After yesterdays excellent morning at the The Bill and around Portland Bird Observatory, it was back to my local patch to see what was about. Expectations were high as there had been a sighting of a Bluethroat and a Purple Heron on the island, but sadly the best I could do was 2 Swifts and a House Martin over Wakeham.
Even fewer warblers about today, but then I did miss out the Mermaid Track. In Wakeham Wood there were 2 Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap, a Common Whitethroat in Wakeham Paddock and a Blackcap at the back of Church Ope Cove.
Other birds of note were an Oystercatcher flying south across the cove and several juvenile Great Tits and Blue Tits in the Sycamores in Penns Wood.
On Perryfield Quarry Butterfly Reserve there were 2 Common Blues. The first butterflies I have seen on this Reserve this year. Hopefully many more.
A very noisy Common Green Shieldbug flew across in front of me in Wakeham Wood and landed on a Sycamore. For such a tiny bug, it cam certainly generate a loud buzz.
Here are a few images from this morning:
On Perryfield Quarry Butterfly Reserve there were 2 Common Blues. The first butterflies I have seen on this Reserve this year. Hopefully many more.
A very noisy Common Green Shieldbug flew across in front of me in Wakeham Wood and landed on a Sycamore. For such a tiny bug, it cam certainly generate a loud buzz.
Here are a few images from this morning:
Perryfield Quarry Butterfly Reserve
A Common Blue.
The underside.
And a few ants for company.
A very vocal Wren.
Birds Recorded: 1 Oystercatcher, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, 2 Swift, 1 House Martin, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.
Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizard
Butterflies Recorded: 2 Common Blues
Moths Recorded: 1 Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana)
Bees Recorded: Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) and a nomad sp.
Hoverflies Recorded: 1 Eristalis arbustorum and several Syrphus sp.
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Common Green Shieldbug
Wakeham
In the back garden this afternoon a female Broad-bodied Chaser, whilst overhead there were 6 Swifts screaming above the rooftops, along with 2 House Martin's.
A very docile female Broad-bodied Chaser which let me handle her.
Not something I've ever done before.
Time to let her go and here she is settled on a Red Valerian.
