach Dawn picked me up and later I returned to pick up the car.

Highlights were the dozens of Little Terns in the Fleet. There were so many I just couldn't keep count. In amongst them were at least 4 Sandwich Terns. There were no waders on the sandflats, though an Oystercatcher did fly over to the Portland Harbour side. Having said that when I picked my car up a lot later in the day, the tide was almost up to the Chesil Beach Visitors Centre and in the little bit of mud left were a dozen or so Dunlin and a Grey Plover.

Other birds of interest seen were a male Wheatear at Hamm Beach, several Swallows making their north and at least 3 male Meadow Pipits singing along with a pair of Skylarks.

Here are a few images and videos from this morning:

A pair of Sandwich Terns on one of the boat moorings. It's tipping

And here is one in flight.

There are dozens of Little Terns in the The Fleet. These two were quite content to sit on this boat mooring, but time...............

............males would come in with gifts, only to be.........

.........warned off by the male on the left. The fish is a Sandeel I believe.

Here are a dozen or so Little Terns having a wash and preen in the shallows.

At Hamm Beach was this very dark male Wheatear.

Here is a short video clip of it feeding

And all along the paths were Meadow Pipits with a few males singing.

And another.

And one more.

Alright this is the last one. Interesting markings on this bird, the contrast between the black and white patterns on the wing are quite pronounced.

Not a Meadow Pipit but one of the 2 Skylarks I found lurking in the low lying vegetation.

And finally it would have been a photo of Ted, but I hadn't realised at the time that I would be leaving my car at the garage. He would have enjoyed the walk. So this photo will probably be one of the last I take of the Ferrybridge Hotel, as it's about to be demolished. However not just yet, as the Police and the local Conservation Group thwarted the Building Company's attempt at a quick demolition, as a local conservationist had recorded birds nesting in the building and got them to stop. To right!!!

Wakeham

Early this morning a Peregrine Falcon flew very low over the back garden with a Pied Wagtail in pursuit.

Later in the day there was one hell of a commotion by the gulls just beyond the new housing estate behind us. I had hoped it was a raptor passing through. Sadly the new homes blocked off my view, but as I stood there, just hoping for a glance of the mystery bird, a Swift, my first of the year flew over my head.

And the Great Tits are still bringing nesting material to the nest box. This is going to be a late brood, which makes me think that they may possibly had lost the first nest elsewhere. Who knows!!

Birds Recorded today on my travels: Peregrine Falcon, Oystercatcher, 1 Grey Plover, 20+ Dunlin, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, 20+ Little Tern, 4 Sandwich Tern, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, 1 Swift, 2 Skylark, Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Wheatear, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch

Bees Recorded: Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.

5 May 21

Out and about

First stop this morning was to drop the dogs off at the groom room and then a bit DIY at Dawn's daughters flat. And then it was back to the Cottage to wait for the home delivery, which should have arrived at 6:00pm yesterday evening. And then it was back to pick the dogs up, so unfortunately there was no walk again today.

So after all the chores, it was a case of chilling out in the back garden, and literally chilling, especially with that bitter westerly, which at this time of year is normally quite mild.

With the cool conditions there wasn't much to see apart from a mouse, which saw me coming down the garden and made a quick dash for cover. The same happened when I got to the pond, I walked around the Lavender bush and spooked a Frog which made a huge leap from the lawn to the pond. It must be the deodorant I'm wearing!!

So apart from two critters making a run for it, I did manage to photograph some of the other creatures in the garden:

Here are a few images from today:

There are few ruffled feathers on this Blue Tit. It's just had a bath in the neighbours rain-filled wheelbarrow.

The Cherry blossom looks very tardy after the torrential rain and gale force winds from Monday night. At least there is still enough pollen for the bees like this Buff-tailed Bumblebee.

There were a few mining bees spotted in the garden this afternoon a solitary Chocolate Mining Bee and two of these Ashy Mining Bees.

May 2020, there were dozens of these Spring Epistrophe hoverflies about. There are very few this year with the below seasonal temperatures.

A kind neighbour gave a couple of cuttings back in December last year, of this beautiful plant called an African Daisy (Osteospermum). The cuttings which were only 15cm at the time, have doubled in size and now have 4 flowers on each.

Mammals Recorded: Mouse sp.

Birds Recorded on my travels today: Oystercatcher, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Skylark, Dunnock, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch

Amphibians Recorded: Frog

Butterflies Recorded: 1 Small White

Bees Recorded: 4 Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), Chocolate Mining Bee (Andrena scotica) and Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria)

Hoverflies Recorded: Spring Epistrophe (Epistrophe eligans)

Ships Today

Seen but not photographed, the British Aircraft Carrier "HMS Queen Elizabeth" was just off the tip of Portland as I made my return journey home. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me so the photo above was when she was in Weymouth Bay on 3 Dec 19. She will be taking part in an exercise off Scotland before departing for a tour of the Indo-Pacific region. More on this vessel Here and Here.

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.

4 May 21

Wakeham and Ferrybridge

Doesn't time fly the older you get. It was on this day back in 1976, that I joined the RAF as a photographer. And what an excellent career it was, until I left 33 years later.

A lot has happened in that time and when I was married, I had 4 wonderful children and then later became a Grandad 6 times over. Until today that is, when that became 7, when my eldest daughter gave birth to Miles Sinclair MacVine. Congratulations to Laura, Jack and their eldest son Noah.

It was also a day when I was stuck at home waiting for 3 home deliveries and then managed to get away later in the day to pick up my "new" second-hand car, before the last delivery was due.

Consequently there was no walk today and the only birds of note were a 30+ waders (presumably Dunlin) and a couple of Little Terns I managed to see as I crossed over Ferrybridge.

At home the Great Tits are still bringing nesting material to the nest box and after last nights gale force winds, which peaked at 55mph, the bees are really struggling to find any pollen on the battered Cherry Tree.

So here's a photo of the new car

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.

3 May 21

Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, Rufus Castle, Bumpers Lane, Broadcroft Quarry Lane and Lower Horse Paddock

With the forecast of rain and gale force winds today, I made sure I got a walk in before the approaching front arrived. Even before the rain had arrived, that south-westerly wind had a right chilly bite to it.

Main highlights today were a Blackcap and Chiffchaff both singing in Penns Wood. Elsewhere the Long-tailed Tits are now feeding youngsters in their nest on the southwest facing slopes at Church Ope Cove, and there were more advanced Long-tailed Tit fledglings in Penns Wood along with juvenile Robins.

Here are a few images and a video from today:

We're into the month of May and it feels like December. It was very cold and windy at the cove today, and it was pretty difficult trying to keep the camera steady, hence the horizon swaying from side to side. Where are those kwells!!

A male Blackbird in Penns Wood

There are a few very vocal Wrens about at the moment.

A Grey-patched Mining Bee (Andrena nitida) on an Alexanders in Penns Wood.

And another Grey-patched Mining Bee, also on Alexanders, but this one was by Rufus Castle. And I did check both for orange-tips, just in case one or both were Andrena haemorrhoa.

In the gardens of Pennsylvania Castle this old tree stump is sprouting bracket toadstools. I believe these are Dryad's Saddle Bracket fungi, Polyporus squamosus

It appears in the Summer and once insects start to devour it, it can disappear within days. More on this fungi Here.

And of course Ted.

Birds Recorded: 1 Buzzard, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch

Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) and Grey-patched Mining Bee (Andrena nitida)

Ships Today

This is the Bermudian Passenger Ship "Queen Elizabeth" on its way out of Weymouth Bay into the English Channel. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Bermudian Passenger Ship "Ventura" on its way of Weymouth into the English Channel. More on this vessel Here.

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.

2 May 21

Wakeham

The Trail Camera was out last night, but all was quiet until this morning, when the pond and water fountain were visited by Goldfinches, House Sparrows and a Willow Warbler.

I did wonder if this Willow Warbler would drop down to the pond. As I was feeding the ducks I saw it in the Cherry Tree and next second it was on the ground somewhere.

Lower Horse Paddock, Broadcroft Quarry Lane and Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve

Later I took Ted for a walk around the Butterfly Reserve and was quite surprised by the number of Common Whitethroats singing. I counted at least 8 birds, but there could well have been more. Also on the reserve were singles of Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler.

As I crossed the quarry lane to get to the west reserve, 2 Yellow Wagtails flew overhead and were heading west. Later a single bird was over the Lower Horse paddock.

From the moment I stepped out of the front door of the cottage, to the time I got back an hour later there was a continuous passage of Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins in loose flocks heading north over the fields and reserve.

Also about were many Honey Bees, especially on the Gorse Flowers and I also came across two Orange-tips. The first was an Orange-tip Mining Bee in the lanes and the second a male Orange-tip Butterfly in the horse paddock. The latter my first for the year.

One of many Wrens I came across on my walk and most were singing very loudly

There were a good number of Common Whitethroats on the Butterfly Reserve with 5 on the east reserve and 3 on the west reserve, plus there were 2 in the Lower Horse paddock. Here is one singing from within a bush. 

When they have familiar markings on them, identifying andrena bees is quite simple. If only!! This individual has an orange-tip to its abdomen and is one I'm familiar with. This is an Orange-tip Mining Bee and also goes by the name of Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa)

As Spring advances, so different species of hoverfly start to appear. This is a Spring Epistrophe (Epistrophe eligans)

If Ted isn't trying to catch me up, he's..........

........forever sticking his head down a Bunny burrow.

Birds Recorded: Buzzard, Kestrel, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Sand Martin, House Martin, Swallow, Pied Wagtail, 3 Yellow Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 10 Common Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch and Greenfinch

Butterflies Recorded:1 Orange-tip, Large White, Small White and Speckled Wood

Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) and an Orange-tip Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa)

Hoverflies Recorded: Spring Epistrophe (Epistrophe eligans) and Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.

1 May 21

Wakeham

Today was spent in the garden cleaning out the two duck houses and having a general tidy up of the flower borders etc. While I was pottering away I thought I would set up the Trail Camera to see if there were any visitors to the pond

It was quite an eye opener when I checked the camera later, that in the time I was in the garden there had been a Wood Pigeon, Blackbird, a Common Whitethroat, a Magpie and a pair of House Sparrows all in and around the pond and water cascade. It does make me wonder what else has been in the garden.

Elsewhere in the garden, the female Great Tit is still bringing nesting material to the nest box and the Goldfinches are now regular visitors to the feeders especially as they all have niger seeds in them.

Just one butterfly seen, a Large White, and when I grabbed a bag of hay for the ducks, I disturbed a couple of moths which were resting in the Den.

The Cherry Tree is even busier now with more Honey Bees and Buff-tailed Bumblebees visiting it.

Here are a few images and videos from today:

The back garden is turning into a right oasis, especially around the pond..........

........where there was a brief visit by a Common Whitethroat.

And these Goldfinches are now regular visitors to the feeders.

As I was grabbing a bag of hay from the Den this moth and another flew up onto the roof. One to ID later.

Huey and Louisa our Khaki Campbell ducks having a good old preen as their pool fills up.

Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Common Whitethroat, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch

Butterflies Recorded: 1 Large White

Moths Recorded: To be ID'd

Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) and Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

Hoverflies Recorded: Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.