Wakeham Railway Cuttings, Perryfield Quarry Butterfly Reserve, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, Rufus Castle and The Mermaid Track
The forecast was for rain this afternoon, so it was a quick walk this morning to avoid getting a soaking. Unfortunately for just a few minutes after midday, Ted and I got a right soaking from a rogue black cloud. It did eventually rain but not until around 2:30pm, so the walk wasn't too bad.
The temperature is still quite low for May and yet again, there were very few invertebrates seen. Having said that I did come across my first Nettle-tap moth of the year in Penns Wood.
The forecast was for rain this afternoon, so it was a quick walk this morning to avoid getting a soaking. Unfortunately for just a few minutes after midday, Ted and I got a right soaking from a rogue black cloud. It did eventually rain but not until around 2:30pm, so the walk wasn't too bad.
The temperature is still quite low for May and yet again, there were very few invertebrates seen. Having said that I did come across my first Nettle-tap moth of the year in Penns Wood.
The only other highlights were 2 Chiffchaffs singing along the Mermaid Track, another singing along the Railway Cuttings and a male Lesser Whitethroat singing from the south facing cliffs at the cove. The latter was also here last year!
Here are a few images from today:
A couple of days ago the male Red-tailed Bumblebees were out collecting nectar and pollen. Today it was the turn of the Queens, with at least 3 seen. To be honest I would have thought it would have been the smaller females out, but it appeared not to be. Maybe the Queens have had to restart their nests due to cold wet weather.
Here are a few images from today:
My first Common Nettle-tap moth of the year.
The Lackey moth caterpillars still going strong on the Elms in the church grounds.
The now vacant Long-tailed Tits nest at Church Ope Cove. I wonder how many feathers they used to line it!!
What hill. No problem for Ted.
Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch
Moths Recorded: Common Nettle-tap (Anthophila fabriciana)
Bees Recorded: Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Caterpillars Recorded: Lackey Moth
This is the British Aircraft Carrier "HMS Queen Elizabeth" supposedly in Portsmouth (according to marinetraffic.com), but still off the tip of Portland.
Bees Recorded: Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Caterpillars Recorded: Lackey Moth
Ships Today
