24 Apr 21

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadow, Wakeham Cuttings, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, Rufus Castle and Mermaid Track

It was another sunny day, though that brisk easterly really kept the temperatures down again. Main highlights were 2 male Blackcaps singing. The first along the Cuttings and the second bird in Penns Wood.

After days of not seeing a butterfly I came across 2 Speckled Woods along the cuttings and a Comma in the church grounds. And that was it!!

And there were a few more bees today including a male Hairy-footed Flower Bee and at least 3 Grey-patched Mining Bees.

Here are a few images and a video from today:

This Wall Lizard has to be the most accommodating lizard on the planet. Less than half a metre away was a young girl sat next to it. And it never flinched once, even when she got up to chase.........

 

...........this Comma butterfly.

I've yet to take a decent photo of a Hairy-footed Flower Bee. This is a male just leaving one of the Russian Comfrey flowers in Penns Wood.

A Grey-patched Mining Bee.

And another. Sadly my photos don't do it justice, as that abdomen is a really glossy black.

A Chocolate Mining Bee (Andrena scotica)

Now everyone keeps telling me that you only find Brown-tail Moth caterpillars on Brambles, well for the third year running these Brown-tails are on a Cotoneaster. So there you go!!! More on this caterpillar Here.

Bluebells along the Cuttings.

Its still blowing a hooley from the east, and those waves are certainly bigger than yesterday's.

And yes, it's a bit of a double take. I was sat in the very spot when I took Teds photo yesterday.

Mammals Recorded: Grey Squirrel

Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Blackcap, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch

Reptiles Recorded: Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)

Butterflies Recorded: 2 Speckled Wood and Comma

Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum), 1 Hairy-footed Flower Bee (Anthophora plumipes) 3 Grey-patched Mining Bees (Andrena nitida) and several Chocolate Mining Bees (Andrena scotica)

Hoverflies Recorded: Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea), Stripe-backed Dasysyrphus (Dasysyrphus albostriatus) and Spring Epistrophe (Epistrophe eligans)

Ships Today

This is the Singaporean Oil Tanker "Eagle Brasilia" on its way from Novorossiysk (Russia) to Rotterdam. More on this vessel here.

This is the Panamanian Container Ship "HMM Stockholm" on its way from Yantian (China) to Rotterdam. More on this vessel Here.

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.

23 Apr 21

Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, Rufus Castle and Mermaid Track

Ted and I had a very late afternoon walk down to the cove, just as the sun was disappearing behind Rufus Castle. I wasn't expecting to see too much, especially as that strong easterly wind was pretty bitter and so it proved to be.

Only real highlights were a male Blackcap singing in Penns Wood, 2 hoverflies I hadn't seen this year, plus a Common Carder Bee.

One of the hoverflies in Penns Wood, of which there were several, was the Spring Epistrophe (Epistrophe eligans). This is a species I first came across on this very day in 2018 and also in the same location again. The second hoverfly was a Stripe-backed Dasysyrphus (Dasysyrphus albostriatus).

Here are a few images and videos from today:

Church Ope Cove bearing the brunt of the strong easterly wind

Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

Spring Epistrophe (Epistrophe eligans)

Stripe-backed Dasysyrphus (Dasysyrphus albostriatus).

I could be wrong, but I believe this is Horseshoe Vetch (Hippocrepis comosa)

Ted being very patient.

And now here he is just wondering when we are going to carry on with our walk.

Well he's found something and it looks..........

................... like we are going to be here for awhile

Birds Recorded: 6 Gannet, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Robin, 1 Blackcap, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch

Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) and Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum)

Hoverflies Recorded: Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea), Epistrophe eligans and a Stripe-backed Dasysyrphus (Dasysyrphus albostriatus)

Ships Today

This yacht was braving the rough seas as it headed into Weymouth Bay. Unfortunately it didn't show up on the Marine Traffic Website, so I have no idea of the vessels name or the nationality of it.

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.

22 Apr 21

Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly Reserve and Lower Horse Paddock

Today was clean up day. Why, well having asked the Betterment Properties Site Manager back in February as to whether the company would clear their building site rubbish from the local lanes, they did actually comply.

Unfortunately they only cleared one lane and chose not to clear another lane, a horse field and a butterfly reserve. So in the end after I had contacted the local Town Council, whose request was also ignored, Dawn, Ted and I decided enough was enough and we spent 90 minutes clearing the hedges, embankments and trees of all the rubbish that had accumulated since at least October last year.

Well we did pretty well and filled a Builders Merchant's bag full to the brim. Next stop was the Site Managers Office where I had the greatest of pleasure of placing the bag by his front door.

So there wasn't much birdwatching today, though I was aware that there were Blue Tits, Great Tits, Goldfinches, Greenfinches and even House Sparrows in the trees and bushes along the lane. The House Sparrows were a surprise, as I've not heard them here before.

Broadcroft Quarry Lane has never looked so clean.

And here's why. A builders merchant's bag full of rubbish we picked up.

Wakeham

After I got home it was chill out time in the back garden and reflect on what a good job Dawn and I had done. And Ted of course.

A Goldfinch visiting the garden pond for a drink

The Cherry Tree is in full bloom and don't the Honey Bees no it.

And another Honey Bee taking off.

Well it's a bumblebee and would say the tail end is more white than buff. So I'm going with White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lucorum) as opposed to a Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.

21 Apr 21

Lower Horse Paddock, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve, The Grove, Shepherd's Dinner and Bumpers Lane

Another beautiful sunny day, but that north-easterly was pretty raw.

Highlights today were 7 Wheatear at Shepherd's Dinner, my first Speckled Wood butterflies of the year as well as a Grey-patched Mining Bee.

Here are a few images from today:

Always nice to see a few Wheatears on their travels.

These Wheatears were at Shepherd's Dinner.

A female Linnet tackling a Dandelion seed.

My first Speckled Wood of the year. In fact I came across 3 in the butterfly reserve. Also here were 3 Red Admirals and several Large Whites.

And this I believe is an Early Mining Bee, which would be my first for the year as well.

This andrena bee and......

........this one are two I have seen before, but there name escapes me. I will check of course.

The butterfly reserve was alive with Dead Head Hoverflies

Sorry couldn't resist!!

Mammals Recorded: 7 Bunnies

Birds Recorded: Fulmar, Buzzard, Kestrel, Herring Gull, 3 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, 7 Wheatear, Blackbird, 3 Chiffchaff, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch

Butterflies Recorded: 10+ Large White, Small White, 4 Speckled Wood and Red Admiral

Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa) and andrena sp.

Wasps Recorded: Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

Hoverflies Recorded: 8 Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

Ships Today

This is the British Fishing Boat "Portland Isle" on its way back to Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.

20 Apr 21

Wakeham

And something new on the Trail Camera last night with a Fox making a number of trips up and down the garden in the early hours of the morning. The tabby cat was back again. It's becoming a regular visitor to the garden and as dawn broke a Magpie, Blackbird and Dunnock were filmed searching for food.

One of the many Portland Foxes having a stroll through the back garden

And its back again

The tabby back again

King Barrow Quarry Nature Reserve and Fancy Farm

As it was gone midday, any migratory birds left on the island I presumed would be at the northern tip of the island, having landed at the Bill in the early hours and then made their way up through the island. 

And so it proved to be with dozens of Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Common Whitethroats in amongst the flowering Blackthorn on the reserve. Elsewhere I came across at least 25 Wheatear, more Common Whitethroats, a few Blackcaps and a female Common Redstart.

Here are a few images and videos from my walk between 12:30pm and 2:30pm:

This thicket of flowering Blackthorn was filled with warblers this afternoon. In the background is Portland Lodge, so these birds were pretty close to the main road.

One of many Blackcaps here. This a male.

And plenty of Common Whitethroats as well. Shame about the twig!!

And I wasn't surprised to see the local Kestrel, especially with so many birds passing through.

Here it is hovering over the reserve

And again in Slo-mo this time

There were still plenty of Wheatears about.

With a ratio of around 2:1 males to females.

And another male

A nice surprise a female Common Redstart, my first for the year sat on the fence surrounding Fancy Farm.

Here she is again with another male Wheatear

The last time I was here there was a Stonechat in the very same spot on the reserve.

And Ted, who found it a bit tough going today.

Wakeham

Just before I left for the nature reserve I switched the Trail Camera on, overlooking the water cascade. And what a surprise I had when I downloaded the videos later. The list of birds visiting the cascade and pond were: 1 Wood Pigeon, 1 Dunnock, 2 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Great Tit, 1 Magpie, House Sparrow and 2 Goldfinch

Two female Blackcaps having a drink and then squabbling.

A Willow Warbler I believe. The video is fairly short, but I'm sure those legs are straw-coloured. Either way it was great to see a Willow Warbler (pos. Chiffchaff) at the pond.

And last but not least, this is how you fill a frame with a Woodpigeon venturing its way down to the pond.

Mammals Recorded: Bunny

Birds Recorded today: Buzzard, Kestrel, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, 1 Stonechat, 1 Common Redstart, 25 Wheatear, Blackbird, Song Thrush, 15 Common Whitethroat, 18 Blackcap, 20+ Chiffchaff/Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch and Greenfinch

Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Red Admiral and butterfly sp. (A very light brown coloured individual on the reserve)

Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) and a possible Large Meadow Mining Bee (Andrena labialis)

Ships Today

This is the Passenger Ship "Disney Magic" flying the flag of the Bahamas. It is presently anchored up in Portland Harbour. More on this vessel Here.

This is the Liberian Oil Products Tanker "Fredericia" leaving Portland Harbour for a short trip out into Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.

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On this day

2020
Today's Sightings Here

2019
Today's Sightings Here.

2018
Today' Sightings Here.

19 Apr 21

Wakeham

Well that didn't go according to the plan with the Trail Camera last night. I decided to have a go at altering some of the camera settings and ended up watching some strange videos; including one where there were small creatures scurrying around on the lawn. Occasionally they would stop at the grain, I had placed on a stepping stone, and then they would just move on.

My first thought was that they were newts, but at times the speed these "things" were moving ruled them out and then a phantom cat appeared from nowhere and in a split second was gone.

I now know what I did with the camera settings, but I'll let you watch the video to work out what the creatures were on the lawn, before I give anything away.

In the foreground are a few creatures moving through the grass and onto the grain. And then for a split second a phantom cat appears and disappears just as quick. Answer at the bottom of the page.

Yet another day at home, this time spent weeding and planting out Dahlias and other plants. Whilst keeping my head down a pair of Linnets visited the pond and then preceded to do a bit of preening in the neighbours Cherry Tree.

Still plenty of bees about with Honey Bees, Bronze Furrow Bees and Ashy Mining Bees.

Here are a few images and another video.

I'm sure they have been in the garden many times, but this was my first record of a Linnet in the back garden. This is the male and here...........

...........is the female having a good preen after having a big wash in the pond.

In the background you can here the Khaki Campbell ducks, a Dunnock, Blackbird, Great Tit and the noise from the building site next door.

The sun certainly brought the bees out again. This is an Ashy Mining Bee, looking for its nest in lawn.

And just in case you missed him, here is Ted chilling out on the lawn.

Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Meadow Pipit, Dunnock, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Linnet and Goldfinch

Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Bronze Furrow Bee (Halictus tumulorum) and Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria)

Bugs and Beetles Recorded: 7-spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata)

Slugs and Snails Recorded: Slugs sp.

NOTE

I hadn't realised it at the time, but having adjusted some of the camera settings I had also put it into time lapse. If you look at the minutes they are flying by. So the cat was probably there for quite awhile and the creatures on the lawn,  well I'm pretty sure they were slugs.

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On this day

2020

Today's Sightings Here

2019

Today's Sightings Here.

2018

Today' Sightings Here.