This could well turn out to be my local patch on the island and for an hour this morning (10:30 - 11:30am) I tried out all the paths on this beautiful reserve. No sign of any Lizards today, but certainly plenty of other wildlife to enjoy, with a new addition to my list of birds in the shape of a Common Whitethroat, which gave me right churring as I passed it before it disappeared into the scrub.
Other highlights were a Kestrel catching voles, my first ever Dingy Skipper (and I managed to see 2), a Large Skipper, lots of Common Blues and a Small White.
There were a few other insects about and I managed to see 2 Bee mimic hoverflies. The species I saw had a white tail as opposed to a red tail and was Volucella plumata. Also about was what I think was a female Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis), A Dagger Fly probably Empis tessellata and either the caterpillar of a Five-Spot Burnet Moth (Zygaena trifolii) or Six-Spot Burnet Moth (Zygaena filipendulae), they are both similar looking.
Butterflies recorded: 1 Red Admiral, 5 Meadow Brown, 3 Small White, 2 Dingy Skippers, 1 Large Skipper and lots of Common Blues.
Moths recorded: Crambid sp.
Bees recorded: Red-tailed Bumblebees and possibly a Leaf-cutting Bee
Hoverflies recorded: 2 Volucella plumata (Bee mimic hoverfly)
Here are a few images from this morning:
A male Blackbird in the horse field behind the cottage.
A male Kestrel in hover mode.........
..........looks more like a bat here.
No doubting that its a male Kestrel.
A Buzzard was the only other raptor I saw on my travels.
The Young Offenders Institution as seen from the Butterfly Reserve.
And looking south towards the Lighthouse at the Bill.
Fantastic habitat for Common Blue butterflies and both Dingy and Large Skippers.
And even along the tight avenues of buddleia there were plenty of insects to be found.
A Common Blue
The underwing.........
.....and from above......
...........likewise.
A Large Skipper
A Dingy Skipper, my first ever and I came across 2 here.
A Bee mimic hoverfly - Volucella plumata
Possibly a Leaf-cutting Bee
A female Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis)
A Dagger Fly probably Empis tessellata
This I think either the larvae of a Five-Spot Burnet or Six-Spot Burnet Moth
Wakeham
Thank you to Wendy who sent this photo in of Bo (Blue and Orange 771). It appears that Bo a 12 year old Herring Gull has been a regular visitor to Wendy's kitchen on Portland for a good number of years now and is quite fond of cat food.
Bo is doing very well and is presently rearing 3 chicks a couple of doors down from me. See 7 Jun and 9 Jun.
Bo waits patiently for the cat to finish its meal.