Portland Bird Observatory, Hut Fields, Portland Bill and Obs Quarry
It was a trip to the Bill today to see what was about. The main highlight was coming across a lone Purple Sandpiper sat on a rock just east of Portland Lighthouse.
Other highlights were hundreds of Gannets feeding in the Races, three Redwings in the lane south of the Obs, where there was also a male Blackcap.
Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadows, Wakeham Wildlife Site, Wakeham Railway Cuttings, The Mermaid Track and Wakeham Railway Cuttings (east)
After yesterdays extended walk, it was back to normal with a walk around my local patch. There are still a couple of Chiffchaffs about, one along Old Quarry Lane and the other along the Mermaid Track. The one along the Wakeham Railway Cuttings (east) appears to have moved on.
What was noticeable today was an increase Blackbird numbers especially around the Wildlife Site were there 5 together.
Along Wakeham Railway Cuttings (east) there were 3 Siskins in a Sycamore tree.
And I came across a Honey Bee on a Lavender along the footpath which runs through Glen Caravan Park. This is the first one I have seen since 25 Oct, so they are still about.
Common Wasp numbers are dropping, but then there was definitely a nip in the air. No doubt if the wind died down a bit and the sun came out, I'm sure their numbers would increase. Yet again there were a few queens noted.
Mammals Recorded: 2 Grey Squirrel 1 Brown Rat
Two Grey Squirrels in Glen Caravan Park
Also in the caravan park a Brown Rat
Birds Recorded: 1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
Herring Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
Dunnock
Robin
10+ Blackbird
2 Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
3 Siskin
Goldfinch
A Blue Tit in the Wildlife Site
Along Wakeham Railway Cuttings (east) there were these 3 Siskins in sat in this Sycamore tree. On the far right is a female and the other two are males.
And sat above the Siskins was this Goldfinch
Escapees, Ferals, Possibles Etc. Feral pigeon
Well I keep saying I see them. So here's one in Glen Caravan Park, which looks like a good candidate for a Rock Dove. Sadly it isn't, but it's pretty close. The main difference is the size of the white cere which is much larger on these feral birds. Also the legs are a lot pinker, and if we could see the rump, and it was white then it could be a Rock Dove. However, the large cere and pink legs are two good indicators that this is a feral pigeon. More on these features Here, and some great examples of both rock and feral Here.
Bees Recorded: 1 Honey Bee Apis mellifera
A Honey BeeApis mellifera on a LavenderLavandula sp. in Glen Caravan Park.
Wasps, Ichneumon Wasps, Parasitic Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded: 10+ Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
A Common WaspVespula vulgaris and most likely a queen judging by the size of it.
And another possible queen Common Wasp
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: A few unidentified flies
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: 2 Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina 2 Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis - form succinea
Two Common Green ShieldbugsPalomena prasina..............
............in their usual spot next to the smaller of the two meadows.
This Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis - form succinea decided to land on my jacket.
Slugs and Snails Recorded: Garden Snail Cornu aspersa Black Slug Arion ater agg
Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadows, Wakeham Wildlife Site, Wakeham Railway Cuttings, The Mermaid Track, Wakeham Railway Cuttings (east), Shepherds' Dinner, Yeolands Pool, Bumpers Lane, Silklake Quarry, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve, Higher Horse Paddock and Lower Horse Paddock
I had an extended walk today and finally discovered where Yeolands Quarry Pool is situated. This pool in Broadcroft Quarry here, has been an excellent spot to see Red-veined Darters on Portland. I have only ever seen one on Portland here and one in Majorca here., but it looks like I will be visiting this pool quite a few times from Spring onwards.
Highlights today were 1 Meadow Pipit and 2 Pied Wagtail in the butterfly reserve and 3 Chiffchaff, one along Old Quarry Lane, one along Wakeham Railway Cuttings (east) again and a third one on the edge of the Lower Horse Paddock.
Just one butterfly seen, a Red Admiral along Old Quarry Lane.
There were no bees seen, but I did come across many Common Wasps with at least 4 queens noted.
Just two hoverflies seen, a Common Dronefly and a Marmalade Hoverfly
On the bug front just one Common Green Shieldbug, and I came across all three forms of Harlequin Ladybirds
Birds Recorded: 1 Buzzard 1 Kestrel Herring Gull 8 Great Black-backed Gull Wood Pigeon Collared Dove 1 Meadow Pipit 2 Pied Wagtail Dunnock Robin Blackbird 2 Chiffchaff Great Tit Blue Tit Wren Magpie Carrion Crow Jackdaw 30+ Starling House Sparrow Chaffinch Linnet Goldfinch
A Common Buzzard...............
..................over Penns Weare.
A Great Black-backed Gull heading south.
Escapees, Ferals, Possibles Etc. Feral pigeon
Butterflies Recorded: 1 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
Wasps, Ichneumon Wasps, Parasitic Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded: 20+ Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
A large Common WaspVespula vulgaris, possibly a queen.
A Common DroneflyEristalis tenax catching the last lot of sunshine before the clouds moved in.
A Marmalade HoverflyEpisyrphus balteatus
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: A few unidentified flies Locust Blowfly Stomorhina lunata
#1 - fly sp.
#2 - fly sp.
#3 - fly sp.
A Locust BlowflyStomorhina lunata.
#1 - fly sp.
#2 - fly sp.
#3 - fly sp.
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: 1 Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina 7 Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis - form succinea 1 Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis - form spectabilis 1 Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis - form conspicua
Just the one Common Green ShieldbugPalomena prasina found today
Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis - form succinea
Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis - form succinea
Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis - form succinea
Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis - form succinea
Two Harlequin LadybirdsHarmonia axyridis - form succinea
Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis - form spectabilis
And a Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis - form conspicua. Or is it!! Form conspicua would normally have a black dot in the red spot. But some don't. What a complex family Harlequins are.
...........turning on this Field MapleAcer campestre
Other Plants:
Brown Knapweed Centaurea jacea
Hawkweed Oxtongue Picris hieracioides
Honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum
Ivy Hedera helix
Large Bindweed Calystegia silvatica
Wild Clematis Clematis vitalba
Yellow-wort Blackstonia perfoliata
Mayweed Tripleurospermum sp. or Matricaria chamomilla
Bulrushes Scirpoides holoschoenus
Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus
White Potato Vine Solanum laxum 'Album'
Common NettleUrtica dioica
At Shepherds' Dinner I found this Yellow-wortBlackstonia perfoliata
And this large clump of flowers is either..........
....................Sea MayweedTripleurospermum maritimum, Scentless MayweedT. inodorum or Scented MayweedMatricaria chamomilla. More on these plants here.
On the edge of Yeolands Pool are these Bulrushes Scirpoides holoschoenus
What was odd about the large bed of Nasturtiums Tropaeolum majus was that there weren't any caterpillars of the Large or Small White butterflies munching it. Even at this time of year I would have expected to have seen a few.
Over hanging the path alongside the Lower Horse Paddock these...........
............White Potato VinesSolanum laxum 'Album' were flowering well.
A large patch of..............
................Common NettlesUrtica dioica.
General Shots:
Yeolands Pool...................
......................situatedhere in Broadcroft Quarry.
Ted:
Ted was really going for it today. So much energy!!
Ships today:
This is the Liberian Container Ship "Zeus Lumos" on its way from Singapore to Felixstowe. More on this vessel here.
This is the Portuguese Container Ship "Fine Schepers" on its way from Ringaskiddy (Ireland) to Zeebrugge (Belgium). More on this vessel here.
This is the Maltese Ro-Ro Cargo Ship "Leonine" on its way from Zeebrugge to Dublin. More on this vessel here.
And my mystery vessel today is!!!
This is the British Offshore Support Vessel "RFA Proteus" anchored up in Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel here.
This is the Panamanian Vehicles Carrier "Grand Sapphire" on its way from Southampton to Jebel Ali (United Arab Emirates). More on this vessel here.
