5 Apr 25

Reap Lane Barn, West Cliff, Barleycrates Lane and Weston Street Horse Paddocks

My intention this morning was to visit The Bill and do a sea watch. Instead I ended up walking around Reap Lane, Barleycrates and Weston Street. And I am so pleased I did, as this morning was pretty exceptional with 100's of hirundines, dozens of Meadow Pipits, Wheatears, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers streaming up the island.

In amongst them I had 3 new bird species for my year list, a Whinchat at Reap Lane, a male Common Redstart at Barleycrates and 2 Yellow Wagtails over Reap Lane Barn, and 4 more feeding in the Horse Paddocks south of Weston Street here.

Birds Recorded:
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Skylark
300+ Sand Martin, House Martin & Swallow
100+ Meadow Pipit
Pied Wagtail
6 Yellow Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
4 Stonechat
1 Whinchat
1 Common Redstart
15+ Wheatear
Blackbird
1 Song Thrush
50+ Chiffchaff & Willow Warbler
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

One of the many Meadow Pipits passing through.

A Pied Wagtail.

Four Yellow Wagtails in the horse paddocks, Weston Street

A ringed male Stonechat.........

Unfortunately I couldn't read the ring.

A record shot of my first Whinchat this Spring

And better shots of my...........

...........first male Common Redstart of Spring.

A short video of the male Common Redstart.

And another video.

There were quite a few Wheatears about. Both..........

.............of these are males.


Escapees, Ferals, Possibles Etc
.
Feral pigeon


Butterflies Recorded:
10+ Small White

A Small White


Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)


General Shots:

Looking northeast towards Reap Lane Barns. The field here was full of Meadow Pipits, Wheatears and a Whinchat.


Ted:

He's not happy having his lead on.

4 Apr 25

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadows, Wakeham Railway Cuttings, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, Rufus Castle, The Cuttings Quarry. Silklake Quarry and Bumpers Lane.

After the early morning rain had cleared, it turned out to be another very sunny day. The only downer was that cold north-easterly which is still with us.

Highlights today were 2 Swallows, 2 Blackcaps, 4 Chiffchaff and my first 2 Willow Warblers for this Spring.


Birds Recorded:
2 Kestrel
Herring Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
1 Stock Dove
Wood Pigeon
2 Swallow
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
2 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaff
2 Willow Warbler
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
2 Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

A Kestrel hunting over Penns Weare.

A Stock Dove in Silklake Quarry


Escapees, Ferals, Possibles Etc
.
Feral pigeon


Reptiles Recorded:
1 Wall Lizard
1 Slow-worm

A Wall Lizard

My first Slow-worm of the year under one of the corrugated metal sheet along my walk.


Butterflies Recorded:
1 Peacock
3 Comma
5 white sp.

A Comma


Bees Recorded:
Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)
Hairy-footed Flower Bee (Anthophora plumipes)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

An Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)

A male Hairy-footed Flower Bee (Anthophora plumipes)


Hoverflies Recorded:
The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)
Common Copperback Hoverfly (Ferdinandea cuprea)
Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
Syrphus sp.

The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)

Common Copperback Hoverfly (Ferdinandea cuprea)

A Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)

A Syrphus sp.


Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Many unidentified flies
Face Fly (Musca autumnalis)

A fly sp.

A new species for my Portland List, Face Flies (Musca autumnalis) on an Alexanders in Penns Wood. This species breeds in cattle dung with the nearest cattle field a good mile away. More on this fly here.


Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
1 Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
1 Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus)

My first Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus) of the year. I also found a Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina), which "flew" off before I could photograph it.


Woodlice Crustaceans Recorded:
Common Rough Woodlouse (Porcellio scaber)

And another new beastie for my Portland List. This time a Common Rough Woodlouse (Porcellio scaber)


Plants in flower
:
Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)
Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)
Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)
Common Daisy (Bellis perennis)
Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Common Nettle (Urtica dioica)
Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)
Primrose (Primula vulgaris)
Russian Comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum)
Wild Cherry (Prunus avium)

Russian Comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum) in Penns Wood. It is a cross or hybrid of Common Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) and Rough Comfrey (Symphytum asperum)

Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa). Also known as Sloe

And this plant in..............

............flower is Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum). Also known as Red Robin, Death come quickly, Storksbill, Fox Geranium, Stinking Bob, Squinter-pip, Crow's Foot, or Roberts Geranium



Ted
:

Ted being very energetic.

And here waiting for a treat and a drink of water.


Ships Today
:

This is the British Fishing Boat - WH296 "Portland Isle" on its way back to Weymouth Harbour. More on this vessel Here and Here.

This is the British General Cargo Ship "Scot Bay" on its way from Amsterdam to Teignmouth. More on this vessel Here.


Aircraft Today:

This is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on its way from Bogota to London. More on this flight here.

3 Apr 25

Barleycrates Lane, West Cliff and Reap Lane Barn

With that bitter cold easterly wind coming across the island, I decided to head for the sheltered west side of Portland. It didn't make any difference at all!!

Highlights which were very few, were 6 Sand Martins, 2 House Martins (my first for the year), 20+ Swallows and 8 Meadow Pipits making their way alongside the west cliffs.

In amongst the Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) I came across 3 Chiffchaff.


Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
2 Skylark
6 Sand Martin
2 House Martin
20+ Swallow
8 Meadow Pipit
3 Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
3 Chiffchaff
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

Two Meadow Pipits making their way up the island.


Escapees, Ferals, Possibles Etc.
Feral pigeon


Bees Recorded:
4 Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)


Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Many unidentified flies
1 Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria)

A Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria) and a Small Black Ant (Lasius niger) on this flowering Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)


Ants Recorded:
Small Black Ant (Lasius niger)


Plants in flower:
Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)
Common Daisy (Bellis perennis)
Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus arvensis)
Wallflower (Erysimum cheiri)
Wild Cherry (Prunus avium)

Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) as far as the eye can see.

And lining the south side of Barleycrates lane are.......

................Wild Cherries (Prunus avium)


Ted
:

Its amazing what a treat can do.

2 Apr 25

Wakeham

I've been putting off for weeks now, but today the new lawn had a trim. But as per normal, after a good mow, I found plenty of other things to do in the garden.

I'm glad I chose today to stay at home as not only did two Chiffchaffs pass through, but a male Blackcap was singing (sub-song) from a couple of gardens down. Sadly it didn't stay long and headed up the island.

The wildflower garden is coming along well, and the whole area is covered in plants. I've just got to remember what seeds I threw over it.

Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Song Thrush
1 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch


Escapees, Ferals, Possibles Etc.
Feral pigeon


Bees Recorded:
3 Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
1 bee sp.

bee sp.


Hoverflies Recorded:
Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
Cheilosia sp.
A Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)

Cheilosia sp.




Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Many unidentified flies


Plants:
Red Dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum)
Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)
Common Daisy (Bellis perennis)
Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris)

The Wildflower Garden

The Wildflower Garden

The Wildflower Garden

Red Dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum)

Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)

Common Daisy (Bellis perennis)

Also in the Wildflower Garden are the following:
Borage (Borage officinalis)
Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra)
Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)
Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris)
Ox-Eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor)
Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas)
Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum)
Lesser Burdock (Arctium minus)


Ted:

What do you reckon Ted!!