Today I had an extended walk in the hope of finding a Wheatear along Penns Weare, no such luck, but before I set off I was at the cove with several lepidopterists looking for the Large Tortoiseshell butterflies seen here earlier in the week. Unfortunately luck was against them as well, but oddly enough we did come across a Small Tortoiseshell feeding on the Hebes next to the south facing huts.
Also along at the cove was a Peacock butterfly and a quite a few Wall Lizards. Overhead there were 3 Peregrine Falcons, a Common Buzzard, a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel, plus one of the local Ravens. The cove was certainly the place to be, and adding to the list above there were also 2 Firecrests in the cove wood calling away.
Elsewhere there was Firecrest and Chiffchaff in Penns Wood, where there was also a Red-tailed Bumblebee, and along Penns Weare I came across some really early Blackthorn blossom which were attracting a few Buff-tailed Bumblebees.
In the grounds of St Andrew's Church there were the usual Wall Lizards basking in the sun and on the Alexanders were many Muscid Flies, Common Drone Flies and a presumed Syrphus torvus hoverfly.
Also along Penns Weare I came across 3 Bloody-nosed Beetles.
Here are a few images and a video from today:
..............Small Tortoiseshell, also a rare sight on Portland
The church Wall Lizards. Great characters.
This Buff-tailed Bumblebee was really tucking into these early flowering Blackthorn along Penn's Weare.
Just the one Migrant Hoverfly today.
This hoverfly was quite small compared to both the Common and Tapered Droneflies out at the moment.....
Most likely a Syrphus torvus hoverfly.
There were a few more of these Bloody-nosed Beetles out today, running along the paths in Penn's Weare.
Birds Recorded: Fulmar, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Buzzard, 3 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Kestrel, 2 Oystercatcher, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 1 Rock Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Firecrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 1 Raven, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch
Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)
Butterflies Recorded: 1 Peacock and a Small Tortoiseshell
Bees Recorded: Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) and Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Hoverflies Recorded: Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax), Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax), 1 Migrant Hoverfly (Meliscaeva auricollis) and a probable Syrphus torvus
Flies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida) and Muscid Fly (Phaonia subventa)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: 3 Bloody-nosed Beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa)
Ships Today
This is the British Cargo ship "Victress" on its way from Alderney to Poole. More on this vessel Here.
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On this day..........
2019Today's Sightings Here.
2018
Today's Sightings Here.