10 Apr 21

Mermaid Track, Bumpers Lane, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve and Lower Horse Paddock

Well today's forecast was for rain, so Ted and I had an early walk. Well I say early, I managed to leave the cottage at 11:50am. And did it rain at all during the day. Nope!!

However it was another good walk with the main highlight being my first ever Gorse Shieldbug in the Nature Reserve. There are hundreds of Gorse Bushes on the reserve and I thought I'd have a go at finding one of these elusive shieldbugs. Since I moved here in May 2017, local naturalists have always asked me, have I seen one these shieldbugs. Well today I did.

I was photographing a Honey Bee taking off from one of the flowers and when I had a quick look at the image, I realised I had also photographed a Gorse Shieldbug. I can see why its taken me this long to find one, especially when they sit between those spikes.

On the migration front, there was very little about with just a handful of Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers seen and heard along the Mermaid Track, Bumpers Lane Quarry and one along Broadcroft Quarry Lane.

Here are a few images and videos from today:

When there isn't much about, it's good to know that you can always rely on the resident birds for a photo shoot. A Robin of course.

And this is a Song Thrush in the Lower Horse paddock. I'm pretty sure it has a nest close by.

The brambles in the horse paddock are absolutely teaming with House Sparrows. Their stronghold was across the road from the cottage in Quarry Lane, but a local Eco Warrior scrubbed out their habitat, which 2 years later still remains a barren wasteland. At least these sparrows have found a new haven.

And just like the residents above you can always rely on the local..............

.............Starlings to give a bit of colour.

Now this has to be the naffest photograph I have ever taken of a Honey Bee in flight. But I'm so glad I took it, as to the left of it, and unbeknown to me at the time, was a Gorse Shieldbug. My first ever.

And here it is in its Spring/Summer colours. More on this shieldbug Here

Here is a short video of the Gorse Shieldbug, plus a small bug video bombing my movie.

Bumpers Lane Quarry, where there was not just 2 Chiffchaffs, but also...........

........Ted having a good bark at something. And judging by the aroma coming up the slopes, my money was on a Fox somewhere below us.

Mammals Recorded: Bunny

Birds Recorded: 1 Kestrel, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 5 Chiffchaff/Willow Warblers, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 1 Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch and 6 Greenfinch

Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) and White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)

Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) and Spotted Meliscaeva (Meliscaeva auricollis)

Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Gorse Shieldbug (Piezodorus lituratus) and a bug sp.

Ships Today

This is the Maltese Passenger Ship "Marella Explorer" just off the southern tip of Portland. More on this vessel Here.

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.