After the early morning rain had moved on, the sun eventually came out and for my walk today I decided to change my route slightly.
I'm glad I did, as I came across 8 Stonechats (5 male, 3 female) in the Lower Horse paddock, just behind the Alessandria Hotel in Wakeham. It is that time of year when the Stonechats appear on Portland, but I certainly wasn't expecting to see 8 together. Also in the field were 7 Meadow Pipits.
Elsewhere there was a small flock of Long-tailed Tits just below Rufus Castle and another flock in Penns Wood. Also in the wood were dozens of Chaffinches and Goldfinches, plus a fly-by Grey Wagtail. Sadly no crests seen or heard today, either at the back of the cove or in the wood.
Also about were a few Wall Lizards in the grounds of St Andrew's Church and around the cove I came across 3 Migrant Hoverflies.
Other insects on the wing were 4 Buff-tailed Bumblebees, 2 Tapered Droneflies, a Muscid Fly, 2 Yellow Dung Flies, a Common Green Shieldbug and my first ladybird of the year, a Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis, form - succinea)
Here are a few images from today:
Birds Recorded: 12 Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 7 Meadow Pipit, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 8 Stonechat, Blackbird, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch
Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)
Bees Recorded: 4 Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Hoverflies Recorded: 3 Migrant Hoverfly (Meliscaeva auricollis) and Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
Flies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: Muscid Fly (Phaonia subventa) and 2 Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: A Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis, orange with black spots form - succinea) and a Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
Elsewhere there was a small flock of Long-tailed Tits just below Rufus Castle and another flock in Penns Wood. Also in the wood were dozens of Chaffinches and Goldfinches, plus a fly-by Grey Wagtail. Sadly no crests seen or heard today, either at the back of the cove or in the wood.
Also about were a few Wall Lizards in the grounds of St Andrew's Church and around the cove I came across 3 Migrant Hoverflies.
Other insects on the wing were 4 Buff-tailed Bumblebees, 2 Tapered Droneflies, a Muscid Fly, 2 Yellow Dung Flies, a Common Green Shieldbug and my first ladybird of the year, a Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis, form - succinea)
Here are a few images from today:
One of the male Stonechats in the Lower Horse Paddocks
And another male. In fact there were 5 males and 3 females.
Also in the paddock were several Meadow Pipits.
An adult Wall Lizard in the church grounds.
And the usual spot which regularly sees one or two Wall Lizards in a hole shared by Garden Snails.
In Penns Wood a Common Green Shieldbug
Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis, form - succinea)
A Migrant Hoverfly, one of three seen today.
A Yellow Dung Fly with two............
...............seen at the top of Penns Wood.
Birds Recorded: 12 Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 7 Meadow Pipit, 1 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 8 Stonechat, Blackbird, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch
Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)
Bees Recorded: 4 Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Hoverflies Recorded: 3 Migrant Hoverfly (Meliscaeva auricollis) and Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
Flies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: Muscid Fly (Phaonia subventa) and 2 Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: A Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis, orange with black spots form - succinea) and a Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)