Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, Rufus Castle, Bumpers Lane and Lower Horse Paddock
Very fortunately I had to be up fairly early this morning, which was just as well as the weather forecast was for heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightening later in the morning. So in rather gloomy conditions Ted and I headed off to Church Ope Cove.
As expected, with a lack of sun and feeling a bit chillier than the past few days, there were very few insects about. In fact I didn't come across a single butterfly or moth, and the only bees I recorded were 2 Buff-tailed Bumblebees.
I did however find a few Swollen-thighed Beetles and the slightly smaller Lesser Thick-legged Flower Beetle, and just about everywhere you looked there was cuckoo spit on brambles, valerian and quite a few other plants as well. So it could be a good year for froghoppers.
Bird-wise it was fairly quiet, as many birds are busy feeding youngsters. The Lesser Whitethroat is still singing in Penn's Weare, just north of the cove and I came across a Common Whitethroat in Bumpers Lane and the Lower Horse paddock.
And just as I about to leave the horse paddock 2 Swifts came screaming overhead as the first drops of rain began to fall. Perfect timing as Ted and I were just a 100 metres or so from home.
Here are a few images from today:
Very fortunately I had to be up fairly early this morning, which was just as well as the weather forecast was for heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightening later in the morning. So in rather gloomy conditions Ted and I headed off to Church Ope Cove.
As expected, with a lack of sun and feeling a bit chillier than the past few days, there were very few insects about. In fact I didn't come across a single butterfly or moth, and the only bees I recorded were 2 Buff-tailed Bumblebees.
I did however find a few Swollen-thighed Beetles and the slightly smaller Lesser Thick-legged Flower Beetle, and just about everywhere you looked there was cuckoo spit on brambles, valerian and quite a few other plants as well. So it could be a good year for froghoppers.
Bird-wise it was fairly quiet, as many birds are busy feeding youngsters. The Lesser Whitethroat is still singing in Penn's Weare, just north of the cove and I came across a Common Whitethroat in Bumpers Lane and the Lower Horse paddock.
And just as I about to leave the horse paddock 2 Swifts came screaming overhead as the first drops of rain began to fall. Perfect timing as Ted and I were just a 100 metres or so from home.
Here are a few images from today:
And yet another "batch" of Lackey moth caterpillars on the Elm trees in the grounds of St Andrew's Church
I'm pretty sure this is my first Swollen-thighed Beetle this year. This is the male and this is.......
........the female.
This is Pale Flax, Linum bienne
Ted on the charge again.
Birds Recorded: 1 Cormorant, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, 2 Swift, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Chough, Raven, Golden Oriole, Starling, Rosy Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch
Reptiles Recorded: 1 Slow-worm
Bees Recorded: 2 Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis) and Lesser Thick-legged Flower Beetle (Ischnomera cyanea)
Ships Today
This is the British yacht "Solo Polished Manx2" on its way from Weymouth to an unknown destination. More on this vessel Here and Here
This is the British Yacht "True Colours" on its way from Portland Harbour to an unknown destination. More on this vessel Here.
Aircraft today
A drone over Penn's Wear. They are becoming a regular sight over Portland