12 May 20

Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church Grounds, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, Church Ope Cove, Perryfields Butterfly Reserve and Old Quarry Track

Well it certainly wasn't as cold as yesterday and it turned out to be a good walk in the warm sunshine, though missing an Osprey going over Wakeham was a bit of a blow. I heard the gulls, as you do when there's a raptor about, but I just wasn't able to see it from the cove. So that is both Red Kites and an Osprey that has eluded me this Spring. There will be many more to come I'm sure.

So today's highlight was the male Lesser Whitethroat still singing away at the cove and not just from the south facing slopes, but alongside the steps up to Rufus Castle and also at the back of the cove as you go up the track towards Cheyne Weare. He has certainly expanded his territory, though yet again there was no sign of the female.

Other warblers seen and heard were:

Penns Wood: Male Blackcap and Chiffchaff both singing.
Penn's Weare: 1 Common Whitethroat
Church Ope Cove: A male Blackcap behind the huts singing (as well as the Lesser Whitethroat)
Perryfield Butterfly Reserve: 2 male Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff and 2 Common Whitethroats
From the Cottage when I got home: 2 Common Whitethroats

A few Wall Lizards seen, though many more were heard scurrying away in the undergrowth. I guess even Lizards can have too much sun.

Quite a few butterflies about but only 4 species seen, Large White, Orange-tip, Red Admiral and Holly Blue

Two moth species seen with 3 Carnation Tortrix and a Meadow Grey (Scoparia pyralella). The latter was on the south facing slopes at Church Ope Cove and is a new moth for my Portland List.

The Bees were back out in good numbers, especially after yesterdays cold conditions. The species listed below.

And on the south facing slopes at the cove I came across an Oak Eggar caterpillar. This is the third one I have found in this area in the past 3 years.

Here are a few images and videos from today:

A very sunny Church Ope Cove where the..........

............male Lesser Whitethroat is still lurking about in the brambles and shrubs on the south facing slope and also.........

...............visiting different parts of the cove. Here he is singing just under Rufus Castle

I just knew this would happen. There was absolutely no need to cut all the Alexanders down at the back of the cove. They weren't in the way and certainly not impeding Jo Public. They were covered with hoverflies and other invertebrates, but not anymore.

This is what it looked like a few weeks ago. I just don't get it.

A bit of stealth and it is amazing how close you can get to these Wall Lizards.

This looks good for a worker Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum). It is small enough plus there is a feint central yellow band.

A male Large White on a Valerian.

And a Holly Blue

There are still a few Green-longhorn Moths about.

I saw this moth fly past me and land close to the ground next to a bush. I didn't want to take the chance of it taking off, so I took one quick photo and then moved in closer for another. Yep it flew off into bushes. However, even from a poor photo, it has been identified as a Meadow Grey (Scoparia pyralella). And a my 166th moth on Portland since 30 May 17.

This is the caterpillar of the Oak Eggar moth, which was on the south facing slopes at the cove. In fact I found my first one on 16 Jun 17 and another on 8 May 19 near Rufus Castle. Despite its name it doesn't feed on Oaks, but was given the name because of the acorn shaped cocoons it makes. It can be found in open, uncultivated countryside such as moorland, meadows, downland and coastal grassland, feeding on plants such as Heather, Bilberry, Bramble, Sallows, Broom, Sloe, Hawthorn, Hazel and Sea-buckthorn. More on this caterpillar here. Plus a photo of the actual moth which I trapped on 17 Aug 17 here.

Now this May Tree (close to Bottom Combe Quarry) was last year host to thousands of Brown-tail Moth caterpillars. This year it appears to be the turn of....................

...........the Lackey Moth caterpillars.

Well I'm 99.9% sure they are. I will check in a few days or so.

A Narcissus Bulb Fly (Merodon equestris)

And a Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

Yellow-rattle (Rhinanthus minor) is now beginning to flower.

The entrance through which you could get to, what I called Wakeham Wood (now cut down), has had a face-lift. I found out today that the track here led to a quarry and was known as Old Quarry Lane.

Looks like Ted has spotted something on Penn's Weare

Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 5 Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.

Reptiles Recorded:

Wall Lizard

Butterflies Recorded:

Orange-tip

Large White

Red Admiral

Holly Blue

Moths Recorded

3 Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana)
3 Green-longhorn Moth (Adela reaumurella)

1 Meadow Grey (Scoparia pyralella)

Bees Recorded:

Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)

Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum)

Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)

Nomad bees sp.

Hoverflies Recorded:

Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

Narcissus Bulb Fly (Merodon equestris)

Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)

Epistrophe eligans

Syrphus sp.

Caterpillars Recorded:
Possibly Lackey moth
Oak Eggar

Ships Today

This is the Belgium Fishing Trawler "Hennie" on its way from Newlyn to an unknown destination. More on this vessel Here.

This is the British Offshore Supply Ship "Kingdom of Fife" on its way from Clydeport Greenock to Carmarthen Bay. More on this vessel Here.

This the British Patrol Ship P224 "HMS Trent" on its way from Portsmouth towards Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.

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On this day..........

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today's Sightings Here.