With such a lovely warm sunny day, I thought I would check out Tout Quarry for Grayling and possibly a Wall Brown. Unfortunately the quarry was absolutely heaving with visitors. So much so, that I had to park on the main road as the car park was full.
With so many people here, any chance of finding a Grayling was looking bleak and so it proved to be. Those that I have found here in previous years have always, apart from the odd one or two, been seen on the tracks and pathways. But with a continuous flow of walkers there was no chance of finding any.
There were however other butterflies, including good numbers of Chalk Hill Blue and Gatekeepers. A list of the butterflies seen are below.
Also here were 3 Willow Warblers and a Blackcap, whilst overhead a Buzzard was being mobbed by the local Herring Gulls.
Here are a few images from today:
One of the 3 Willow Warblers in the quarry, with one individual singing briefly.
Its been awhile since I have seen a Peacock. Tout must be a good place for them with at least 4 seen.
A Marbled White
This is a Chalk Hill Blue.
There were quite a few here, including a.........
.........few worn individuals.
A Scarlet Tiger Moth
And one of my favourite "ugly" flies, a Thick-headed Fly (Sicus ferrugineus)
"Still Falling" carved in the rock wall. More on "Still Falling" Here
Birds Recorded: Buzzard, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 3 Willow Warbler, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, 2 Raven, Chaffinch and Greenfinch
Butterflies Recorded: Small Skipper, Lulworth Skipper, Large Skipper, Large White, Small White, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Marbled White, Red Admiral, Peacock, Comma, Common Blue and Chalk Hill Blue
Moths Recorded: Six-Spot Burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae), several Yellow-spot Tortrix (Pseudargyrotoza conwagana) and a Scarlet Tiger Moth (Callimorpha dominula)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum), Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) and White-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)
Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) and The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)
Flies Recorded: Thick-headed Fly (Sicus ferrugineus)
Way way out in the English Channel was the Maltese Passenger Ship "Marella Explorer" on its way from Weymouth Bay to Brixham. More on this vessel Here.
Ships Today
