Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve, Shepherd's Dinner, The Cuttings, Rufus Castle, Penn's Copse, Penn's Weare, Church Ope Cove, St Andrew's Church, Penns Wood and Wakeham Wood
Highlights today were 1 Chiffchaff and 2 Willow Warblers, with one of the Willows singing in Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve. No other migrants were seen or heard,
Unsurprisingly there were many Wall Lizards out basking in the sun, but not for the first time I didn't see any in the Church Grounds. Odd!!
As I was making my way down the steps to the cove from Rufus Castle a Large Tortoiseshell flew over my head and settled on a Blackthorn. Other butterflies seen were a Speckled Wood (my first this year) in Penns Wood, a pair of Orange-tips, 4 Peacock, 2 Large Whites and 2 Small Whites. Also seen were 2 Straw-barred Pearl moths
Lots of bees seen with at least 10 species noted, including my first Common Carder this year.
There were a few Common Green Shieldbugs in Penns Wood, a 7-Spot Ladybird on Penns Weare and my first Dock Bug of the year at the cove.
Here are a few images and a video from today:
There were a few Buzzards about, this one was in the Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve.
A Large Tortoiseshell
It's good to see that there are still a few about.
My first Speckled Wood this year. This one was in Penns Wood
A Straw-barred Pearl moth. I came across two today one in Wakeham Wood and the other at the cove.
A Red-tailed Bumblebee
This is a Common Carder Bee at the top of Penns Wood.
In fact there were quite a few out today. This one was by Rufus Castle
This is the Fabricius' Nomad Bee still flying up and down the track at the back of the cove.
This is a Grey-patched Mining Bee (Andrena nitida)which I came across in Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve.
This is the hoverfly Stripe-backed Dasysyrphus (Dasysyrphus albostriatus)
This is another hoverfly a Ferdinandea cuprea and............
A 7-spot Ladybird
My first Dock Bug of the year. This one was on the south facing slope at the cove.
This is a Cranefly, Tipula paludosa and a new one for my Portland List
A Girdled Snail - Hygromia cinctella
Ted the "Hot Dog" today
Mammals Recorded: Bunny
Birds Recorded: Sparrowhawk, 3 Buzzard, Kestrel, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch
Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)
Butterflies Recorded: 1 Large Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Large White, Small White, Speckled Wood and Orange-tip
Moths Recorded: 2 Straw-barred Pearl (Pyrausta despicata)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum), Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius), Hairy-footed Flower Bee (Anthophora plumipes), Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa), Grey-patched Mining Bee (Andrena nitida), Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria), 1 Fabricius' Nomad Bee (Nomada fabriciana) and a Nomad sp.
Wasps Recorded: 1 Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea), Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax), Stripe-backed Dasysyrphus (Dasysyrphus albostriatus), a Ferdinandea cuprea and Syrphus sp.
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: Cranefly (Tipula paludosa)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: 7-spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata), Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus) and Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
Snails and Slugs Recorded: Girdled Snail (Hygromia cinctella)
Wakeham
In the back garden this afternoon I had a new addition to my bird list, a Goldcrest. and heard during the hours of darkness a Little Owl, bringing my garden total to 36 since 24 Mar.
Also seen was a single Swallow and Hairy Shieldbug - Dolycoris baccarum
This is the Vehicles Carrier "Cougar Ace" flying the flag of Singapore. It is on its way from Antwerp Belgium) to Koper (Slovenia). More on this vessel Here.
Today's Sightings Here.
2018
Today's Sightings Here.
A Hairy Shieldbug
Ships Today
A Warship out in Weymouth Bay and one which unfortunately I couldn't ID.
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On this day..........
2019Today's Sightings Here.
2018
Today's Sightings Here.