25 May 19

Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penns Copse, Rufus Castle and Bumpers lane

We are doing so well with the weather and another beautiful morning here on Portland. With family coming to stay for the week, it was an early morning walk on my local patch.

A few warblers singing again this morning with a Blackcap and the Lesser Whitethroat still at the back of the cove, along the Mermaid Track there was a Common Whitethroat, Blackcap and Chiffchaff and then along Bumpers Lane 2 more Common Whitethroat and 2 Blackcaps.

I wasn't expecting to see too many butterflies, but they were certainly out and especially at The Cuttings Quarry where there were 2 Common Blue, 2 Dingy Skippers, 1 Wall Brown and a Skipper sp. The latter didn't stop and I lost it in the undergrowth.

Lots of moths this morning and all Carnation Tortrix with over a dozen seen.

Here are a few photos from this morning.

Church Ope Cove

A Speckled Wood

Marmalade Hoverfly

Dingy Skipper

Protected by the stones a Bee Orchid

White Iris

And a close up

Hmm Bumpers Lane Housing Estate. 6 months behind schedule because of the asbestos they found on site. 

Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 3 Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch.

Butterflies Recorded: 2 Common Blue, 2 Dingy Skippers, 1 Wall Brown, 4 Large White and a Skipper sp.

Moths Recorded: 12+ Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana)

Hoverflies Recorded: 1 Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

Ships Today

This is the British RFA Ship "Tideforce" heading out into the English Channel. More on this vessel Here.

Tideforce heading down Portland...........

.........and almost at The Bill.

A little later it was just west of Portland with The Windmills in the foreground.

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