It was another blistering hot day and far too hot for a walk for Ted, so instead I waited until early evening before we ventured out into the back garden.
A quick look under corrugated sheet revealed the "light" coloured Slow-worm was still about and I came across my first Yellow-necked Mouse on Portland. Until I disturbed it, it was curled up in a ball, but was soon up and away. A very large light fawn coloured mouse, with a white belly and a pale "yellow" neck, though it did appear more white than yellow. More on Yellow-necked Mice here.
Earlier in the day 2 Willow Warblers passed through the garden
Mammals Recorded:
Yellow-necked Mouse
Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
2 Willow Warblers
Blue Tit
Magpie
Carrion Crow
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
Reptiles Recorded:
1 Slow-worm
Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:
Blue-tailed Damselfly
Butterflies Recorded:
Large White
Small White
Speckled Wood
Marbled White
Red Admiral
Moths Recorded:
2 Silver Y (Autographa gamma)
Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Ichneumon Wasps Recorded:
A small very black looking Ichneumon sp
Hoverflies Recorded:
4 Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats, Aphids and Midges Recorded:
Black Bean Aphids (Aphis fable)
Flies sp.
Slugs and Snails Recorded:
Garden Snail (Cornu aspersa)
Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:
Blue-tailed Damselfly
A male Blue-tailed Damselfly
Large White
Small White
Speckled Wood
Marbled White
Red Admiral
Moths Recorded:
2 Silver Y (Autographa gamma)
Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Honey Bee
Buff-tailed Bumblebee
Red-tailed Bumblebee
A small very black looking Ichneumon sp
Hoverflies Recorded:
4 Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
1 Plain-faced Dronefly (Eristalis arbustorum)
Hoverfly sp.
I have seen Plain-faced Dronefly (Eristalis arbustorum) at Rufus Castle, but......
..........this my first one in the garden, on the new pond.
Hoverfly sp.
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats, Aphids and Midges Recorded:
Black Bean Aphids (Aphis fable)
Flies sp.
Black Bean Aphids (Aphis fable) and Small Black Ants (Lasius niger)
Slugs and Snails Recorded:
Garden Snail (Cornu aspersa)
