31 May 22

Out and about

It has been a busy week so far, with lots of family members visiting Portland. Today I met up with my brother, sister-in-law and the niece of one of my sisters at the Abbotsbury Sub-tropical Gardens for late afternoon scones, clotted cream and jam. Very nice indeed.

And it turned out to be an even better day when I was driving back home, as a came across a Red Kite flying over the fields near Portesham and a little further on, my first Yellowhammer I have seen for quite a few years.

Before I left for Abbotsbury I took Ted for a walk along Old Quarry Lane and Wakeham Meadows. Main highlight here were two Thick-headed fly species, Sicus ferrugineus and Physocephala rufipes. I dont think I've ever seen both together on the same day.

Key to Sightings today:
A - Abbotsbury
P - Portesham
The rest seen in and around Old Quarry Lane and Wakeham Meadow.

Birds Recorded today:
1 Red Kite (P)
1 Buzzard (P)
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Swallow
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Blackcap (A)
2 Chiffchaff (A)
1 Goldcrest (A)
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
1 Yellowhammer (P)

Butterflies Recorded:
Large White
Speckled Wood
Small Heath
Red Admiral
Painted Lady
Common Blue

Speckled Wood

Painted Lady

Moths Recorded:

Mother Shipton (Callistege mi)
Vetch Piercer (Grapholita jungiella)

Hook-streak Grass-veneer (Crambus lathoniellus)

Mother Shipton (Callistege mi)

Vetch Piercer (Grapholita jungiella)

Hook-streak Grass-veneer (Crambus lathoniellus)

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

bee sp.

Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

bee sp.

Ichneumon Wasps Recorded:
Ichneumon sp.

Ichneumon sp. A name I always get tongue-tied with. Having checked the pronunciation, I have come up with "Ick New Man". Seems to come out alright.

Hoverflies Recorded:
#1 - Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
#2 - Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax) - No photo

#3 - hoverfly sp.

A Marmalade Hoverfly hovering.

#3 - hoverfly sp.

#3 - hoverfly sp.

#3 - hoverfly sp. It took off unexpectedly, hence the unsharp image. I have tried to enhance in the hope it can be identified. Interesting to note that the last two yellow segments on the abdomen are slightly more orange. Not sure that helps, but who knows.

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
#1 - Noon Fly (Mesembrina meridiana) - I just missed out on a photograph of this stunning fly.
#2 - Thick-headed Fly (Sicus ferrugineus)
#3 - Thick-headed Fly (Physocephala rufipes)

#4 - fly sp.

#2 - Thick-headed Fly (Sicus ferrugineus)

#2 - Thick-headed Fly (Sicus ferrugineus)

#2 - Thick-headed Fly (Sicus ferrugineus)

#3 - Thick-headed Fly (Physocephala rufipes)

#3 - Thick-headed Fly (Physocephala rufipes)

#4 - fly sp.

Lacewings and Scorpionflies Recorded:

Lacewing possibly Hemerobius lutescens

A Lacewing possibly Hemerobius lutescens. There are a few very similar species. More on the Hemerobiidaes Here.


Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
#1 - Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis)
#2 - Lesser Thick-legged Flower Beetle (Ischnomera cyanea) - No photo

#3 - Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha lignosa)

#1 - Two male Swollen-thighed Beetles

#1 - And they are obviously not very tolerant of each other.

#1 - A female Swollen-thighed Beetle on the left and a male on the right.

#3 - Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha lignosa)

Crickets and Grasshoppers Recorded:
Dark Bush-cricket (Pholidoptera griseoaptera) nymph again


Ted:

Just four Ted's today. He was supposed to keep on running along the path, but decided to run straight at me. Another day!!

30 May 22

Old Quarry Lane and Wakeham Meadow

Well the weather turned out to be better than forecast and certainly up to 3:00pm it remained dry and sunny, with no sign of any rain. It was certainly a good start to our 5th anniversary, since moving here on this day back in 2017.

No real highlights other than the Common Whitethroat, Blackcap and the Lesser Whitethroat males all singing short bursts of song.

Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Dunnock
1 Common Whitethroat
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Blackcap
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch

The male Lesser Whitethroat singing next to Wakeham Meadow

Reptiles Recorded:

Slow-worm

Slow-worm along Old Quarry Lane

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Orange-tip (male)
5 Large White
3 Speckled Wood
7+ Common Blue


Moths Recorded:
#1 - Vetch Piercer (Grapholita jungiella)

#2 - Possibly Epiblema scutulana (Thistle Bell) or Epiblema cirsiana (Knapweed Bell)

Vetch Piercer (Grapholita jungiella)

#2 - Thank you to my good friend Ed Wilson for suggesting that this is either Thistle Bell (Epiblema scutulana) or Knapweed Bell (Epiblema cirsiana). Neither of which I have come across before.

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


Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)

Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis)
Lesser Thick-legged Flower Beetle (Ischnomera cyanea)

Cinnamon Bug (Corizus hyoscyami)

A male Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis)

Cinnamon Bug (Corizus hyoscyami)

Cinnamon Bug (Corizus hyoscyami)

Crickets and Grasshoppers Recorded:
Dark Bush-cricket (Pholidoptera griseoaptera)

Dark Bush-cricket nymph

Spiders Recorded:
Orb-weaver (Araniella opisthographa)

Orb-weaver (Araniella opisthographa) and its latest "catch"

General Shots:

No mow May is...............

............no more. It was cut this afternoon for the Queens Jubilee celebrations this Saturday.

Ted:

Ted chilling out.

29 May 22

Portland Bill

It was an afternoon spent at The Bill with family in quite surprising mild conditions, until that is the "forecast" rain arrived from west.

Main highlight (or should that be lowlight), was watching several Swallows heading south towards the Channel. Failed breeders maybe, I know not, but a sad sight to see them leaving.

Only other highlight was a very pale Painted Lady.

Birds Recorded:
Gannet
Kestrel
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull

Razorbill

Guillemot
Wood Pigeon
7+ Swallows

Rock Pipit
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Linnet
Goldfinch

One of the many rafts west of the Bill, comprising of Razorbills, Guillemots and Herring Gulls.

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Painted Lady


Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)


Plants:

Thrift (Armeria maritima)

Thrift (Armeria maritima)

Ted:

Ted trying to hide at The Bill

General Photos and a couple of videos:

My son-in-law ascending The Pulpit.

And he made it to the summit.

And a victory jump. Gulp

And the descent. Easy does it!!

It was a bit of a scramble over the rocks

Dawn, my son-in-law, grandchildren and my daughter

Ships Today:

This is the Egyptian Bulk Carrier "Wadi Alkarnak" on its way from Dunkirk to Alexandria (Egypt) via Portland Harbour. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Italian Ro-Ro Cargo Ship "Eurocargo Bari" on its way from Zeebrugge to Cork. More on this vessel Here.

I'm not sure which is which but here are Dutch Landing Crafts "L 9527" and "L 9526" on their way out of Portland harbour to an unknown destination. More on these vessels Here and Here.

This is another Dutch Landing Craft "L 9573" also on its way  out of Portland to an unknown destination. More on this vessel Here.

28 May 22

Lower Horse Paddock, Upper Horse Paddock and Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve

With family arriving this afternoon, it was a quick late morning walk before their arrival. Main highlight was a pair of Swallows feeding over the Lower Horse paddock. I wonder if they nesting locally!!.

Mammals Recorded:
Bunny


Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
2 Swallow
Dunnock
Common Whitethroat
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Blackcap
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

A male Linnet

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Dingy Skipper
5 Large White
1 Small White
2 Green-veined White
8 Speckled Wood
2 Small Heath
1 Red Admiral
1 Small Blue
3 Common Blue

Small Heath

Common Blue

Moths Recorded:
#1 - Cocksfoot Moths (Glyphipterix simpliciella)

#2 - Cocksfoot Moth (Glyphipterix simpliciella)

#3 - moth sp.

#4 -Vetch Piercer (Grapholita jungiella)

#5 -Vetch Piercer (Grapholita jungiella)

#6 -Vetch Piercer (Grapholita jungiella)

#1 -  Cocksfoot Moths (Glyphipterix simpliciella)

#2 - Another Cocksfoot Moth (Glyphipterix simpliciella)

#3 - moth sp.

#4 - Vetch Piercer (Grapholita jungiella)

#5 - Another Vetch Piercer (Grapholita jungiella)

#6 - And one more Vetch Piercer (Grapholita jungiella)

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

Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)

The same Garden Bumblebee as above.

Wasps Recorded:
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)


Ichneumon Wasps Recorded:
Ichneumon sp.

Ichneumon wasp sp.

Hoverflies Recorded:
#1 - Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
#2 - Possibly Plain-faced Dronefly (Eristalis arbustorum)

#3 - Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)

#4 - Barred Ant-hill Hoverfly (Xanthogramma citrofasciatum)

#1 - Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

#2 - Possibly a Plain-faced Dronefly (Eristalis arbustorum)

#2 - Possibly a Plain-faced Dronefly (Eristalis arbustorum)

#2 - Possibly a Plain-faced Dronefly (Eristalis arbustorum)

#3 - Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)

#4 - Barred Ant-hill Hoverfly (Xanthogramma citrofasciatum)

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded

:#1 - Celery fly (Euleia heraclei)
#2 - Dagger fly (Empis tessellata)
#3 - sawfly sp.

#1 - Celery fly (Euleia heraclei)

#2 - Dagger fly (Empis tessellata).

#2 - Dagger fly (Empis tessellata).

#2 - Dagger fly (Empis tessellata).

#3 - sawfly sp.

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Lesser Thick-legged Flower Beetle (Ischnomera cyanea)

Common Malachite Beetle (Malachius bipustulatus)

We like finding new bugs and beetles. This is a Common Malachite Beetle and a new beetle for my Portland List.

Slugs, Snails and Spiders Recorded:
Garden Snail (Cornu aspersa)

spider sp.

A Garden Snail and a spider sp.

Plants:

#1 - milkwort sp.

#1 - This is a Milkwort and most likely Common Milkwort (Polygala vulgaris). However there are a few others it could be - Heath Milkwort (Polygala serpyllifolia), Chalk Milkwort (Polygala calcarea) and Dwarf Milkwort or Kentish Milkwort (Polygala amarella).

#1 - milkwort sp.

#1 - milkwort sp.

Ted:

Ted isn't a great lover of the sun. It's just as well I brought a bottle of water for him and a walk with plenty of shady spots.

Ships Today:

This is the Panamanian Container Ship "One Hong Kong" on its way from Singapore to Rotterdam. More on this vessel Here.

On the left is the Dutch General Cargo Ship "Alecto" on its way from Vlissingen (Holland) to Barrow-in-Furness. On the right is the General Cargo Ship "Hanne" flying the flag of Antigua Barbuda and is on its way from Hamburg to Belfast. More on "Alecto" Here and "Hanne" Here.