A 2 hour walk on the route below was a bit disappointing on the bird front with the only Spring migrants being 3 Chiffchaffs. The Hoopoe seen in Combefield Quarry early this morning was impossible to find, the quarry is huge.
So it was on the reptile front where the main highlights of the day came from, with a Wall Lizard in the grounds of St Andrew's Church and and a Slow-worm in Combefield Quarry.
Where there was shelter from the stiff southerly wind I came across 4 Peacock butterflies and lots of Honeybees.
A Linnet keeps a watchful eye on me as I walked along Bumpers Lane. There was a small flock of around 8 birds here, with lots of males singing.
...........It originates from the Mediterranean region and is believed to have been brought to London in 1640 with imported marble slabs from Italy. It was grown in gardens and has since escaped and become naturalised and very common throughout the UK.
Portland Spurge, Euphorbia portlandica. Who would have thought that living on Portland we would have our own Spurge named after it. However the name came about as it was discovered here. Interestingly enough it isn't that common on Portland, you would have to travel Durlston to find larger concentrations.
Any raptor passing overhead is fair game as this Buzzard found out over Church Ope Cove. It even had a Kestrel attack it.
I believe this a Southern Pill Woodlouse, Armadillidium depressum. There were several on the coastal path between Church Ope Cove and Cheyne Weare.
I can't make up my mind as to whether this is a Common Froghopper (Philaenus spumarius) or Neophilaenus lineatus. The latter would, by virtue of its name, have a pale line running down the outside edge of the forewing. One to ask the experts!! In fact it's neither and apparently this is a member of the Cicadellidae family and there are two Mocydiopsis species which are very similar - Mocydia crocea and Mocydiopsis attenuata. Now I'm no expert but mine does look more like the leafhopper Mocydia crocea. More on these Here.
If you ever find corrugated sheets lying around, there's always a chance of finding a Slow-worm warming up underneath. If you do lift a sheet up and there is one there, please remember to replace it gently.
This is one of the tiniest bees I think I've ever come across and was no more than a few millimetres in length, collecting pollen from inside a Buttercup.........
...... it is possibly a female Bull-headed Furrow Bee, Lasioglossum zonulum. This is a large family of bees, so it could quite easily be one of the other Lasioglossum. However Lasioglossum zonulum are found along the south coast so a good chance.
Across at Southwell something grabbed the attention of these Herring Gulls. There must have been up to 60 birds all milling around the field in front of the houses there. We will never know.
And finally a Honeybee immersed in pollen. I hope she can find the hive with that amount of pollen covering her eyes.
Here are a few images from today:
Today's Walk
This is Ivy-leaved Toadflax, Cymbalaria muralis and was on the rocky wall by Rufus Castle...........
Poised and ready to spring into action.......
........this Kestrel did just that......
........swooping low and fast......
.........it ponced on a worm.
You do have to ask yourself how on earth did it see that worm!!!!
Birds recorded: 1 Buzzard, 3 Kestrel, Black-headed Gull, 60+ Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 3 Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 1 Raven, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch.
Also seen: 1 Wall Lizard, 1 Slow-worm, 4 Peacock butterflies, Honeybees, Common Drone fly, Southern Pill Woodlouse (Armadillidium depressum), Leafhopper (Mocydia crocea) and possibly a Bull-headed Furrow Bee (Lasioglossum zonulum)