29 Jul 23

Lower Horse Paddock, Higher Horse Paddock and Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve

It was a change of scenery today, in the hope of finding a Ringlet or two. Unfortunately I failed in finding any. Its not been a good year for this species on Portland.

Biggest surprise though was a Slow-worm out in the open on one of the reserves tracks. Very vulnerable to say the least.

Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
1 House Martin
Dunnock
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

A male Linnet on the reserve

Reptiles Recorded:
1 Slow-worm

A Slow-worm taking a chance in the open.

Butterflies Recorded:
Large White
Small White
1 Speckled Wood
15+ Meadow Brown
20+ Gatekeeper

2 Marbled White
1 Red Admiral

1 Comma
2 Small Blue
4 Common Blue
8 Chalk Hill Blue

A Meadow Brown

One of two Marbled White's seen on the reserve

A very worn and battered Comma

And a male Chalk Hill Blue

Moths Recorded:
4 Six-Spot Burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae)

A Six-Spot Burnet moth on Common Knapweed

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


Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)

A Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Common Red Soldier Beetles (Rhagonycha fulva)


Aircraft Today:

This is a 2000 Rockwell Commander 114B registration N116SB on its way from Kemble to Guernsey. More on this aircraft here and a few close up images of this aircraft here and here.