16 Sep 21

Portland Bird Observatory, Hut Fields, Portland Bill, The Slopes and Obs Quarry

I was up early this morning, to check on my Trail Camera I had set up in the gardens of the Portland Bird Observatory. The camera was overlooking one of the ponds, but alas there were only 2 video recordings. The first was me setting it up and the second video was when something triggered the motion sensor, but the lens was covered in moisture rising from the pond, so whatever it was, wasn't viewable. There will be other times I'm sure.

Main highlights today were 2 Skylarks, lots of House Martins & Swallows, a few Meadow Pipits, 6 Pied Wagtails at the Bill, 4 Yellow Wagtails over, 4 Stonechat on The Slopes, where there was also a Whinchat and a few Wheatear. In the Obs Quarry, there was no sign of the Wryneck, but feeding in amongst the brambles were 2 Common Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap and a Willow Warbler.

In the Obs front garden there were at least 5 Chiffchaff and a couple of Willow Warblers.

Other highlights were possibly a Field Mouse, seen when I lifted up a wooden board in the Obs Meadow. I also came across a Colletes bee. It wasn't an Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae), so perhaps a Hairy-saddled Colletes (Colletes fodiens). I will check though. More on this species Here.

Mammals Recorded:
1 Field Mouse!!


Birds Recorded:
1 Gannet
3 Cormorant
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Kestrel
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
2 Skylark
House Martin
Swallow
Meadow Pipit
Rock Pipit
6 Pied Wagtail
4 Yellow Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
4 Stonechat
1 Whinchat
6 Wheatear
Blackbird
2 Common Whitethroat
1 Blackcap
5 Chiffchaff
3+ Willow Warbler
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Raven
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

This juvenile Cormorant is flying in to join.........

............these 2 adults. And here it is on the right

This Kestrel was posing very well and then......

............it gave me a right beakful!!!

Here it is again having a good look around.

One of several Rock Pipits around The Bill.

And another.

This female Stonechat was keeping an eye on its.........

............youngster here. Love the expression its making.

Just the one Whinchat seen on The Slopes.

And around the Bill on the rocks were a few Wheatears........

...........getting ready to cross the Channel.

A small flock of House Sparrows on The Slopes.

And two more. The bird top left is a Dunnock and often called a "Hedge Sparrow", but is definitely related to the House Sparrows either side of it.

Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:
Dragonfly sp.


Butterflies Recorded:
Large White
Small White
Speckled Wood
Small Heath
Meadow Brown
Red Admiral
Comma
Small Copper
Common Blue

A very small but pretty butterfly. This is a Small Copper.

And just the one "blue" butterfly seen today. This is a male Common Blue.

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

Possibly a Hairy-saddled Colletes (Colletes fodiens). It is certainly not an Ivy Bee and I have certainly not seen any other species of Colletes on Portland. So whatever it turns out to be, it will be a first for me, not just on Portland but also the British Isles.

Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Plain-faced Dronefly (Eristalis arbustorum)

A Plain-faced Dronefly (Eristalis arbustorum)

Plants:

This tree is in the Obs front garden. At first glance I thought the tips of the branches were pink, but a closer look revealed pink flowers. I have no idea what species this is. I will find out though.

General Shots:

The Red Crane and Portland Lighthouse

The Obelisk and Portland Lighthouse

The Pulpit with sea fog in the distance.

The Obs Quarry with birders looking for the Wryneck.

Ted:

And Ted photo bombing my shot of the Obs Meadow, Obs Lighthouse and Quarry

Oh dear someone has had enough!!!

Ships Today

This is the British Fishing Boat "Boy Lynham" fishing just off Portland Bill. More on this vessel Here.

This is the British Sailing Vessel "Challenger 4" on its way from Portland Harbour to an unknown destination. More on this vessel Here.

This boat in the foreground is the British Charter Fishing Boat "Amarisa" on its way from Weymouth to fishing grounds out in the English Channel. More on this vessel Here. The sailing ship behind Amarisa is..........

............Ipanema. Unfortunately it doesn't have its transponder on and like this..........

........fishing boat "Avalon", there is no way of knowing where they have been or where they are going.