8 Aug 18

Portland Bird Observatory and Pasture Field

Its been awhile since I last visited the Obs and on arrival it was great to see a Painted Lady, 2 Red Admirals and 2 Wall Browns in the garden. Overhead were dozens of Swallows, with several feeding on insects just inches off the road surface on the main road at the Obs entrance.

Nothing to report from the Obs Quarry other than singles of Great Tit, Blackbird and a Skylark on the edge.

On the newly acquired pasture fields (See PBO Entry 27 Jul 18 Here) there were just a few butterflies seen, which didn't come as a surprise as the grass here is absolutely parched. What I did find were a few Common Blue Butterflies and several Meadow Browns.

Also on the field just one Six-spot Burnet moth and a Lime-speck Pug (Eupithecia centaureata) which was a bit of a surprise. Quite a few bees with a majority being Red-tailed Cuckoo-bees (Bombus rupestris) and a few Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum).

Here are few images from this afternoon:

A Painted Lady in the Obs garden

Also here a Red Admiral.......

.......and one the two Wall Browns flitting around the paths and walls.

On the overhead telephone wires a few Swallows were having a rest whilst others.........

.........were flying up and down......

.......the road at the Obs entrance........

........catching insects........

........just inches from the surface.

Here a youngster has a go at catching insects.

A Wall Brown on the brambles on the way to the Obs Quarry.

The Obs Quarry with PBO in the background. It wont be long I'm sure, before this quarry will be filled with migrants such as warblers and other delights such as Wrynecks, stopping off for a break before heading off over the Channel to their winter quarters.

.......plus several Meadow Browns

A faded Six-spot Burnet moth. Just the one seen.

A Lime-speck Pug was an unexpected find.

As above

And another shot.

A male Red-tailed Cuckoo-bee. A very numerous bumblebee on Portland

This is Greater Knapweed (Centaurea scabiosa) and found growing in dry grasslands. Well its certainly very dry in these fields.