I know I have said it many times before, nut timing is everything when Ted and I go on our walks. We left in the sun and got back home in the sun, but 30 minutes later the sky just blacker and blacker as a front moved in from the south.
There were a few highlights today, mainly Chiffchaffs, with dozens calling from what seemed to be every bush and tree I passed. Also among them were a few Blackcaps, whilst overhead a few Swallows were making their way down the island. And that was it for the migrants.
There were a dozen or so Ivy Bees back in their "nests" above the Cuttings Quarry, but I couldn't find any on the Ivy flowers along my walk, most odd!!
And on my travels I met a chap called Gary Bitcliffe and his wife, who were updating his book "The Spirit of Portland". The third edition he is working on will be called the "Mysteries of Portland". And having had a quick look at the 2nd edition he had on him, it looks like Gary's next book will be a good read.
There were a few highlights today, mainly Chiffchaffs, with dozens calling from what seemed to be every bush and tree I passed. Also among them were a few Blackcaps, whilst overhead a few Swallows were making their way down the island. And that was it for the migrants.
There were a dozen or so Ivy Bees back in their "nests" above the Cuttings Quarry, but I couldn't find any on the Ivy flowers along my walk, most odd!!
And on my travels I met a chap called Gary Bitcliffe and his wife, who were updating his book "The Spirit of Portland". The third edition he is working on will be called the "Mysteries of Portland". And having had a quick look at the 2nd edition he had on him, it looks like Gary's next book will be a good read.
"The Spirit of Portland" to be be updated and renamed the "Mysteries of Portland".
Birds Recorded:
2 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Swallow
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
3 Blackcap
20+ Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
A Common Buzzard
One of the many Chiffchaffs seen today
Reptiles Recorded:
Slow-worm
Note: I don't lift every board/sheet on my walks, but one every couple of weeks or so. The last thing I want to do is scare them off. In total I believe there are at least 10 "boards/sheets" I know of, where Slow-worms can be found..
Butterflies Recorded:
Large White
Small White
Speckled Wood
Meadow Brown
Red Admiral
Common Blue
Butterflies Recorded:
Large White
Small White
Speckled Wood
Meadow Brown
Red Admiral
Common Blue
A Speckled Wood
Moths Recorded:
3 Silver Y (Autographa gamma)
A Silver Y. In fact you can just about make out a "y" on one of the wings.
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum)
Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)
A worn Common Carder Bumblebee
And another joins it on this Knapweed
Another Common Carder Bumblebee on Ragwort this time.
And away it goes.
Is this another Common Carder?
It looks nothing like the ones above, but when it took off .....
...........it did appear to be one.
This is the Cuttings Quarry where in the top left hand corner of the photo, are a few Ivy Bees nesting.
Ichneumon sp
An Ichneumon sp
Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
A Common Dronefly
Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
This is a Common Green Shieldbug. The first I have come across in quite awhile.
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Tipula oleracea!!
Plants:
cotoneaster sp
This is a cotoneaster possibly Wall Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horizontalis)
I failed miserably today. Just 3 Ted's!!
Ships Today
This is the American Container Ship "Maersk Idaho" on its way from Norfolk (Virginia) to Antwerp. More on this vessel Here.
This is the Panamanian Vehicles Carrier "Schelde Highway", on its way from Zeebrugge (Belgium) to Dublin. More on this vessel Here.
This is the British Yacht "Morwenna" on its way from Torquay to Portland Harbour. More on this vessel Here.
This is the British Yacht "Tam Lin" on its way from Fowey to Weymouth. More on this vessel Here.
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I had the moth trap out last night and this morning there were a total of 46 moths. As yet I haven't worked out how many species there are, but one of the moths is an Olive-tree Pearl (Palpita vitrealis), sometimes called the Jasmine moth.
