28 Sep 20

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadow, Lower Horse Paddock, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Bumpers Lane, The Cuttings, The Cuttings Quarry, Rufus Castle, Penn's Copse, Penn's Weare, Church Ope Cove, Andrew's Church and Penns Wood

Another extended walk, in much cloudier conditions, though it feel much warmer now that the bitter northerly wind has now died down.

Main highlight today was an increase in Chiffchaffs numbers with at least 12 noted on my walk. One of the birds was really yellow with a very distinct black eye stripe. The Lower Horse Paddock is proving to be a bit of a magnet for migratory birds and along with the 5 Chiffchaffs, there was also a Goldcrest and 20+ Meadow Pipits.

Elsewhere there was a Blackcap at the top of Penns Wood where a Grey Wagtail flew over the tree tops towards the cove. No Siskins here today.

Here are a few images from today:

A Chiffchaff

And one in flight.

And another one. In fact I saw at least 12 today.

One of the many Robins on the island.

A juvenile Rosy Starling was seen on a bird table in Easton today Here, sadly it didn't join this large flock of Starlings in the Lower Horse Paddock

A Kestrel hovering over Church Ope Cove.

Lots of finches about especially Linnets and Goldfinches like this one. I also had a Greenfinch by Wakeham Meadows.

One of many Ivy Bees out today.

In fact there were dozens of them. Its been a good Autumn for them

A Common Dronefly

And another hoverfly this time an Eristalis arbustorum

A Lesser Hornet Hoverfly

This is a Turnip Sawfly on an umbellifer.

Lots of spiders about especially at this time of year. This one is a Garden Spider.

There is that Autumnal feel to Penns Wood. Leaves turning and falling. Hopefully a Yellow-browed Warbler will grace its presence here this year and the Firecrest of course.

And of course Ted, catching me up after a bit of exploring

Birds Recorded: Kestrel, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 12 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch and a Greenfinch

Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood and Red Admiral

Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum), White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)

Wasps Recorded: Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax), Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax), 1 Lesser Hornet Hoverfly (Volucella inanis) and an Eristalis arbustorum

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: 100's Cranefly and a Turnip Sawfly

Spiders Recorded: Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus)

Ships Today

This is the Maltese Cargo Ship "Palatine" on its way from Rotterdam to Dublin. More on this vessel Here.

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On this day

2019
Today's Sightings Here

2018
Today's Sightings Here.

2017
Today' Sightings Here.

27 Sep 20

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadow, Perryfield Quarry Butterfly Reserve, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, Rufus Castle, The Cuttings Quarry, Bumpers Lane and Lower Horse Paddock

A stretch of the legs today and didn't I know it, especially when its been awhile since I have walked up the 151 steps from the cove to Rufus Castle. At least it was another very clear and sunny day, but again for the third day running it was still blowing a gale.

Highlight today was coming across 2 Siskins in the tall fir tree at the top of Penns Wood. There have been hundreds coming across the Channel for weeks now, so it was great to see a couple stop off for break, before carrying on their northward journey.

Other highlights were my first Goldcrests of Autumn, both in Penns Wood where there were also 3 Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler.

Elsewhere there were 2 Chiffchaffs along the Old Quarry Lane, 1 alongside Perryfields Quarry Butterfly Reserve and 2 more just north of Rufus Castle.

Yet another good day for butterflies with dozens of Large Whites, Small Whites, Green-veined Whites and Red Admirals. No Wall or Clouded Yellow today, but I did come across 2 Small Coppers, 3 Common Blues, a Small Blue (I think), a single Meadow Brown and a few Speckled Woods.

More bees today and all on the Ivy, with the most numerous being Ivy Bees at several locations. Other bees noted were a few Honey Bees and White-tailed Bumblebees.

But for the greatest count of insects seen today, went to the hundreds and hundreds of Common Droneflies. Every flowering Ivy I came across was a mass of these hoverflies. In amongst them were a few Tapered Droneflies, Long Hoverflies, Marmalade Hoverflies and singles of Hornet Mimic Hoverfly and Dead Head Hoverfly.

Here are a few images and videos from from today:

It was a good day for Chiffchaffs with at least 8 seen and heard on my walk. This one has a Darvic ring on its right leg. I wonder what story that ring would tell.

With so many Siskins arriving on our shores.......

........I guess it was only a question of time before a couple stopped off for a meal.

Busy birds and it was a bit of an effort to keep up with this Siskin.

And another migrant. This time a Meadow Pipit with several others close by in the Lower Horse Paddock.

If isn't too cold and the sun is out, you are guaranteed a Wall Lizard or two. These were in the church grounds.

A Small Copper.

A really attractive looking butterfly

And another good day for Red Admirals. Lots everywhere.

And it was sunnier enough for these Common Blues. This is the male and......

.........here is a female.

Its not often you see more Ivy Bees than other bee species, but nearly.........

.........every flowering Ivy I came across had several of these amazing little bees.

Here are a couple more..........

..........photos. And........

............videos

Last one.

Despite there being hundreds of Droneflies I only managed one Dead Head Hoverfly

I'm not 100% certain but I think this relatively small hoverfly is an Eristalis arbustorum

I think the two female "white" butterflies on this buddleia are a battered Large White and on the right a Small White

Common Centaury, Centaurium erythraea

Common Toadflax, Linaria vulgaris (also known as Yellow Toadflax and Butter-and-eggs)

And finally Ted is very keen to keep on walking.

Though a lot later he seems to be tiring a bit.

Ahh that's what he needed.

And just prove he is fit again, here he is power lifting this railway sleeper with his back.

Blue Sea and blue skies at Church Ope Cove

Mammals Recorded: Grey Squirrel

Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 8 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, 2 Siskin and Goldfinch

Reptiles Recorded: 3 Wall Lizard

Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Small Copper and Common Blue

Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae) and White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)

Wasps Recorded: Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta), Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea), Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria), Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax), Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax) and a possible Eristalis arbustorum

Ships Today

This is a very very distant shot of the Passenger Ship "Explorer Of The Seas", flying the flag of the Bahamas. It is on  its way out into the English Channel. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Cypriot Cargo ship "Fri Kvam" on its way from Mukran (Denmark) to Bristol. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Liberian Cargo Ship "Colombian Star" on its way from Dakar (Senegal) to Portsmouth. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Cargo ship "Holstentor" flying the flag of Antigua Barbuda. It is on its way from Kiel (Denmark) to Cork. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Maltese Bulk Carrier "La Sauternais" anchored out in Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.

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On this day

2019
Today's Sightings Here

2018
Today's Sightings Here.

2017
Today' Sightings Here.

26 Sep 20

Lower Horse Paddock, Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve, Broadcroft Quarry Lane and Broadcroft Pools

Another bright sunny day, but still very windy and quite cool. Having said that whenever I was in the lee of the wind it did feel quite warm.

Highlights today went to the butterflies with my first Clouded Yellow of the year, plus dozens of Large Whites, Small Whites, Green-veined Whites and Speckled Woods. It wasn't just those either, as I came across a pristine Meadow Brown, at least 10 Red Admirals and a Common Blue

On the bird front I came across 5 Chiffchaff and 1 Swallow for migrants leaving our shores, whilst those arriving included 150+ Meadow Pipits in the Grove Recreation Field, 10 in the Lower Horse Paddock and 5 Siskins over the butterfly reserve.

In one of the smaller horse paddocks adjacent to Broadcroft Quarry Lane there were around 50 Linnet and a handful of Goldfinches feeding on fallen seed!!

Here are a few images and videos from today:

One of the many Meadow Pipits on the recreation field.

If they weren't feeding, they were sat all along the fence.

In one of the horse paddocks I came across 50+ Linnet and Goldfinches.

Just a few of the Linnets and a couple of Goldfinches in the background

There was certainly plenty of seeds in the paddock as this Linnet tucks into one.

Early days yet for migrants along Broadcroft Quarry Lane, but there's always a Dunnock along here somewhere.

Sometimes you have to take what you get. I had all the wrong camera settings, as this male Clouded Yellow suddenly appeared from nowhere. At one stage I thought I might have a bit of time to select the Shutter Speed Setting as the Clouded Yellow flew into a spiders web. However within seconds it had freed itself and was off. So we have a combination of an out of focus shot, a slow shutter speed and lots of movement as I tried to catch up with the Clouded Yellow as it headed north up Broadcroft Quarry Lane. More on this butterfly Here.

Another surprise was this Wall Brown in Butterfly reserve. Its been quite a few weeks since I saw my last one. Just a shame it wouldn't open its wings a bit more.

And a Meadow Brown which looks in absolutely pristine condition. Newly emerged maybe. I winder what generation it could be.

I came across at least 10 Red Admirals on my walk, so it was a bit annoying that the only one I could photograph had half a wing hidden.

And the Speckled Woods, a good dozen or more were recorded.

I'm not too sure when the "blue" butterflies finally disappear for the year, but female Common Blue was by the Broadcroft pools.

Oh what a poser

I dont think he can make up his mind, which is his best side.

Well Ted certainly seems happy enough sat on the rock.

Birds Recorded: Buzzard, Kestrel, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, 1 Swallow, 200+ Meadow Pipit, 20+ Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 5 Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, 5 Siskin and Goldfinch

Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Clouded Yellow, Wall Brown, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Red Admiral and Common Blue

Bees Recorded: Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) and Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)

Wasps Recorded: Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

Hoverflies Recorded: Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax) and Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)

Ships Today

This is the British Cargo Ship "Eddystone" on its way from Southampton to Devenport. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Cargo Ship "Mittelplate" flying the flag of Gibraltar. It is on its way from St Petersburg (Russia) to Newport. More on this vessel Here.

This is the British Destroyer "HMS Diamond" on its way around The Bill. More on this vessel Here.

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On this day

2019
Today's Sightings Here

2018
Today's Sightings Here.

2017
Today' Sightings Here.