2 Aug 21

Sweethill Farm, Top Fields, Wallsend Cove and Southwell Business Park

It was a much fresher day with a bit of a south-westerly breeze. It was mostly cloudy with the occasional glimpse of the sun, but the main thing was, it wasn't raining.

Main highlights today were the butterflies with 10 species recorded, including 2 Painted Lady's and several Chalk Hill Blues. The majority of butterflies seen were along the South-west Coast Path, especially to the west of the Southwell Business Park fence.

Birds Recorded:
Kestrel
Herring Gull

Stock Doves
Wood Pigeon
Skylark
Swallow
Meadow Pipit
Dunnock
Blackbird
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

A male Linnet on the Business Park fence.

A few seconds later he was in the brambles to my left.

And this is his mate.

And yep she also flew across the track to the brambles as well.

A lone Woodpigeon in the Top Fields.

Or maybe not. In fact I'm pretty sure there is one possibly two Stock Doves with the Woodies.

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Lulworth Skipper
Large White
Small White
4 Wall
Meadow Brown
20+ Gatekeeper
2 Red Admiral
2 Painted Lady
1 Common Blue
7+ Chalk Hill Blue

This Lulworth Skipper was the only skipper I found today.

Still quite a few Wall Browns about.

And it took awhile, but one of them did open up its wings eventually.

Still lots of Gatekeepers about as well. This one is a bit worn.

Whereas this one is in pristine condition.

It's a shame there isn't anything to show you the size of this Gatekeeper. But believe me this individual was tiny. I appreciate it's a bit worse for wear, but this Gatekeeper was half the size of the others around it.

One of 3 Chalk Hill Blues I photographed today

Here is another individual.

And another. The track to the west of the Business Park fence seems to be the place to find them

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

Brown-banded Carder Bee (Bombus humilis)

A Honey Bee of course.

I ummed and ahhed but I am pretty confident that this.......

...........is the rare Brown-banded Carder Bee (Bombus humilis)

The pointers to go by are:

1: The colour of the thorax matches the colour of the small band on the abdomen.

2: Where the wings meet the body, there should be a black line.

3: I have actually seen one before in the gardens of Portland Bird Observatory; where I was fortunate to meet Andy Davidson a Hymenopterist who visited the Obs (May 2019) and kindly pointed one out to me Here.

Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)

A male Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta) on a Field Bindweed (Convolvulus Arvensis)

I managed to get right in close on this Eristalis hoverfly. But I still can't tell which species it is, so Eristalis sp. it will be. Smart looking hoverfly though.

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Flies sp.


Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Common Red Soldier Beetles (Rhagonycha fulva)
Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis)

Common Red Soldier Beetles (Rhagonycha fulva)

Crickets and Grasshoppers Recorded:
Dark Bush-cricket (Pholidoptera griseoaptera)
Meadow Grasshopper (Chorthippus parallelus)

I'm beginning to think that Meadow Grasshoppers rule the meadows on Portland. I haven't found too many other species.

Slugs and Snails Recorded:
White-lipped Banded Snail (Cepaea hortensis)
Garden Snail (Cornu aspersa)


Spiders Recorded:
Bordered Orb-weaver (Neoscona adianta)

I know some people get hung up over spiders, but......

.........this individual has some beautiful colours and markings. From what I can gather this is a Bordered Orb-weaver (Neoscona adianta) and is found at a few sites in England (notably Kent and Sussex) and Dorset it appears. It can be found from June to September along Coastal sites, heathland and open grassland

Caterpillars Recorded:
Cinnabar moth

This is the same Ragwort I found these Cinnabar moth caterpillars a few days ago.

There isn't much left of the plant now and I noticed that several other plants close-by now have caterpillars on them.

Ants Recorded:
Small Black Ant (Lasius niger)


Woodlice Crustaceans Recorded:
Southern Pill Woodlouse (Armadillidium depressum)


Plants:

Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra)

Diffuse Knapweed (Centaurea diffusa)

Common Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)

Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris)

This is Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra)

And a new plant for me a Diffuse Knapweed (Centaurea diffusa). 

Certainly not one I have come across before

Common Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris). Also known as Yellow Toadflax and Butter-and-eggs

Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris)

Ted:

There I was hiding from Ted, hoping to get a good run of photos, when he came running past and just stopped with both back legs in the air. He's a funny dog.

Ships Today

This is the Portuguese Cargo Ship "Petra" on its way from Belfast to Poole. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Gibraltarian Cargo ship "Aasfjord" on its way from Ipswich to Port Talbot. 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.