Port and Wey: 2 Jul 17

Wakeham
A Brown Lacewing possibly micromus angulatus was on the net curtain when I got home from my walk. A very difficult species to ID from many other similar species, so a Brown Lacewing it will remain.

The forecast is dry tonight so the moth trap is out.

A Brown lacewing as to which species who knows!

South Coast Path
A slightly different walk today. From Bumpers Lane straight through to the cliff top path and down past the Portland Crags the cliff face the Rock Climbers use. And then just before Grove Cliffs I headed east to the World War 2 pillbox, via Penn's Wear and then back south to Church Ope Cove before doubling back past Rufus Castle and back home.

A lot of butterflies today with 11 species recorded: Red Admirals, Large Whites, Speckled Wood, Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns, Ringlets, both Large & Small Skippers, Small Heath and my first Gatekeeper and Small Copper this year.

A few moths, a Mother Shipton, a very worn Six-spot Burnet and a Hummingbird Hawk-moth the latter seen on the way up the steps to Rufus Castle.

A few insects about with a couple of species of Grasshoppers with possibly Common Green Grasshopper (Omocestus viridulus) and Meadow Grasshopper (Chorthippus parallelus). There were also what look like 2 different species of ants feeding on a Squashbug, possibly a Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus). One other insect seen was a Swollen-thighed Beetle.

There were a few bees about, with a lot of mining bees sp., White-tailed Bumblebees and Red-tailed Bumblebees.

Not too many birds about, but a pair of Rock Pipits, Blackcap and Common Whitethroat were good to find.

And the steps between Rufus Castle and Church Ope Cove are now my number one spot for Common Lizards, with a small spotted on the way back up.

Here are a few images from today:

My walk today

The track leading down to the WW2 Pillbox.

And looking back towards Grove Cliffs

Top centre there are some trees and behind them the outdoor bowling green. To the left of the trees you can just make out the leaning metal fence............

.....here's a closer view of it from below and click Here for the shot from above which I took on 9 Jun.

The WW2 Pillbox with Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove on the other side of the Bay.

An angler spinning from the rocks......

.....while a fishing boat returns to port.

My first Rock Pipit.........

.....he posed for ages.....

.....before joining his mate.

A Rock Pipit. Apologies for the sound quality, it was a breezy day.

Not the best of photographs but never-the-less my first Gatekeeper this year.

A pair of courting Small Skippers

A Speckled Wood......

.....and a beautiful looking Small Copper. Has to be one of my favourite butterflies.

The scabious was very popular with a faded Six-spot Burnet moth, a Swollen-thighed Beetle and a mining bee!

I just managed a quick shot of this Mother Shipton moth on a Pyramidal Orchid...

....and also managed two quick shots of.............

.......this Hummingbird Hawk-moth. They are so quick and though I've seen at least 3 or 4 on Portland, this was the first one I've managed to photograph. You can just see its proboscis as it feeds on a sedum.