After what looked like being a miserable wet and cloudy day, the sun finally appeared late afternoon. Highlight today wasn't I'm afraid fauna or flora, though I may have a couple of new insects for my Portland. but Richard Branson's new Passenger Ship "Scarlet Lady" which was way out in the English Channel. More on this vessel at the bottom of the page.
Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Blackbird, 2 Common Whitethroat, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch
Reptiles Recorded:
Common Lizard and 2 Slow-worm
A Slow-worm from one of several places I have come across them.
Butterflies Recorded:
Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Large White, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Marbled White and a Red Admiral
Large Skipper
Large White
Ringlet
Meadow Brown
Meadow Brown on Knapweed
A Marbled White on Privet
Red Admiral
Moths Recorded:
1 Wavy-barred Sable (Pyrausta nigrata) and a Small Blood-vein (Scopula imitaria)
Wavy-barred Sable (Pyrausta nigrata)
Small Blood-vein (Scopula imitaria). A first for my Portland Moth List.
Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum) and Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
A Common Carder
Common Carder
Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Marmalade Hoverfly
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria), a possible Root-maggot Fly (Anthomyia pluvialis) and a Gymnocheta viridis
A female Yellow Dung Fly
A Root-maggot Fly possibly Anthomyia pluvialis
A Gymnocheta viridis
Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Common Red Soldier Beetles (Rhagonycha fulva) (Photo under Ants), Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis) and Lesser Thick-legged Flower Beetle (Ischnomera cyanea)
Slugs and Snails Recorded:
Garden Snail (Cornu aspersa), Large Red Slug (Arion ater) and Black Slug (Arion ater)
Garden Snail
Black Slug
Large Red Slug
Ants Recorded:
Small Black Ant (Lasius niger) and Red Ant sp.
A Red Soldier Beetle with a Small Black Ant and Red Ants sp.
Plants:
Honeysuckle, Oxeye Daisy's and Valerian
Honeysuckle
And a close up of the flower head.
The Railway Cuttings and the embankment a mass of Oxeye Daisy's and Red & White Valerian.
It's been awhile since Ted has had a Buzz.
Easton Railway Cuttings and yep that's Ted way up the southern end of the track.
Easton Railway Cuttings again and yes you've guessed it, he's now up the other end of the track.
No different here either with Ted disappearing up the path at the Butterfly Reserve.
Ships Today:
