Rain we had rain, not a lot but a welcome sight after weeks of no rain. Most of it was overnight and early this morning and then the sun came out.
As much as I love walking across to the meadows, it was time for a change and a walk down to Church Ope Cove. Main highlight was the number of Chalk Hill Blues, with several pairs along the Mermaid Track and in the Cuttings Quarry Here.
Apart from the blues the only other real highlight was a Hummingbird Hawk-moth flying along the south facing cliff at Church Ope Cove.
Here are a few images from this afternoon and a list of what I recorded at the bottom of the page.
Even after two years on Portland I still struggle to get the blue butterflies correct. I think this is a Chalk Hill Blue and here..................
A Froghopper and a very large one at that. Though there are very similar looking Aphrophoridae, I am pretty sure this is an Alder Spittlebug, Aphrophora alni
Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow and Chaffinch.
Butterflies Recorded: Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Marbled White, Comma, Common Blue and Chalk Hill Blue.
Moths Recorded: Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana) and Six-Spot Burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum) and Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) and Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis) and an Alder Spittlebug (Aphrophora alni)
Grasshoppers and Crickets Recorded: Meadow Grasshopper (Chorthippus parallelus) and Common Field Grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus)
Behind HMS Cattistock is the Oil Tanker "Atlantic Twin" flying the flag of Gibraltar. It is on its way from Slagen, Norway to Milford Haven. More on this vessel Here.
Today's Sightings Here.
Today's Sightings Here.
As much as I love walking across to the meadows, it was time for a change and a walk down to Church Ope Cove. Main highlight was the number of Chalk Hill Blues, with several pairs along the Mermaid Track and in the Cuttings Quarry Here.
Apart from the blues the only other real highlight was a Hummingbird Hawk-moth flying along the south facing cliff at Church Ope Cove.
Here are a few images from this afternoon and a list of what I recorded at the bottom of the page.
The grounds of St Andrew's Church
Church Ope Cove
The "Cuttings" Quarry
A Common Carder Bee on a Wild Marjoram, Origanum vulgare
............is its underwing.
A Long Hoverfly
A few weeks ago on 1 Jul there were just a few flowers. Today berries.
The Mermaid Track
A Gatekeeper with wings open........
.............and wings open.
Along the track there were at least 7 Chalk Hill Blues. If I've ID'd them correctly
Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow and Chaffinch.
Butterflies Recorded: Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Marbled White, Comma, Common Blue and Chalk Hill Blue.
Moths Recorded: Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana) and Six-Spot Burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum) and Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) and Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis) and an Alder Spittlebug (Aphrophora alni)
Grasshoppers and Crickets Recorded: Meadow Grasshopper (Chorthippus parallelus) and Common Field Grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus)
Ships Today
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On this day..........
2018Today's Sightings Here.
2017