That's more like it with the weather, especially when its your day to do an exercise walk. There was wall to wall blue skies and lovely warm sunshine.
Birding highlights today were very good with 4 male Common Whitethroats back in their respective breeding grounds with males singing at Bottom Combe Quarry, 2 on Penn's Weare and another close to the Mermaid Track.
There were also quite a few vocal male Blackcaps setting up their own territories in Penn Wood, Church Ope Cove, Wakeham Railway Track and the Mermaid Track.
And it wasn't just Blackcaps singing but also a couple of Garden Warblers with one in Penns Wood and the other in Penn's Copse.
Three Chiffchaffs were heard singing in Penns Wood, Rufus Castle and the Mermaid Track.
Lots of butterflies about, but only 5 species seen which did include a Holly Blue in the Easton Railway Cutting.
Just before the Easton railway Cutting there was a Sycamore tree covered in Green-longhorn moths.
Today saw the Red-tailed Bumblebees outnumber the Buff-tailed Bumblebees. That's the first time that's happened this year.
Virus what virus. People sunbathing, swimming and in their beach huts. Ahh of course Church Ope Cove, it must be a Covid-19 free spot.
Birds Recorded: Kestrel, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, 1 Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Garden Warbler, 4 Common Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch
Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizard and a Slow-worm
Butterflies Recorded: Orange-tip, Large White, Small White, 1 Red Admiral and a Holly Blue
This is the Passenger Ship "Queen Mary 2" on its way from Southampton to Weymouth Bay where she will join the Passenger Ships Aurora Here and Ventura Here. Oddly enough all 3 ships are flying the flag of Bermuda. More on the Queen Mary 2 Here.
This is the British Destroyer D33 "HMS Dauntless" on its way from Portsmouth to Weymouth bay. More on this vessel Here.
I'm not 100% sure but I believe this is the British Frigate F237 "HMS Westminster". It appears to be heading towards Portland. More info on this vessel Here.
This is the Belgium Ro-Ro Cargo Ship "Melusine" on its way from Zeebrugge (Belgium) to an unknown destination. More on this vessel Here.
Today saw the Red-tailed Bumblebees outnumber the Buff-tailed Bumblebees. That's the first time that's happened this year.
Behind the huts at the cove, below the south facing slopes, there were dozens of nomad bees. But as usual they never land so I have no idea which species they are. Yet!!!
And in Penns Wood I came across a new beetle for my Portland List, a Dung Beetle (Onthophagus coenobita)
Here are a few images and videos from today:
Here are a few images and videos from today:
A male Blackcap. Not an easy bird to photograph, especially when it's at the back of the tree.
Videoing it wasn't much better either.
And not so much a video, but the sound of a Chiffchaff singing in Penns Wood.
The rear end of a fairly common raptor. Easy if you know it, but in case you dont, the answer is at the bottom of this page.
Good to see a Slow-worm in the same spot as last year.
A Wall Lizard
A Common Carder comes into land.
Here it is again on a vetch.
An Ichneumon wasp. I'm not sure which species though.
This was the only Red Admiral I saw today
Along with the Green-longhorn Moths there were also lots of St Mark's Flies on the wing as well. Plus a few resting.
I think these are False Blister Beetle (Ischnomera cyanea) .......
...........and there were hundreds of them along the embankment at Easton Railway Cuttings.
And a new beetle for me a Dung Beetle, Onthophagus coenobita. It was flying around in Penns Wood and landed next to me. More on this beetle Here.
A Dead Head Hoverfly. It gets its name from the skull-like markings on its thorax.
This is a Celery fly (Euleia heraclei) and this...........
..............one is the same species but an aberrant orange-brown morph.
Celery fly (Euleia heraclei)
Celery fly (Euleia heraclei) but the aberrant orange-brown morph.
At least we're being sensible eh Ted.
Birds Recorded: Kestrel, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, 1 Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Garden Warbler, 4 Common Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch
Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizard and a Slow-worm
Butterflies Recorded: Orange-tip, Large White, Small White, 1 Red Admiral and a Holly Blue
Moths Recorded: Green-longhorn Moth (Adela reaumurella)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum), Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) and dozens of Andrena sp. and Nomad sp.
Ichneumon Wasps Recorded: Ichneumon sp.
Hoverflies Recorded: Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) and a few Syrphus sp.
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: A few Celery flies (Euleia heraclei) including an aberrant Orange-brown morph and St Mark's Fly (Bibio marci)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Dung Beetle (Onthophagus coenobita), False Blister Beetle (Ischnomera cyanea)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum), Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) and dozens of Andrena sp. and Nomad sp.
Ichneumon Wasps Recorded: Ichneumon sp.
Hoverflies Recorded: Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) and a few Syrphus sp.
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: A few Celery flies (Euleia heraclei) including an aberrant Orange-brown morph and St Mark's Fly (Bibio marci)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Dung Beetle (Onthophagus coenobita), False Blister Beetle (Ischnomera cyanea)
Ships Today
This is the British Patrol Ship P281 "HMS Tyne" in Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.
Mystery Raptor: A Kestrel
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On this day..........