The much needed rain finally arrived and in bucket loads, as Dawn and I popped into Weymouth. On the way back as the tide was receding at the Ferrybridge there were a few Mediterranean Gulls and a Great Black-backed Gull on the beach there. Along the waters edge a single Oystercatcher and overhead a Common Tern.
Church Ope Cove
With the forecast for heavy rain from late morning onwards it was out early this morning for a walk down to the Cove and back. In the cooler conditions there were only a handful of butterflies on the wing with just Meadow Brown, Gatekeepers and Ringlets about.
A Small Magpie moth (Anania hortulata) was a new addition to my moth list and was on nettles just above St Andrew's Church. Also new, at least 3 Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana) in the hedgerow along the steps from the Cove to Rufus Castle.
A few warblers about with 3 Chiffchaffs, 3 Blackcaps and 2 Common Whitethroats. Other birds recorded were: 4 Cormorant, 1 Kestrel, Herring Gull, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Dunnock, Robin, 4 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, Great Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 1 Raven, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch.
A few bees and wasps seen with at least 5 Common Wasps, 3 Red-tailed Bumblebees, 2 White-tailed Bumblebees and a Hill or Red-tailed Cuckoo-bee (Bombus rupestris). There were a few hoverflies and lots of Bluebottle Flies.
Here are a few images from this morning:
A Kestrel over Broadcroft Quarry
A female Blackbird on the steps leading up to Rufus Castle from Church Ope Cove
Also at Rufus Castle a Wren
One of quite a few Gatekeepers out today.
And another
A Small Magpie on a nettle just above St Andrew's Church
A Red-tailed Cuckoo-bee
A Common Wasp in flight.
A hoverfly sp.
A spider sp.
Still a lot of Pyramidal Orchids in flower