Almost the same walk as yesterday, but today I included Avalanche Hump and Suckthumb Quarry, in the hope of seeing the Golden Oriole which was seen at the Obs earlier in the morning. In previous years Golden Orioles have been seen at The Hump and Suckthumb Quarry, but not today.
The weather was very much like yesterday with a fair bit of cloud and spots of rain as I started my walk, however instead of getting cloudier it actually got sunnier and a lot warmer.
Here are a few birding highlights:
House Martin and Swallow - several over The Hump, Thumb Lane and The Windmills
Wheatear - 1 male again in Weston Road horse paddock
Common Whitethroat - 7 around The Windmills, 6 Combefield Quarry, 2 Suckthumb Quarry
Blackcap - 1 Old Quarry Lane, 2 The Hump
Chiffchaff - Singles at The Windmills and The Hump
Willow Warbler - 1 at The Hump singing.
Spotted Flycatcher - 2 at The Hump
There were a lot more butterflies today, including one of the "blue" butterfly species. Unfortunately I couldn't see which one as it flew off into one of the horse paddocks next to The Hump.
And today also saw an emergence of Green-longhorn Moths dancing around several Sycamore Trees along my walk.
Here are a few images and videos from today:
Here it is feeding.
There were some very vocal Common Whitethroats today.
And here's another one.
Okay, obviously doesn't like an audience.
One of the two Spotted Flycatchers in..............
.................. the wood at The Hump.
In their usual spot a Slow-worm and its.......
...........youngster.
One of many Green-longhorn Moths that emerged today.
Find a Sycamore on Portland and they wont be far away.
This is a Chocolate Mining Bee (Andrena scotica)
I thought this was an Orange-tip Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa) but.........
...........looking at these images.......
..........I'm not so sure. Hmm one to ID later.
An Ichneumon Wasp sp. the first Ichneumon Wasp I have seen this year.
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea). There were quite a.........
.............few about.
A Spring Epistrophe Hoverfly (Epistrophe eligans)
The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)
And head on.
One of my favourite flies............
.......................a Celery Fly.
Well if you ever wanted proof that Ted can fly well here it is. No PhotoShop manipulating here.
Birds Recorded: Buzzard, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, House Martin, Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 1 Wheatear, Blackbird, 15 Common Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch
Reptiles Recorded: 2 Slow-worms
Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Small White, 1 Red Admiral and a Blue sp.
Moths Recorded: Green-longhorn Moths (Adela reaumurella)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius), Chocolate Mining Bee (Andrena scotica), Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria) and a possible Orange-tip Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa)
Ichneumon Wasps Recorded: Ichneumon Wasp sp.
Hoverflies Recorded: Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea), Spring Epistrophe (Epistrophe eligans) and The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: Celery fly (Euleia heraclei) and St Mark's Fly (Bibio marci)
