Wakeham Wood, Perryfield, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penns Weare, Penns Copse, Rufus Castle and Portland Museum
Yet another blustery and wet morning, with winds gusting to over 30mph. However the warblers in Wakeham Wood are still staying put with 4 Chiffchaffs and 1 Blackcaps.
Elsewhere at:
Wakeham Paddocks: 1 Chiffchaff and 3 Blackcap
Perryfields: 2 Chiffchaff
Penns Wood: 2 Chiffchaff and 2 Goldcrest
Church Ope Cove: 12 Rock Pipits and out to sea 2 Cormorants
Cove Woods: 1 Chiffchaff, a small flock of Long-tailed Tits and overhead 6 Swallows flying south.
Portland Museum: 1 Chiffchaff
Just 5 butterflies today 1 Speckled Wood in Wakeham Wood and 5 Red Admirals at (2) Wakeham Wood, (2) St Andrew's Church grounds and (1) Penns Copse.
Yet another blustery and wet morning, with winds gusting to over 30mph. However the warblers in Wakeham Wood are still staying put with 4 Chiffchaffs and 1 Blackcaps.
Elsewhere at:
Wakeham Paddocks: 1 Chiffchaff and 3 Blackcap
Perryfields: 2 Chiffchaff
Penns Wood: 2 Chiffchaff and 2 Goldcrest
Church Ope Cove: 12 Rock Pipits and out to sea 2 Cormorants
Cove Woods: 1 Chiffchaff, a small flock of Long-tailed Tits and overhead 6 Swallows flying south.
Portland Museum: 1 Chiffchaff
Just 5 butterflies today 1 Speckled Wood in Wakeham Wood and 5 Red Admirals at (2) Wakeham Wood, (2) St Andrew's Church grounds and (1) Penns Copse.
At the back of the cove, where there was a bit of shelter, a few Ivy bushes have come into flower and they were full of bees, wasps and hoverflies. Lots of Ivy Bees here.
Most unusual sight today was a Hornet Mimic Hoverfly entering the German Wasp nest in the grounds of St Andrew's Church.
Here are a few images and a couple of short videos from this morning.
Penns Wood. A wood you have to catch at the right time for the birds. Today there were 2 Goldcrests, a Chiffchaff and quite a few Great Tits & Blue Tits. Hopefully soon there will be a Yellow-browed Warbler and Firecrests.
I have never witnessed this before but I was watching this Hornet Mimic Hoverfly walking around the entrance to the German Wasp nest and then............
Here are a few images and a couple of short videos from this morning.
Wakeham Wood is still the place to be if you are a Chiffchaff.
Here's another one just checking out where to feed next.
On the steps at the back of Church Ope Cove Car Park was this............
............Dark Bush-cricket. I can't remember the last time I saw one this year!!
..........right out of the blue it entered the nest.
I wasn't expecting it to enter the nest, hence the very very short video.
I waited for quite awhile to see if the Hornet Mimic Hoverfly would emerge, but unfortunately it didn't. But judging by the German Wasps coming and going, I dont think they were aware of it being in the nest. This Hornet Mimic Hoverfly is a female and the reason she's entered the nest is to lay her eggs. It is thought that she releases a calming pheromone which keeps her safe from the wasps. Absolutely extraordinary.
The strong gale force wind is certainly stirring the sea bed up with..................
...............piles of Kelp being washed up high onto the beach at the Cove.
And along with the Kelp, trillions of Kelp Flies on every pebble on the beach.
Despite the wet and windy conditions these hardy Ivy Bees were out in force today, with more appearing daily.
Birds Recorded: 2 Cormorant, 1 Kestrel, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, 6 Swallow, 12 Rock Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 4 Blackcap, 11 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow and Chaffinch
Butterflies Recorded: 1 Speckled Wood and 5 Red Admiral
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) and Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)
Wasps Recorded: German Wasp (Vespula germanica) and Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Hoverflies Recorded: Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea), Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria), Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax), Tapered Drone Fly (Eristalis pertinax) and Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Flies Recorded: Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida)
Grasshoppers and Crickets Recorded: Dark Bush-cricket (Pholidoptera griseoaptera)
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