Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Penns Copse, Rufus Castle and Mermaid Track.
Settled weather again with wall to wall blue sky. The easterly wind though was quite bitter, but at least the sun was out and in the sheltered spots it was pleasantly warm.
Even fewer warblers noted today, with just 1 Blackcap at Church Ope Cove and a Common Whitethroat and another Blackcap along the Mermaid Track.
Settled weather again with wall to wall blue sky. The easterly wind though was quite bitter, but at least the sun was out and in the sheltered spots it was pleasantly warm.
Even fewer warblers noted today, with just 1 Blackcap at Church Ope Cove and a Common Whitethroat and another Blackcap along the Mermaid Track.
Overhead at Rufus Castle a small party of Swallows and House Martins passed north overhead.
In the church grounds there was a Wall Brown and in Penns Copse the Common Blue was still about.
Much the same as yesterday with the moths and in Penns Copse a single Green-longhorn and along Penns Weare and Rufus Castle at least 5 Carnation Tortrix.
In the church grounds there was a Wall Brown and in Penns Copse the Common Blue was still about.
Much the same as yesterday with the moths and in Penns Copse a single Green-longhorn and along Penns Weare and Rufus Castle at least 5 Carnation Tortrix.
There seemed to be fewer bees about this morning but I did come across a Grey-patched Mining Bee in Penns Copse.
Likewise with hoverflies, very few noted but a Narcissus Bulb Fly (Merodon equestris form narcissi) was good to see on the way up the steps to Rufus Castle. I also came across a Stripe-backed Dasysyrphus (Dasysyrphus albostriatus) along the Mermaid Track. I only managed the one shot, but I am so glad I photographed it as this a new one for me. Not just for Portland but in the UK.
Here are few images from this morning:
Birds Recorded: 1 Cormorant, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, 2 House Martin, 3 Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.
Reptiles Recorded: None
Butterflies Recorded: 1 Wall Brown and a Common Blue
Moths Recorded: 5 Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana) and a Green-longhorn (Adela reaumurella)
Bees Recorded: Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa), 2 Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria), Honey Bee (Apis mellifera), Grey-patched Mining Bee, Andrena nitida and a Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Here are few images from this morning:
Penns Wood where there are still a few..........
........Bluebells in bloom.
In a private garden adjacent to the wood was this flowering shrub. One to ID later.
In the grounds of St Andrew's Church there was this..........
.........Wall Brown and a...........
............Buff-tailed Bumblebee.
The of the cove from the church grounds. You can tell the wind is from the east, by the position of the waves approaching the beach.
Rufus Castle towering over...........
........Penns Copse where the.............
.............Common Blue is still flitting about.
In the copse a lone Green-longhorn moth.
In this position you can see those long antennae which belong to a male. The female has a much shorter pair.
This is a Grey-patched Mining Bee, Andrena nitida in Penns Copse. Seems to be a good spot for them here.
This is the Narcissus Bulb Fly, Merodon equestris form narcissi
A Honey Bee on a flowering Hawthorn.
I believe this is the empty egg shell of a Song Thrush found on my walk.
A Dasysyrphus albostriatus (Stripe-backed Dasysyrphus).
This is Ivy Broomrape, Orobanche hederae and is just coming out in flower. It was on the side of the steps leading up to Rufus Castle. This plant has no chlorophyll and is totally reliant on ivy to survive.
Reptiles Recorded: None
Butterflies Recorded: 1 Wall Brown and a Common Blue
Moths Recorded: 5 Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana) and a Green-longhorn (Adela reaumurella)
Bees Recorded: Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa), 2 Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria), Honey Bee (Apis mellifera), Grey-patched Mining Bee, Andrena nitida and a Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Wasps Recorded: 1 Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Hoverflies Recorded: 2 Epistrophe eligans, Narcissus Bulb Fly (Merodon equestris form narcissi) and a Stripe-backed Dasysyrphus (Dasysyrphus albostriatus).
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: None
Slugs and Snails Recorded: None
Spiders Recorded: None
Ships Today
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On this day..........
2018Today's Sightings Here.