17 Jul 22

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadow, The Windmills and Easton Railway Cuttings

Ted and I were a bit more adventurous this morning. As it was fairly breezy and the heat not so oppressive we had a slightly extended walk to Easton Railway Cuttings.

Main highlights on this walk was coming across my first ever White-jawed Yellow-face Bee (Hylaeus confusus) and a Four-barred Knapweed Gall Fly (Urophora quadrifasciata)

Also about was a Common Whitethroat calling, but not seen by the railway cuttings.

In the meadow there was a Hummingbird Hawk-moth. I attempted to photograph it, but it was gone before I had a chance to.


Birds Recorded:
2 Peregrine Falcon
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Dunnock
1 Common Whitethroat
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Linnet
Goldfinch

A juvenile Collared Dove along Old Quarry Lane


Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:
Emperor Dragonfly

One hawking over the meadow again.


Butterflies Recorded:
Small Skipper
Large White
Small White
Speckled Wood
Ringlet
Meadow Brown
Gatekeeper
Marbled White
Small Blue
Common Blue
Chalk Hill Blue

A very worn female Common Blue

And another female Common Blue

And a Chalkhill Blue


Moths Recorded
:
Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
Rosy-striped Knot-horn (Oncocera semirubella)
Six-Spot Burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae)
Meadow Grey (Scoparia pyralella)

Rosy-striped Knot-horn (Oncocera semirubella)

Six-Spot Burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae)

And a Meadow Grey (Scoparia pyralella)

And another Meadow Grey


Bees Recorded
:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
White-jawed Yellow-face Bee (Hylaeus confusus)

Honey Bee on a Lesser Burdock

And on this umbellifer is my first ever White-jawed Yellow-face Bee (Hylaeus confusus


Hoverflies Recorded
:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)

Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta) coming.............

............. into land.


Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded
:
1 Thick-headed Fly (Sicus ferrugineus)
10+ Lesser Golden Knapweed Fly (Chaetorellia jaceae)
Four-barred Knapweed Gall Fly (Urophora quadrifasciata)

Lesser Golden Knapweed Fly (Chaetorellia jaceae)

And three more Lesser Golden Knapweed Flies (Chaetorellia jaceae)

I photographed the two Swollen-thighed Beetles in the foreground (Better photos of them below), but when I was editing the image at home, I realised there was a fly at the back. Turns out it is a Four-barred Knapweed Gall Fly (Urophora quadrifasciata) and another new fly for my Portland List.


Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Common Red Soldier Beetles (Rhagonycha fulva)
Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis)

Common Red Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva)

Two male Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis)


Crickets and Grasshoppers Recorded:
Common Green Grasshopper (Omocestus viridulus)

A Common Green Grasshopper (Omocestus viridulus)


Plants
:
Spiny Restharrow (Ononis spinosa)
Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis)
Common bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)

Spiny Restharrow (Ononis spinosa)

And a close-up of the flowers. This is a new plant for my Portland List. More on this plant Here.

Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis)

And a close-up of the Field Scabious flowerhead.

Common Bird's-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)


Ted
:

It was still warm this morning and there is always plenty of water in my bac-pack for Ted.


Ships Today:

This is the Barbadian General Cargo ship "My Armony" on its way from Antwerp to Teignmouth. More on this vessel Here.