Still warm, but a bit more cloud cover today. And no let up with that strong easterly breeze, which has been coming right off the sea for nearly a week now.
No real highlights, in fact a "lowlight" with a scraggy ginger feral cat catching a juvenile Song Thrush in Bumpers Lane Quarry. I actually watched it walking across Bumpers Lane, unaware that there were at least 4 juvenile Song Thrushes in the bushes close-by. Judging by the squawking and the fact that 3 juvenile birds and the adults all flew up and away from the bush, the moggy must have caught one. Hmm.
Even fewer warblers today with a Chiffchaff in Wakeham Wood, 1 Blackcap in Church Ope Cove where there was also a single Swallow, and a Common Whitethroat in Bumpers Lane.
Only other bird of interest was a Fulmar heading up the island towards Grove Cliffs.
Fewer butterflies today with just a female Orange-tip in the grounds of St Andrew's Church where there were also 2 Large Whites.
More Green-longhorn moths emerged today with a good 15+ in Penns Copse. Seems to be a good spot for them here. And at least 3 Carnation Tortrix on the wing again along Penns Weare.
A Dagger Fly along the Southwest Coast path was a first for year and for the second day running I came across another Tiger Cranefly.
Along the track close to Wakeham wood I came across 4 Ladybirds, 3 2-spot and an 7-spot.
Having come across a Narcissus Bulb Fly (Merodon equestris form narcissi) in the grounds of St Andrew's Church earlier, I then found the other form of Narcissus Bulb Fly - Merodon equestris form bulborum at the top of the steps by Rufus Castle. A very flighty hoverfly...........
I was watching the Honey Bees on this May Tree when this Dagger Fly (Empis tessellata) landed right in front of me. My first this year.
Turns out a ginger feral cat was on the prowl and sadly the cat managed to take a juvenile Song Thrush. One of the adult birds looks on whilst.........
..............one of the 3 remaining juveniles keeps really still and alert. As I walked around to the other side of Bumpers Lane Quarry I was relieved to see the parents and 3 remaining juveniles on a bush high up and away from the cat.
Birds Recorded: 1 Fulmar, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, 1 Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch.
Butterflies Recorded: 1 Orange-tip and 2 Large White
Moths Recorded: 3 Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana) and 15+ Green-longhorn (Adela reaumurella)
Bees Recorded: Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa), 2 Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria), Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) and one of the nomad bees.
Wasps Recorded: 1 Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Hoverflies Recorded: 1 Epistrophe eligans, Narcissus Bulb Fly (Merodon equestris form narcissi) and Syrphus sp.
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: 3 2-spot Ladybird (Adalia bipunctata), a 7-spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata) and a Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
Slugs and Snails Recorded: None
Spiders Recorded: None
Craneflies Recorded: 1 Tiger Cranefly (Nephrotoma flavescens)
Flies Recorded: Dagger Fly (Empis tessellata)
Today's Sightings Here.
Here are a few images from this morning:
The track adjacent to Wakeham Wood where there were several Ladybirds present.
There was this 7-spot Ladybird and three..........
...........2-spot Ladybirds.
Here is the second 2-spot Ladybird........
.........and the third 2-spot Ladybird.
Another Tiger Cranefly, this one close to Wakeham Wood.
Perryfield Quarry Butterfly Reserve. No butterflies here yet.........
.........but still a few Brown-tail Moth caterpillars.
Another Brown-tail Moth caterpillar on its travels.
The grounds of St Andrew's Church where there were just a handful of hoverflies including this..........
Narcissus Bulb Fly - Merodon equestris form narcissi
Also in the grounds was this Common Green Shieldbug
The cliff top at Church Ope Cove and here today a...........
..........Wall Lizard........
...........basking in the sun.
Around the cliff top and into Penns Copse and a new emergence of Green-longhorn moths.
One of the nomad bees resting on a stone on the way up the steps to Rufus Castle.
..........it eventually settled on an Ivy leaf.
A pair of Linnets.
The female and the............
...........the male. They seemed interested in something close-by.
Birds Recorded: 1 Fulmar, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, 1 Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch.
Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizard
Butterflies Recorded: 1 Orange-tip and 2 Large White
Moths Recorded: 3 Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana) and 15+ Green-longhorn (Adela reaumurella)
Bees Recorded: Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa), 2 Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria), Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) and one of the nomad bees.
Wasps Recorded: 1 Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Hoverflies Recorded: 1 Epistrophe eligans, Narcissus Bulb Fly (Merodon equestris form narcissi) and Syrphus sp.
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: 3 2-spot Ladybird (Adalia bipunctata), a 7-spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata) and a Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
Slugs and Snails Recorded: None
Spiders Recorded: None
Craneflies Recorded: 1 Tiger Cranefly (Nephrotoma flavescens)
Flies Recorded: Dagger Fly (Empis tessellata)
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On this day..........
2018Today's Sightings Here.