17 Aug 21

Lower Horse Paddock, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Bumpers Lane, The Cuttings Quarry and Mermaid Track

Yet again another very busy day, but at least today I had plenty of time to take Ted for a decent walk. Unfortunately there weren't too many highlights. The best being 2 Chiffchaffs along the Mermaid Track.

Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
House Martin
Swallow
2 Chiffchaff
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Linnet
Goldfinch


Reptiles Recorded:
8 Slow-worms


Butterflies Recorded:
Large White
Small White
1 Red Admiral
1 Painted Lady
Common Blue
Chalk Hill Blue

A very worn Red Admiral

A record shot of a Painted Lady.


Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum)

A Buff-tailed Bumblebee on a Buddleia


Wasps Recorded:
wasp sp.


Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)

A Marmalade Hoverfly in flight.

Common Dronefly


Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Bloody-nosed Beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa)

A Bloody-nosed Beetle. It has been a long long time since I saw my last one.


Ants Recorded:
Small Black Ant (Lasius niger)

Under one of the corrugated sheets along Bumpers Lane was this ants nest full of eggs.

Caterpillars Recorded:
Large White butterfly

Two Large White caterpillars on a Nasturtium.


Plants:
Wild Marjoram (Origanum vulgare)
Old Man’s Beard (Clematis vitalba)
 Carline Thistle (Carlina vulgaris)
apple sp.

A good "bed" of Wild Marjoram

The flowers of Old Man's Beard. Also known as Travellers’ Joy and Wild Clematis.

And here are the rest, climbing up a rocky outcrop along Bumpers Lane. Must be a good 20 feet high.

This is Carline Thistle (Carlina vulgaris)

And here is a close-up of the flower head.

Dotted around the island are dozens of Apple Trees. I can only surmise that over many years, quarrymen may have thrown their apple cores into the hedgerows and the seeds germinated.

However if you grew an apple tree from a pip, the chances are that it wont resemble the original apple 

In fact this could be a good example of just that. This apple and the three together in the image above are not from the same tree, but they are just feet away from each other. Granted they may well have been the result of two different apples, but if they weren't, then this is what could occur. I might just have to have a go at growing a couple of apple trees from the same seeds. More on this Here.


General Shots:

Looking south with Rufus Castle top centre.


Ted:

Poor Ted, he looks a bit lost. I'm over here!!!


Ships Today

This is the Bahamian Passenger Ship "Disney Magic" returning to Southampton. More on this vessel Here.

This is the British Frigate "HMS Northumberland" on its way from Faslane to Plymouth. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Tanker "Sunny Bay" flying the flag of the Marshall Islands. It is presently anchored in Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Container Ship "JSP Mistral" flying the flag of Antigua Barbuda. It is on its way from Rotterdam to Dublin. More on this vessel Here.

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On this day..........
2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here

2018
Today's Sightings Here.

2017
Today' Sightings Here.