1 Jul 25

Wakeham

It was another scorcher of a day on the island. And very fortunately not as hot as it was inland with temperatures in excess of 30C. Highlights from the back garden were several Swifts screeching above Wakeham.

Other highlights were the sheer numbers of hoverflies about, especially on and around my neighbours Buckthorn Rhamnus sp. Most were Marmalade Hoverflies Episyrphus balteatus, but there were also many smaller hoverflies I have yet to ID.


Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
7+ Swift
Dunnock
Blackbird
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

This male Blackbird was finishing off the last remaining cherries on our Cherry Tree in the back garden.

Escapees, Ferals, Possibles Etc.
Feral pigeon


Butterflies Recorded:
3 Large White Pieris brassicae
2 Small White Pieris rapae
2 Green-veined White Pieris napi
2 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
1 Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
1 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta

A Green-veined White Pieris napi having...............

............. a drink from the "Tractor Tyre" pond.

A Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria hiding in the neighbours Buckthorn Rhamnus sp.

Moths Recorded:
1 Orange-spot Tansy Moth Dichrorampha flavidorsana

An Orange-spot Tansy Moth Dichrorampha flavidorsana

Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Honey Bee Apis mellifera
Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
Colletes sp.

A Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum homing in...............

.................on this species of nightshade which has been climbing up my neighbours Buckthorn and is now overhanging our garden. It's not Deadly Nightshade Atropa belladonna, but Bittersweet Solanum dulcamara.

A Colletes sp.

Wasps, Ichneumon Wasps, Parasitic Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
2 Wasp sps.

A very tiny wasp sp. I think!

I was photographing this "bug" on the leaf, when this wasp flew in. Little bugs are right up their street for a meal, but fortunately for the bug the wasp was heading elsewhere. I suspect the wasp is either a Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris or less likely a German Wasp Vespula germanica.

Hoverflies Recorded:
1 Dead Head Hoverfly Myathropa florea
2 Long Hoverfly Sphaerophoria scripta
20+ Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
20+ hoverflies sp.

#1 - hoverfly sp.

#2 - hoverfly sp.

#3 - hoverfly sp.

#4 - hoverfly sp.

#5 - hoverfly sp.

A Dead Head Hoverfly Myathropa florea

A Long Hoverfly Sphaerophoria scripta on an Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare

And another Long Hoverfly leaving this Common Daisy Bellis perennis in the lawn.

A Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus heading towards a Red Valerian Centranthus ruber

And another Marmalade Hoverfly. And..........

...............last one.

#1 - hoverfly sp.

#2 - hoverfly sp.

#2 - hoverfly sp.

#3 - hoverfly sp.

#4 - hoverfly sp.

#5 - hoverfly sp.

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Many unidentified flies
Greenbottle Lucilia sp.
#1 - fly sp.

A Greenbottle Lucilia sp.

#1 - fly sp.

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:

1 bug sp.
1 Great Willowherb Plant Bug Dicyphus epilobii 

A Bug sp.

As above.

And the bug which was living a charmed life..........

..........was a Great Willowherb Plant Bug Dicyphus epilobii AKA Hairy Willowherb Plant Bug

Plants:
Buckthorn Rhamnus sp.
Buddleia Buddleja davidii
Crown Daisy Glebionis coronaria
Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare


General Shots:

The "Tractor Tyre" pond in 2018 and........

..................today

30 Jun 25

Wakeham

Dawn and I decided that the groundwork for the new outbuildings could wait a few days. Mainly because of the heat today and exhaustion from yesterday.

So instead we did a bit pruning, tying back a few plants and a general tidy up.

Main highlight today was a Chiffchaff, which landed on the fence next to the wildflower patch, before flying up and into the neighbours Hazel tree, which was covered in dozens of hoverflies and flies.

Also noted was another Ringlet, flitting about in the garden. And having topped up both ponds it was good to see that there was at least one Palmate Newt in the "Tractor Tyre" pond.


Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Chiffchaff
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
1 Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

This Collared Dove was about to land on top of the feeders. As soon as it realised I was sat next to it, it was off.

As I was sat in my chair this juvenile Dunnock popped up onto the fence next to me.

A nice surprise in the garden was this Chiffchaff passing through.

Escapees, Ferals, Possibles Etc.
Feral pigeon


Amphibians Recorded:
1 Palmate Newt Lissotriton helveticus


Butterflies Recorded:
2 Large White Pieris brassicae
1 Small White Pieris rapae
1 Green-veined White Pieris napi
1 Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
1 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta

A Green-veined White Pieris napi and.............

............another.

Moths Recorded:
1 Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba

A Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba which I disturbed when I was weeding the Rose Garden.

Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Honey Bee Apis mellifera
Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
Colletes sp.

A Colletes sp.

Hoverflies Recorded:

Common Banded Hoverfly Syrphus ribesii.
20+ Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus

Obsidentify seems quite sure that this is a Common Banded Hoverfly Syrphus ribesii.

One of 20+ Marmalade Hoverflies Episyrphus balteatus in the garden.

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Heleomyzid fly Suillia variegata

Common Stiletto Thereva nobilitata

Greenbottle Lucilia sp.

While I was photographing the Marmalade Hoverflies on the Oak leaves, I came across this Heleomyzid fly Suillia variegata. A new fly for my list

And another new fly for my list was this Common Stiletto Thereva nobilitata

Greenbottle Lucilia sp.

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
None

29 Jun 25

Wakeham

It was a day spent in the back garden, preparing the ground for the new Shed and Summer House. Thankfully I had Dawn helping me, as it is quite a big task, and one which I probably shouldn't be undertaking. But it would be brilliant if we could have it completed for when I come out of hospital. whenever that might be!!

Highlight on the wildlife front was a Bullfinch (sex unknown) calling from next doors Hazel Tree and then flying off. All I got to see was a Bullfinch silhouette against the sun and hearing it call as it flew west. We don't get too many Bullfinches on Portland so a good tick for the year on the island.


Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
1 Bullfinch


Escapees, Ferals, Possibles Etc.
Feral pigeon


Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:
Hawker sp. - flew over the garden at speed.


Butterflies Recorded:
3 Large White Pieris brassicae
2 Small White Pieris rapae
2 Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus - I don't recall ever seeing Ringlets in the garden. Today there were two.
1 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta


Moths Recorded:
1 Common Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana
1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum - As I was stood by the wildflower patch one flew up to me head and disappeared very quickly.


Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum
Honey Bee Apis mellifera

A bee sp. coming into land on a on Purple Loosestrife Lythrum salicaria. To the far right is a Trivial Plant Bug Closterotomus rivialis.

Wasps, Ichneumon Wasps, Parasitic Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
1 Wasp sp.


Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
White-footed Hoverfly Platycheirus albimanus
Mega Syrph Megasyrphus erraticus

A Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus sat on the leaf of a Pellitory-of-the-wall Parietaria judaicais. Which reminds me to keep an eye out for the Pellitory Beauty moth Cosmopterix pulchrimella  More on this moth here where I photographed one last year.

A White-footed Hoverfly Platycheirus albimanus on Purple Loosestrife. Other names this hoverfly goes by are Grey-spotted Sedgesitter and Grey-spotted Boxer. It's just as well the Latin name remains constant.

A hoverfly I became aware of a week ago today is this Mega Syrph Megasyrphus erraticus. More on this very large Syrphus hoverfly here.

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
#1 - fly sp.

Pouting Woodlouse-fly Rhinophora lepida

 #1 - fly sp.

 #1 - fly sp.

A Pouting Woodlouse-fly Rhinophora lepida.

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
3 Trivial Plant Bug Closterotomus rivialis
Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis

A Trivial Plant Bug Closterotomus rivialis also on on Purple Loosestrife

And another Trivial Plant Bug sat on the flowerhead of a Common Evening-primrose Oenothera biennis.

A Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis in a California Poppy Eschscholzia californica

Spiders Recorded:
Flower Spider Misumena vatia

Not sure if this is the same Flower Spider Misumena vatia from last week but it/another is sat in an Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare