Another sunny start to the day, but the ever increasing cloud cover, put paid to any chance of spotting any Large Tortoiseshell butterflies at the cove. Not only that the wind direction was more southerly today and the "draft" was coming right up the south facing slopes. I did however come across two Peacocks and a Comma. The latter was seen with one of the Peacocks in the grounds of Pennsylvania Castle.
On the bird front there were 2 Chiffchaffs and a Firecrest at the back of the cove, whilst overhead there was a small passage of Meadow Pipits heading north. Another Chiffchaff was in Penns Wood.
Not seen by me but there was also the first sighting of a Swallow on Portland tweeted Here.
There were quite a few Wall Lizards about, all in the church grounds and just about everywhere I walked there dozens of bees of at least 5 species on the Alexanders and Hebes.
A Common Green Shieldbug was found on a Comfrey leaf in Penns Wood.
Here are a few images from today:
There were several Robins singing along my walk this morning. This one was above my head in Penns Wood.
A Common Green Shieldbug also in the wood.
The grounds of St Andrew's Church was definitely the warmest place to be this morning and......
........didn't the Wall Lizards know it, with at least 8 out basking in the sun.
Right in close and it didn't bat an eyelid.
Here another ventures out of its hidey-hole.
Church Ope Cove looking south and where today there were 2 Chiffchaffs and a Firecrest.
Also here a Peacock butterfly and a...........
....................Red-tailed Bumblebee
Yet another Andrena bee..........
..........which sadly cannot be ID, unless it was captured and sent away for analysis. Not something I'm about to do.
And today's mystery fly on an Alexanders at the cove and one of the Macquartia flies
Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, 10+ Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Firecrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch
Reptiles Recorded: 8 Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)
Butterflies Recorded: 1 Comma and 2 Peacock
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) and a Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Hoverflies Recorded: Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax) and Tapered Drone Fly (Eristalis pertinax)
Flies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida), Muscid Fly (Phaonia subventa) and Macquartia sp
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: 1 Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
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On this day..........
2019Today's Sightings Here.
2018
Today's Sightings Here.