Port and Wey: September 2021

30 Sep 21

Lodmoor RSPB Reserve

As I was in Weymouth doing a bit of shopping, and it wasn't raining, I took the opportunity to have a walk around Lodmoor RSPB Reserve.

Ted and I were doing quite well and then half way round the reserve the heavens opened. Fortunately I came prepared and after both of us had put on our waterproofs, we carried on our walk.

Despite the rain and howling wind there were quite a few highlights, with 3 Great White Egrets, 15 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Sandwich Terns and year ticks with both Little Grebe and Water Rail

Birds Recorded:
1 Little Grebe
Cormorant
3 Great White Egret
1 Little Egret
Mute Swan

Grey Heron
Canada Goose
Mallard
Gadwall
Teal
Tufted Duck
1 Kestrel
Water Rail
Moorhen
Coot

2 Lapwing
3 Dunlin
15 Black-tailed Godwit
Black-headed Gull
150+ Mediterranean Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
2 Sandwich Tern
Wood Pigeon
Meadow Pipit
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Cetti's Warbler
5 Chiffchaff
Bearded Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Starling
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Greenfinch

Two Great White Egrets and a Little Egret make their way across one of the lagoons.

In total there were at least 3 Great White Egrets on the reserve. Here's no. 1

And no. 2

And no. 3

An adult Mute Swan follows its cygnets

Just a few of the 100+ Canada Geese that came into land on the reserve.

Here are a few coming into land

This is the same video as above, but slowed down so that you can see a few of them "whiffling", where they turn upside down and then back again to rapidly lose speed and height for a fast landing. Whilst rolling their body upside down, they twist their necks to keep their heads the right way up.

This Kestrel was the only bird of prey I saw here.

One of two Lapwing I came across. I'm sure there were plenty more elsewhere on the reserve.

Here is a short video of it feeding close to the path I was walking along

You can just about make out a Dunlin behind the Mediterranean Gull

One of 15 Black-tailed Godwits here today.

Here it is feeding in the shallows

That bill is so black with mud, perhaps it should be called a "Black-billed Godwit"

In the foreground are 8 Black-tailed Godwits and quite a few Mediterranean Gulls. In the background there are a further 6 Black-tailed Godwits.

Here are seven of the eight Black-tailed Godwits in this "party"

I'm not sure what spooked them but here they are flying off towards Radipole.

In this, my final photo of them before they disappeared out of sight, you can just make out the black and white markings on their tails, that they were named after.

When the godwits were spooked, so were these Mediterranean Gulls of various ages.

Honest, these are 2 Sandwich Terns just leaving the reserve and heading out into Weymouth Bay.

A couple of brief songs from a very close Cetti's Warbler at Lodmoor RSPB Reserve

Fish Recorded:
50+ mullet sp.

Just a few of the dozens and dozens of mullet before the sluice-gate to the reserve.

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Red Admiral

Plants:

Maybe a member of the daisy family.

Here's a close-up. One to ID later.

Ted:

Oh dear, the look on Ted's face says it all. He's not a big fan of his waterproof jacket.

Ships Today:

This is the Liberian Oil Products Tanker "Fredericia" on its way into Portland Harbour from Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.

29 Sep 21

Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Church Ope Cove Wood, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, Rufus Castle and the Museum

There was a break in the weather today, with a fair bit of sun, though that wind was still pretty strong. The past couple of days has been miserable and tomorrow's forecast isn't looking to good either. So Ted and I had a good walk down to the cove today, where it was pleasantly warm and very sheltered.

Main highlights were several Chiffchaffs in the grounds of St Andrew's Church and at the back of the cove, where there was also a small flock of Long-tailed Tits passing through.

The Common Droneflies were the most numerous of any creature I came across today, with every flowering Ivy covered in them. There were good numbers of Ivy Bees and in the more sheltered spots I came across several Red Admirals.

Unusual sighting today was a Wall Lizard or should it be renamed a "Hut" Lizard, as I watched and videoed one entering one of the Beach Huts via a hole where a knot used to be in the wood.

Birds Recorded:
Gannet
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
4 Swallow
Meadow Pipit
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
7+ Chiffchaff
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch

In the bushes surrounding St Andrews Church were a few Chiffchaffs.

Here is another one.

There was a small flock of Long-tailed Tits behind the Beach Huts.

And off it goes to join the rest of the flock.

Reptiles Recorded:
Wall Lizard

A Wall Lizard scaling a beach hut.

Well I wasn't expecting that. Perhaps it should be called a "Hut" Lizard.

Butterflies Recorded:
Large White
Small White
Speckled Wood
Red Admiral

Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum)
Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)

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

Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

General Shots:

Rufus Castle overlooking Church Ope Cove

Ted:

Eye eye what's going on here then. Leaf it out!!

Ships Today:

This is the Singaporean Bulk carrier "Capricorn One" on its way from Sept-Iles (Canada) to Ijmuiden (Holland) via Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Panamanian Vehicles Carrier "Azul Ace" on its way from Barcelona to Antwerp. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Oil Tanker "Fure Fladen" flying the flag of the Faroe Islands. It is on its way from Rotterdam to Portland. More on this vessel Here.

This is the American Sailing Vessel "Rockhopper" on its from Dartmouth to Weymouth. More on this vessel Here.

28 Sep 21

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadow and Perryfield Quarry Butterfly Reserve

Well the rain held off long enough for me and Ted to get a quick walk in. We didn't go to far just in case the weatherman was right with the forecast of heavy rain moving in by early afternoon.

It was great that it wasn't raining, but my word that southerly wind was strong with gusts up to 40mph. Unsurprisingly there weren't to many birds seen or heard, but I did come across 2 Blackcaps by the Meadows and an impressive display of speed and agility by two Peregrine Falcons.

The Ivy that is flowering in a few places along my walk, are absolutely covered with hoverflies and bees, with the majority of hoverflies being the Common Dronefly.

Birds Recorded:
2 Peregrine Falcon
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Dunnock
2 Blackcap
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
House Sparrow
Goldfinch
Greenfinch

These two Peregrines were swooping down on something at ground level, returning to "altitude" and then back down at speed at again. Quite impressive.

Reptiles Recorded:
Slow-worm

Butterflies Recorded:
5 Speckled Wood
2 Red Admiral

Just two butterfly species seen today, 5 Speckled Woods and this Red Admiral and one other.

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

Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)

Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)

Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum)
Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)

Honey Bee

I can't make my mind up as to whether this is a male Red-tailed Bumblebee or........

............either a worker/male Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum)

My feeling is that I haven't seen a Red-tailed Bumblebee in weeks, so perhaps its an Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum).

Common Carder Bumblebee

Ivy Bee

And another

And one more

Wasps Recorded:
wasps sp.

Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Plain-faced Dronefly (Eristalis arbustorum)
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
Hoverfly sp-1

Hoverfly sp-2

Hoverfly sp-3

Hoverfly sp-4

Hoverfly sp-5

Hoverfly sp-6