The weather just gets better and better, and today there was still that westerly wind blowing, but there was definitely more warmth in the sun.
There were a few highlights with 2 Swifts screaming over the Horse Paddock and a small flock of House Martin and Swallows heading north.
In the Lower Horse paddock the male Common Whitethroat is still singing away from the large clump of brambles and very briefly a Lesser Whitethroat started singing from the same area, but must have moved on, as I didn't hear again.
The only other Common Whitethroat was in the butterfly reserve, where the Greenfinches were a bit more vocal today.
As I spent a fair bit of time in the lane I didn't visit the main butterfly reserve and opted just to walk around the reserve to the west of the lane. There were plenty of butterflies about, with at least 8 Common Blues, a few Small Blues, Large Whites, a Red Admiral and a single Wall Brown.
I also came across a couple of micro moths, one of which I think is Cocksfoot Moth (Glyphipterix simpliciella) and the other a Sycamore Piercer (Pammene aurita)
On the way back home I came across a Common Lizard along the footpath behind the Alessandria Hotel.
Here are a few images and a video from today:
There were plenty of male Common Blues about, but this was the only female I came across.
Not the best of photos but I'm pretty sure this is a Sycamore Piercer (Pammene aurita)
I think this very very small moth is a Cocksfoot Moth (Glyphipterix simpliciella)
I'm not aware of any other hoverflies that are "long", that being the case these two.........
.........are Long Hoverflies (Sphaerophoria scripta)
It's been awhile since I've seen a Marmalade Hoverfly and there were plenty out today.
These are both.......
...........the same hoverfly. I'm hoping I've got this right and it is a Migrant Hoverfly (Eupeodes luniger)
The sun has certainly brought the Dock Bugs out. And this one above and....
...........this one seem to like the nettles. This individual has its outer wing casing open.
My first Red-headed Cardinal Beetle on Portland.
This is either a Black-horned Gem (Microchrysa polita) or a..........
...............Green Gem (Microchrysa flavicornis). Another one to ID properly later. And how many times have I said that!!
A Nursery-web Spider
As I was walking around the butterfly reserve I met two botanists from Hampshire who were looking for Slender Tare (Vicia parviflora ) an uncommon flower of the pea family. I'm not sure if they found any, but they were kind enough to identify another member of the same family, this Yellow Vetchling (Lathyrus aphaca) which I came across in the lane. Which was great news as its another new plant for my Portland Flora list.
Seems everywhere you walk there are small clumps of burgundy-purple Gladiola.
Not playing today Ted. I'm not surprised, as it was pretty warm out there.
Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, 2 Swift, House Martin, Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch and Greenfinch
Reptiles Recorded: Common Lizard
Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Small White, Wall Brown, Red Admiral, Small Blue and Common Blue
Moths Recorded: Cocksfoot Moth (Glyphipterix simpliciella) and a Sycamore Piercer (Pammene aurita)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Ichneumon Wasps Recorded: 2 Ichneumon wasp sp.
Hoverflies Recorded: Spring Epistrophe (Epistrophe eligans), Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta) and a Migrant Hoverfly (Eupeodes luniger)
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: Black-horned Gems (Microchrysa polita)
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis) and a Red-headed Cardinal beetle (Pyrochroa serraticornis)
Ships Today
