Port and Wey: 26 May 23

Old Quarry Lane and Wakeham Meadows

It was another beautiful day on Portland, with wall to wall blue skies, sunshine and a slight north-easterly breeze.

Main highlights today were two Willow Warblers singing from Old Quarry Lane, 2 male Blackcaps singing and 2 Common Whitethroats. The latter two from the meadows.

New for my Portland list were Bramble Aphids (Aphis ruborum) I found along Old Quarry Lane and a Barred Ant-hill Hoverfly (Xanthogramma citrofasciatum) in Wakeham Meadow.

Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
2 Swift
4 Swallow
Dunnock
Blackbird
2 Common Whitethroat
2 Blackcap
2 Willow Warbler
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

One of the two Swifts seen today.

The male Common Whitethroat is still singing away in the meadow. Another male was close-by, but keeping its distance.

Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:
1 Azure Damselfly

A female Azure Damselfly

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Large White
2 Common Blue

Moths Recorded:

Cocksfoot Moth (Glyphipterix simpliciella)

Cocksfoot Moth (Glyphipterix simpliciella)

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

#1 - bee sp.

#2 - bee sp.

#1 - bee sp.

#2 - bee sp.

Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

A Common Wasp and........

...........a view of it head on.

Ichneumon Wasps Recorded:
Toothed Tiger Ichneumon Wasp (Amblyteles armatorius)

A Toothed Tiger Ichneumon Wasp hiding in the grass

Hoverflies Recorded:
#1 - Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
#2 - Barred Ant-hill Hoverfly (Xanthogramma citrofasciatum)
#3 - Narcissus Bulb Fly (Merodon equestris)

#1 - A Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

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

#3 - Narcissus Bulb Fly

#3 - And another Narcissus Bulb Fly

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria)

Common Dance Fly (Empis Tessellata)

blowfly (Lucilia sp)

grass fly (Thaumatomyia notata)

A Yellow Dung Fly

This is a Dagger fly - Common Dance Fly (Empis Tessellata) and...........

.........also goes by the name of Empid Fly. More on this fly Here.

One from the Blowfly family. There are several similar looking species such as Lucilia caesar, Lucilia ampullacea and others. So this will remain as Lucilia sp.