13 Aug 24

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadows, Wakeham Railway Cuttings, Wakeham Railway Cuttings (east) and Bumpers Lane

It was another very warm day, so I left it late before taking Ted for a walk. And for a change I extended the walk to take in the railway cutting and Bumpers Lane.

The main highlight went to the dozens of Common Blues along the railway cuttings (east), with many mating.

Birds Recorded:
1 Kestrel

Herring Gull

Wood Pigeon

Collared Dove

Dunnock

Robin

Blackbird

2 Chiffchaff

Great Tit

Blue Tit

Wren

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Jackdaw

Starling

House Sparrow

Chaffinch

Linnet

Goldfinch

This Carrion Crow has found a tasty Garden Snail (Cornu aspersa). Personally I like mine with Garlic butter.

Butterflies Recorded:
4 Large White
2 Small White
2 Green-veined White
1 Speckled Wood
10+ Meadow Brown
2 Gatekeeper
20+ Common Blue
8 Chalk Hill Blue

A Meadow Brown

Spot the five male Common Blues in this photo.

Here are three of them.

This is a female Common Blue

A very worn male Chalkhill Blue

And this a pristine looking female Chalkhill Blue

Moths Recorded:
Mint Moth (Pyrausta aurata)

Yellow-spot Tortrix (Pseudargyrotoza conwagana)

A Mint Moth (Pyrausta aurata) along Bumpers Lane

And a Yellow-spot Tortrix (Pseudargyrotoza conwagana)

Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Common Carder bee (Bombus pascuorum)
Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

A Common Carder bee (Bombus pascuorum)

And a Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

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

Ichneumon Wasp sp.

An Ichneumon Wasp sp.

Hoverflies Recorded:
6 Wasp Plumehorn (Volucella inanis)

These are........

..............Wasp Plumehorns (Volucella inanis)

Here are three more on Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum)

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Yellow Bellied Fly (Sciara hemerobioides)

This is a..........

.........Yellow Bellied Fly (Sciara hemerobioides)

Slugs and Snails Recorded:
White-lipped Banded Snail (Cepaea hortensis)

A White-lipped Banded Snail (Cepaea hortensis) minus the bands.

Plants:

Portland Russet (Malus x domestica)

Well I'm hoping for better luck this year, with the naming of this apple tree in Bumpers Lane...

I had hoped that the cuttings I sent away last year would have been successfully grafted onto a rootstock. Unfortunately they failed so hopefully I will have better luck this year and register this apple tree as a Portland Russet.

Ted:

Ted enjoying a good run, in the cooler conditions.

Ships Today:

This is the British Fishing Boat "Moonlit Waters" on its way from Brixham to Portland Harbour. More on this vessel here.

This is the British Fishing Boat "Al's Spirit" on its way back to Weymouth from a chartered fishing trip. More on this vessel here.

This is the British Fishing Boat "William Henry II DH5" on its way from Dartmouth to Portland Harbour. More on this vessel here.

This is the British fishing boat WH8 "Dream Catcher" returning to Weymouth Harbour

Aircraft Today:

This Piper PA-24 Comanche is owned by the International Air Services Inc Trustee. It is on its way from Cest (France) to Colerne. More on this aircraft here, here and photos here & here.

This is the privately owned Piper PA-32-301FT Registration G-PAAL..............

................on its way to Guernsey. More on this aircraft here and photos here.