As Ted missed out on a decent walk yesterday, we had extended walk today. And what a lovely day it was, with blue skies, sunshine and in the sheltered spots very mild. Once out in the open it was decidedly different with a very chilly north-westerly.
It was certainly a good day for migrants moving through with 2 Skylarks, 12 Swallow, 8 Stonechat, 10 Blackcap, 19 Chiffchaff and a Siskin.
It was even sunnier enough for a few Wall Lizards to be out basking and for the butterflies, with double figures for both Speckled Wood and Red Admirals.
The sun also saw many bees and hoverflies on the flowering Ivy with Honey Bees, Buff-tailed Bumblebees, lots of Ivy Bees, Common Droneflies, several Dead-head Hoverflies and a Hornet Plumehorn.
On Penn's Weare there were dozens of Common Field Grasshoppers and close to the Lower Horse Paddock I came across a Dark Bush-cricket again
In the grounds of St Andrews Church I came across a very colourful black and orange caterpillar.
Mammals Recorded:
Bunny
Birds Recorded:
Kestrel
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
2 Skylark
12 Swallow
Meadow Pipit
5 Pied Wagtail
1 Grey Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
8 Stonechat
Blackbird
1 Song Thrush
10 Blackcap
19 Chiffchaff
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
20+ Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
90+ Linnet
1 Siskin
Goldfinch
A Stonechat along Bumpers Lane
It wasn't easy to photograph any of these warblers today. This is a male Blackcap...
..........a female Blackcap (brown cap) and a.....
........Chiffchaff
2 Wall Lizard
This Wall Lizard was a bit easier to photograph
Large White
Small White
12+ Speckled Wood
10+ Red Admiral
A very worn female Small White
There were good numbers of Speckled Woods out today..........
...................with over a dozen seen.
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)
A Honey Bee
On the left is a male Ivy Bee and on the far right another Honey Bee
This is the much larger female Ivy Bee in relationship to the male Ivy Bee
There were quite a few Buff-tailed Bumblebees out in the sun
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
A Common Wasp
And a head on view
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
Hornet Plumehorn (Volucella zonaria)
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
Hornet Plumehorn
Here it is having a "wash and brush up"
Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida)
Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria)
A Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria)
2 Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)
A Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis, form - succinea)
And another Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis, form - succinea)
Dark Bush-cricket (Pholidoptera griseoaptera)
Common Field Grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus)
A Dark Bush-cricket
Common Field Grasshopper
Oak Eggar moth
This is an early instar Oak Eggar moth caterpillar which will be followed by two progressively later instars.
Mint
Mint and lots of it at Church Ope Cove by the huts.
Looking south from Penn's Weare
Ted on the wall above the cove
And not looking to pleased that I wont help him down straight away.
This is the Cypriot LNG Tanker "Boris Vilkitsky" just the east of the Shambles Sandbank
It is on its way into Portland Harbour from Sines (Portugal). More on this vessel Here.
This is the Bermudian Passenger Ship "Queen Mary 2" on its way into Weymouth Bay after an excursion off the coast of Devon. In the background is St Aldhelm's Head
More on Queen Mary 2 Here.
A short video of the Queen Mary 2
This is the Liberian Container Ship "MSC Bari" on its way from Rotterdam to The Suez Canal. More on this vessel Here.
This is the Maltese Ro-ro/Passenger Ship "Visby" on its way from Rosslare to Dunkirk. More on this vessel Here.