It was a long overdue visit to Portland Bird Observatory and the Quarry and Hut Fields. No sign of the Wryneck seen along the east coast here a few days ago, but plenty of Chiffchaffs and 3 Blackcaps about, especially in the quarry.
In the hut fields to the east of the Observatory was a juvenile Little Owl calling. I did manage to see it sitting in a Blackthorn Bush, but unfortunately it saw me and flew off.
Birds Recorded:
Cormorant
1 Kestrel
4 Oystercatcher
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
1 Little Owl
2 Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
3 Blackcap
6 Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
A female Kestrel hovering over Obs Quarry.
A slow descent and then...........
...........a quick drop to grab its prey, which in this case..........
...........was a Great Green Bush Cricket (Tettigonia viridissima)
On the platforms along the east coast were these three Oystercatchers and a........
..........fourth one on the next rocky outcrop.
A juvenile Little Owl calling from a Blackthorn Bush in the Hut Fields
Sat just a few feet away from the Little Owl was this Robin.
Along with a Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, the 3 female Blackcaps and 3 Chiffchaff was this Blue Tit.
I'm not sure whether the Blue Tit was eating the Blackberries or perhaps the insects crawling over them.
Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:
1 hawker sp.
Butterflies Recorded:
4 Large White
2 Speckled Wood
1 Red Admiral
Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)
Just the one Ivy Bee found along the top of the cliffs.
Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Grasshoppers and Crickets Recorded:
Great Green Bush Cricket (Tettigonia viridissima) - deceased
See photo above of the Kestrel consuming the Great Green Bush Cricket
Plants:
Thrift (Armeria maritima)See photo above of the Kestrel consuming the Great Green Bush Cricket
Plants:
A lone Thrift
Looking up the east side towards the mainland on the horizon.
And looking south towards the "Red Crane" and Lighthouse.
And part of the hut fields where the juvenile Little Owl was sat in the Blackthorn Bush.
And the Obs Quarry
And Ted is away, but soon.........
............stops to let me catch him up.
Ships Today:
This is the British Sailing Vessel "CV7" on its way from Swanage to an unknown destination. More on this vessel Here.