31 Jul 20

Wakeham

The moth trap went out last night for a few hours and in 2 hours I had over 30 moths of 22 species. There could have been more, but there were a few escapees as I was checking them today.

Having checked them all and with some very welcome help from Martin Cade (Warden at Portland Bird Observatory), I now have a complete list of species caught, with 3 new species for my Portland Moth List.

A# 2 Jersey Tiger (Euplagia quadripunctaria)
B# 1 Oak Eggar (Lasiocampa quercus)
C# 2 Buff Arches (Habrosyne pyritoides)
D# 1 Starry Pearl (Cynaeda dentalis)
E# 2 Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella)
F# 4 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes)
G# 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta)
H# 2 Large Grey (Scoparia subfusca)
I#  1 Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea)
J# 1 Knot Grass (Acronicta rumicis)
K# 1 Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata)
L# 1 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata)
M# 1 Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis)
N# 1 A very worn Rusty Dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis)
O# 1 Garden Pebble (Evergestis forficalis)
P# 1 Ox-tongue Conch (Cochylis molliculana)
Q# 1 Mint Moth (Pyrausta aurata)
R# 1 Sycamore Piercer (Pammene aurita)
S# 1 Brown House-moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella)
T# 2 Cinerous Neb (Bryotropha terrella)
U# 1 Dingy Dowd (Blastobasis adustella)
V#  2 Common Footman (Eilema lurideola)

Moth A# - Jersey Tiger, Euplagia quadripunctaria

Moth A# - Jersey Tiger, Euplagia quadripunctaria

Moth B# - Oak Eggar, Lasiocampa quercus

Moth  C# - Buff Arches, Habrosyne pyritoides

Moth D# - Starry Pearl, Cynaeda dentalis

Moth E# - Codling Moth, Cydia pomonella

Moth E# - Codling Moth, Cydia pomonella

Moth F# - Lesser Yellow Underwing, Noctua comes

Moth G# - Shuttle-shaped Dart, Agrotis puta

Moth H# - Large Grey, Scoparia subfusca

Moth I# - Bright-line Brown-eye, Lacanobia oleracea

Moth J# - Knot Grass, Acronicta rumicis

Moth K# - Single-dotted Wave, Idaea dimidiata

Moth L# - Common Carpet, Epirrhoe alternata

Moth M# - Mother of Pearl, Pleuroptya ruralis

Moth N# - Rusty Dot Pearl, Udea ferrugalis

Moth O# - Garden Pebble, Evergestis forficalis

Moth P# - Ox-tongue Conch, Cochylis molliculana

Moth Q# - Mint Moth, Pyrausta aurata

Moth R# - Sycamore Piercer, Pammene aurita

Moth S# - Brown House-moth, Hofmannophila pseudospretella

Moth T# - Cinerous Neb, bryotropha terrella

Moth U# -  Dingy Dowd, Blastobasis adustella

Moth V# - Common Footman, Eilema lurideola


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On this day..........
2019
Today's Sightings Here

2018
Today's Sightings Here.

2017
Today' Sightings Here.

30 Jul 20

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadow, Perryfield Quarry Butterfly Reserve, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church Grounds, Church Ope Cove, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, Rufus Castle, The Cuttings Quarry and Mermaid Track

What a beautiful warm day and two new invertebrates to add to my Portland Insect List. The first was a female Red Banded Sand Wasp preparing her nest and the second, an unusual looking Tachinid Fly called a Phasia hemiptera.

Other things of note was a Hummingbird Hawk-moth, which I caught a quick glimpse of before it shot away.

Here are a few images and videos from today:

A male Chalk Hill Blue

And a female Common Blue

This is a Small Copper

Red Banded Sand Wasp and a new.......

.........species to add to my Portland List.

It was fascinating watching this female Red Banded Sand Wasp, preparing her nest. More on this Wasp Here.

A Common Green Grasshopper, blending in with its surroundings.

And another of my favourite "Ugly" Flies a Thick-headed Fly, Sicus ferrugineus

A short video of today's Conopid.

This is a Tachinid Fly called a Phasia hemiptera. But my first thought was, that it was a hoverfly. I'm just glad I checked out the diptera's first.

Here's a short video of the female Phasia hemiptera on the Japonica.

A very very packed Church Ope Cove.

A scenic shot looking down the steps from St Andrew's Church towards the cove cliffs.

And a hop and skip by a happy Ted.

Though not so happy here, but at least he is the shade, with a tub of water on its way.

Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, House Martin, Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch

Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Small White, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral, Comma, Small Copper, Small Blue, Common Blue and Chalk Hill Blue.

Moths Recorded: Six-Spot Burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae) and Sycamore Piercer (Pammene aurita)

Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum), Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) and White-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)

Digger Wasps Recorded: Red Banded Sand Wasp (Ammophila sabulosa)

Hoverflies Recorded: Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum), Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta) and The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)

Grasshoppers and Crickets Recorded: Common Green Grasshopper (

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: 1 Thick-headed Fly (Sicus ferrugineus) and a Tachinid fly (Phasia hemiptera)

Ships Today

This is the Maltese Passenger Ship "Marella Explorer 2" sailing out of Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Portuguese Container Ship "Elbstrom" on its way from Cork to Rotterdam (Holland). More on this vessel Here

This is the British sailing vessel "Dabchick" on its way from Plymouth to Portland Harbour. More on this vessel Here.

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On this day..........
2019
Today's Sightings Here

2018
Today's Sightings Here.

2017
Today' Sightings Here.

29 Jul 20

Portland Harbour and Weymouth Bay

This afternoon it was a trip out on Star for a bit sea fishing, not too many fish caught, with just a few Mackerel and Pollack.

Main highlight was watching a Grey Seal by the middle centre breakwater.

On the bird front there was actually quite a lot going on, with the following birds noted: 1 Gannet in Portland Harbour, Cormorant, Shag, Oystercatcher, 7 Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Rock Pipit and Carrion Crow

This Grey Seal was resting on a submerged rock by the middle breakwater.

It sat there for a good 40 minutes whilst we were fishing close by and then swam off into Portland Harbour.

Here are a couple of videos of the Grey Seal, taken on a rocking boat.

Mind you, it could have been worse, as earlier we were hit by 3 huge rogue waves that sent everything crashing and gave us all a bit of a fright.

A Shag

An immature Common Tern on the Portland Marina breakwater.

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadow, Easton Railway Cuttings, Perryfield Quarry Butterfly Reserve and Wakeham Railway Cuttings

Summer was back today, with wall to wall blue skies. There was still a bit of a breeze, but at least it was fairly warm.

Some good highlights with a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in the Easton Railway Cuttings, 2 Wall Browns in the Perryfields butterfly reserve and 2 Physocephala rufipes, Thick-headed Flies.

Here are a few images and videos from today:

One of the 2 Wall Browns at Perryfields Butterfly reserve

A male Common Blue

And a female Common Blue

A Hummingbird Hawkmoth resting up on the wall at Easton Railway Cuttings

One of the many Garden Grass-veneers in Wakeham Meadow

The Sycamores were alive with Sycamore Piercers along the Wakeham Railway Cuttings.

This large andrena bee is a Large Meadow Mining Bee (Andrena labialis)

This Thick-headed Fly (Physocephala rufipes) was.........

........in Wakeham Meadow.

And this one in Perryfields Butterfly Reserve

Well I guess is The Footballer hoverfly, but half the size!!

A 7-Spot Ladybird

Yes I can see you.

And despite the heat, Ted does like to have a Buzz

Birds Recorded: 2 Buzzard, 1 Peregrine Falcon, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, House Martin, Swallow, Dunnock, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch

Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Small White, 2 Wall Brown, 1 Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, 2 Marbled White, Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Blue, Common Blue and Chalk Hill Blue

Moths Recorded: 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum), Garden Grass-veneers (Chrysoteuchia culmella), Six-Spot Burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae) and Sycamore Piercer (Pammene aurita)

Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum), Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius), White-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lucorum) and Large Meadow Mining Bee (Andrena labialis)

Wasps Recorded: Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) and The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: 2 Thick-headed Fly (Physocephala rufipes)

Bugs and Beetles Recorded: 7-spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata) and Common Red Soldier Beetles (Rhagonycha fulva)


Ships Today

This is the Maltese Passenger Ship "Marella Explorer 2" sailing out of Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Liberian Platform "Ran" on its way from Bullandoe (Sweden) to Sheerness, being towed by the Norwegian Offshore Supply Ships "Siem Opal and "Siem Garnet". A confusing journey as the "tugs" have come from Montrose, which would suggest they have sailed anti-clockwise around the British Isles.

Ran Here

Siem Opal Here

Siem Garnet Here.

This is the British Tug "Duke of Normandy" in Portland Harbour. More on this vessel Here.

This Police vessel is part of the Dorset Police Marine Section who cover 89 miles of coastline from Weymouth and Christchurch Harbours. More on DPMS Here

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On this day..........
2019
Today's Sightings Here

2018
Today's Sightings Here.

2017
Today' Sightings Here.
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