What a difference a day makes. The rain and gale force winds of yesterday was replaced by warm sunshine and wall to wall blue skies. So not surprisingly there were lots of butterflies about albeit just Red Admirals and Large Whites, but they were out in abundance. Also noticeable were the large numbers of Ivy Bees, Honey Bees and Common Drone Flies on the Ivy flowers.
The warm sunshine also brought out the Wall Lizards with two sunbathing on the walls at St Andrews Church. Here in the trees was a large flock of tits, crests and warblers, with at least 20 Long-tailed Tits, 10 Chiffchaffs and 6 or more Goldcrests. The noise of them chattering away was quite noticeable as they moved about in the canopy.
Here are a few images from this afternoon:
Looking north towards Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door
Rufus Castle
Church Ope Cove
One of 20+ Long-tailed Tits seen in the grounds of St Andrew's Church
The "Tree of Life" so many birds feeding in it this afternoon
A Wall Lizard soaking up the Autumn sun.
There were quite a few Large White butterflies out today.
A Honey Bee
And the smaller Ivy Bee
Not a bee but a Common Drone Fly
A Bush-cricket minus a back leg.
The "Tree of Life" here on Portland. There were at least 20 Long-tailed Tits, 10 Chiffchaffs, 6 or more Goldcrests, Great Tits and Blue Tits all feeding in this tree.
Birds recorded were: 3 Buzzards, 1 Kestrel, 3 Herring Gull, 1 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 8 Swallow, 2 Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, 8 Robin, Blackbird, 8 Chiffchaff, 8 Goldcrest, 20+ Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch.
Birds recorded were: 3 Buzzards, 1 Kestrel, 3 Herring Gull, 1 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 8 Swallow, 2 Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, 8 Robin, Blackbird, 8 Chiffchaff, 8 Goldcrest, 20+ Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch.
Butterflies recorded: 12+ Red Admiral, 8 Large White and 2 Speckled Woods
Also seen: 2 Wall Lizards, Ivy Bees, Honey Bees, Common Drone Flies and a Bush-cricket sp.