29 Sep 23

Bumpers Lane, The Cuttings, The Mermaid Track, Wakeham Railway Cuttings, Wakeham Meadows and Old Quarry Lane

It felt like Summer had come back to Portland today, with wall to wall blue skies and warm sunshine. Main highlight was a Spotted Flycatchers in the privately owned Wildlife Site next to Wakeham Meadows.

Mammals Recorded:
Grey Squirrel


Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
8 Chiffchaff
2 Spotted Flycatcher
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Raven
Starling
Rosy Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch

A Robin in the wildlife site.

Also in the wildlife site was this juvenile Blackbird tucking into the Cotoneasters and.....

............this Spotted Flycatcher which............

..........was enjoying the sun and the abundance of flying insects.

Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:
Hawker sp.


Butterflies Recorded:
10+ Large White
2 Speckled Wood
30+ Red Admiral

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

It has take awhile,.............

....................but I have eventually.......

............found an Ivy Bee nesting site.

Wasps, Ichneumon Wasps, Parasitic Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

A Common Wasp

Hoverflies Recorded:
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)

A Common Dronefly on blackberries

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) - form succinea

2 Spot Ladybird (Adalia bipunctata)

A Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)

A Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) - form succinea and..........

............another, plus.........

..........an almost spotless individual.

The standard form of 2 Spot Ladybird (Adalia bipunctata)

Crickets and Grasshoppers Recorded:
Common Field Grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus)

A Common Field Grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus).

Ted:

It looks like Ted knows where he's going

Ships Today:

This is the Panamanian Container Ship "HMM Gdansk" on its way from Antwerp to Tanger (Morocco). More on this vessel here.

This is the British Minesweeper "M34 - HMS Middleton" on its from San Juan, Puerto Rico to an unknown destination via Portland. More on this vessel here and here.

This is the British Offshore Ship "SD Victoria" on its way from Portland Harbour to an unknown destination. More on this vessel here.

Aircraft Today:

This is the privately owned Van's RV-6, registration G-RVL over Portland today. There are a few photos of this aircraft here.