Another sunny day but a really cold especially in the chilly easterly. Only one Willow Warbler found today in Penns Weare, other than that there were very few birds about.
Best highlight was my first Speckled Wood of the year, found just below St Andrew's Church where the entrance to the underground reservoir is.
Elsewhere there were dozens of Ashy Mining Bees along the path leading up to Portland Museum from Rufus Castle, and my first ever Grey-patched Mining Bee (Andrena nitida). A stunning little bee which was bombing around Penns Copse.
Another little surprise was finding the larvae of a Bloody-nosed Beetle. I have seen many of these beetles trundling across the paths, but this is my first larvae.
Here are a few images from this afternoon:
My first Speckled Wood of the year. Strangely it was the only butterfly I found today.
Just loving these Celery Flies.
In fact, now I know what they look like, I'm finding them just about everywhere and all on Alexanders.
A Common Green Shieldbug in Penns Copse.
A Nursery Webs Spider. More of these showing up now.
Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch.
Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizards
Bees Recorded: Buff-tailed Bumblebees, Ashy Mining Bees and a Grey-patched Mining Bee (Andrena nitida).
Butterflies Recorded: 1 Speckled Wood
Also recorded: Celery Flies, 3 Nursery Web Spiders, Bloody-nosed beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa) Larvae
Ships Today
This is the Liberian Container Ship 'DS Blue Ocean' on its way from Portland Harbour to Dublin. More on this vessel Here.
