A very warm day, especially after the morning fog lifted. Fortunately there was a slight breeze just to keep the temperature down slightly.
Another visit to the meadows and not a long of change since my last visit, except I only recorded 3 Marbled Whites. Still plenty of Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns and Ringlets, and quite a few worn ones in amongst them. Other butterflies recorded were Speckled White, Large White, a Small Skipper and a few Green-veined Whites.
On the moth front dozens of Six-Spot Burnets, Garden Grass-veneers and a Rosy-striped Knot-horn all in the West Meadow Here.
Other than the butterflies and moths, there was an Emperor Dragonfly hawking over both meadows, a few Swollen-thighed Beetles, a couple of Common Red Soldier Beetles and a couple of Common Green Capsids.
I also came across a large wasp which at first glance was bigger than a Common Wasp. Fortunately I managed to get a photo of its face and after checking my books it turns out it was a German Wasp (Vespula germanica). a first for me on Portland
I also found a Fruit Fly (Acanthiophilus helianthi) on a Knapweed and another first for me on Portland.
Here are a few images from this morning:
The two meadows with the fence separating them in centre of frame.
The west meadow full of Knapweed, grasses and Common Restharrow
A male Red-tailed Bumblebee
Six-Spot Burnet Moth
Common Green Capsid
What I first thought was a Capsid, but is.......
...........a Fruit Fly (Acanthiophilus helianthi). Another new fly for me on Portland.
A Rosy-striped Knot-horn
A Meadow Brown
The track leading back to Wakeham
In the bushes along the track was this Chiffchaff and appears to be the one I saw a couple of days ago with...........
............both eyes "swollen".
Here is another view and an........
.........enlargement.
An unusual looking Chiffchaff. Both eyes appear to be infected/swollen or is just moulting and giving the appearance of having two black eyes.
Also in the hedgerows was this Speckled Wood and lots of...............
.............Gatekeepers
The two white spots in the black spot are characteristic of this butterfly.
A little bit difficult when it closes its wings though.
One of just 3 Marbled Whites here today.
A Common Blue
Dead Head Fly
A female Swollen-thighed Beetle, minus the swollen thighs found on the male.
A very large wasp. Not easy to tell if its a Common Wasp or a German Wasp.
Lesser Burdock, Arctium minus with a fly-by Green-veined White
Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Dunnock, 1 Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow and Chaffinch.
Butterflies Recorded: Small Skipper, Large White, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, 3 Marbled White and 3 Common Blue
Moths Recorded: Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella), Six-Spot Burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae) and a Rosy-striped Knot-horn (Oncocera semirubella)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum), Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) and a Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
Wasps Recorded: German Wasp (Vespula germanica)
Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded: 1 Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator)
Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Flies Recorded: Fruit Fly (Acanthiophilus helianthi)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis) and Common Green Capsid (Lygocoris pabulinus)
Slugs and Snails Recorded: White-lipped Banded Snail (Cepaea hortensis) and a Garden Snail (Cornu aspersa)
Grasshoppers and Crickets Recorded: Meadow Grasshopper (Chorthippus parallelus) and Common Field Grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day..........
2018Today's Sightings Here.
2017
Today's Sightings Here.