1 Apr 19

Wakeham Wood, Penns Wood, Church Ope Cove, Bumpers Lane and Broadcroft Quarry Pools.

Still sunny but a fresher feel to the weather with a cold easterly wind blowing in.

Main highlight was a strange call from a bird behind the pools. Almost Reed Bunting like, but not one I've heard before. In fact there may well have been two birds, but a search around Bumpers Lane and Broadcroft Quarry Lane revealed nothing. Hmm!!

Also at the pools a single Swallow passed over me along with 2 Meadow Pipit. All heading north.

Very few birds about with just two singing Chiffchaffs, one at Wakeham Wood and the other at Church Ope Cove. A Sparrowhawk was on a mission over Penns Wood and dived down into the woods.

Along the coast path past Rufus Castle I came across an Ichneumon sarcitorius on one of the Alexanders. Here and a few other locations were several 7-spot Ladybirds.

A Small Tortoiseshell flew across in front of me as I walked up Bumpers Lane and elsewhere there were a few Peacock butterflies.

Here are a few images from this afternoon:

Penns Wood

Wall Lizard

Both of these were in the grounds of St Andrew's Church

This is an Ichneumon sarcitorius and was on........

.........this Alexanders close to Bumpers Lane.

My first one on Portland was in the Top Fields last May, so its fairly widespread.

Birds Recorded: 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, 1 Swallow, 2 Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch.

Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizards

Butterflies Recorded: 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 6 Peacock and 2 Green-veined White.

Also Recorded: Buff-tailed Bumblebees, dozens of Syrphus Sp. hoverflies, 7-spot Ladybirds and an Ichneumon sarcitorius wasp.

Ships Today

The best shot I could get as this Vehicles Carrier 'Comet Ace' was in the haze far out to sea. It is flying the flag of Panama and on its way from Ijmuiden, Holland to Santander, Spain. More on this vessel Here.

Note:
On my walk I met a chap at St Andrew's Church called Roy Mackenzie. Way back he published the book below called 'Portland'. It looks like a fascinating book and the book below is the original. Apparently you can still buy it from the Newsagent in Fortuneswell.

Portland by Roy Mackenzie.

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On this day..........
2018
Today's Sightings Here.