A much better day weather wise and it was a quick walk around Church Ope Cove this afternoon. A quiet day for warblers, with not a single migrant seen or heard. Only bird of interest was one of the 2 juvenile Sparrowhawks calling away in the grounds of Pennsylvania Castle.
On the Valerian, alongside the steps up to Rufus Castle, was a very busy Hummingbird Hawk-moth flying from flower head to flower head. Not an easy moth to keep tabs on.
Also noted was a male Common Darter in the grounds of St Andrew's Church, where there was also both Hornet Mimic Hoverfly and its smaller relative the Lesser Hornet Mimic Hoverfly.
Here are a few images from this afternoon:
One of the local Kestrels on the hunt above the cove.
Nice to see the Wall Lizards out in the sun.
A close -up and even.....
.......closer.
A very busy Hummingbird Hawk-moth which was proving.......
.......a bit of a handful to photograph.
A super moth to watch.
A male Common Darter
And another view of it on the seed pods of the Alexanders
A Lesser Hornet Mimic Hoverfly
A Pellucid Hoverfly
And finally a Painted Lady. Its been an amazing Summer for this migratory butterfly, with hundreds seen on Portland.