It was another day giving Star a makeover before she goes back into the water next week. So it was a very quick visit to my local patch today, with a few good highlights.
The first was hearing the male Lesser Whitethroat on the south facing slopes at the cove, the second highlight was watching 2 Peregrine Falcons heading down the island and the third was coming across my first ever Small Barred Long-horn moth.
There were also a few raptors about including this Kestrel taking an interest in the Wall Lizards in between the Beach Huts.
Birds Recorded: 2 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Kestrel, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, 1 Rock Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, 1 Raven, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch
Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizard
Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded: Blue-tailed Damselfly
Butterflies Recorded: Small Skipper, Orange-tip, Large White, Speckled Wood, 2 Meadow Brown, and Common Blue
Moths Recorded: Small Barred Long-horn (Adela croesella)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) and Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Wasps Recorded: Potter Wasp (Ancistrocerus sp.),
Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), Epistrophe eligans and a Narcissus Bulb Fly (Merodon equestris)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis) and a Rose Chafer (Cetonia aurata)
There wasn't much to see in Penns Wood, but entering into.....
........the grounds of St Andrew's Church there was a good array of invertebrates.
First was a Blue-tailed Damselfly
Then a Speckled Wood followed by......
.........a male Orange-tip butterfly. Sadly it wouldn't open it wings fully but......
..........got a good side view.
For a change this Orange-tip was stationary long enough for a video.
This is a Narcissus Bulb Fly and is actually a hoverfly.
This is a Potter Wasp, but as there are quite a few it will remain as.........
................an Ancistrocerus sp
Church Ope Cove where it was good to hear the male Lesser Whitethroat singing here again........
.......and here it is singing behind the huts.
Whilst high above the beach there were a pair of Peregrines circling, before heading down the island.
One of the Wall Lizards which I'm sure the Kestrel was interested in.
On the way up the steps to Rufus Castle I came across........
..........this Rose Chafer coming into land on the Valerian.
This is a female Small Barred Long-horn and a first for me on Portland.
And in case you hadn't noticed in the "Step" photo above, Ted was standing there patiently for me to catch him up.
Birds Recorded: 2 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Kestrel, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, 1 Rock Pipit, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, 1 Raven, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch
Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizard
Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded: Blue-tailed Damselfly
Butterflies Recorded: Small Skipper, Orange-tip, Large White, Speckled Wood, 2 Meadow Brown, and Common Blue
Moths Recorded: Small Barred Long-horn (Adela croesella)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) and Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Wasps Recorded: Potter Wasp (Ancistrocerus sp.),
Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), Epistrophe eligans and a Narcissus Bulb Fly (Merodon equestris)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis) and a Rose Chafer (Cetonia aurata)
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On this day..........