Wakeham
It was another very warm day, with the thermometer hitting 24.1°C. Apparently by Sunday it could even be another 3 or 4 degrees warmer.
It was far too hot for a walk with Ted, so I spent the whole day in the back garden, weeding and clearing areas, which wouldn't have looked out of place on the building site next door.
Main highlight, apart from the amazing numbers of Marmalade Hoverflies in the garden, was watching 500+ Herring Gulls circling overhead. Whether it was a thermal or they were "anting" I couldn't say, but they were there for a good 30 minutes or so.
It was another very warm day, with the thermometer hitting 24.1°C. Apparently by Sunday it could even be another 3 or 4 degrees warmer.
It was far too hot for a walk with Ted, so I spent the whole day in the back garden, weeding and clearing areas, which wouldn't have looked out of place on the building site next door.
Main highlight, apart from the amazing numbers of Marmalade Hoverflies in the garden, was watching 500+ Herring Gulls circling overhead. Whether it was a thermal or they were "anting" I couldn't say, but they were there for a good 30 minutes or so.
And in amongst the Marmalade Hoverflies I came across a Dark-tipped Wingwaver (Seioptera vibrans) and a new fly species for my Portland List.
Also overhead was an adult Peregrine Falcon with a very noisy juvenile tagging along. Unfortunately my camera jammed, so I missed out photographing them.
Birds Recorded:
2 Peregrine Falcon
500+ Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
2 Swift
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Magpie
House Sparrow
Goldfinch
Also overhead was an adult Peregrine Falcon with a very noisy juvenile tagging along. Unfortunately my camera jammed, so I missed out photographing them.
Birds Recorded:
2 Peregrine Falcon
500+ Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
2 Swift
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Magpie
House Sparrow
Goldfinch
Herring Gulls overhead
Amphibians Recorded:
1 Toad
Not that obvious, but compared to some of the Toads I have seen in the garden, this is a relatively small one.
Butterflies Recorded:
2 Large White
1 Meadow Brown
Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum)
Hoverflies Recorded:
200+ Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
There must have been a good 200+ on the Cherry Tree and.......
............elsewhere in the garden
So many Marmalade Hoverflies on the Cherry Tree, plus quite a few flies as well
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Dark-tipped Wingwaver (Seioptera vibrans)
4 fly species
Another fly sp.
And another
I didn't see a single bug or beetle. It must have been too hot for them!!
Ted:
Ted asleep as I was mowing the lawn.