26 Oct 23

Portland Royal Naval Cemetery

Main highlights from a walk down to the Cemetery from Verne Common Road were 2 Stonechat, a male Black Redstart, a Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Lesser Redpoll and 23 Siskin

Birds Recorded:
1 Kestrel

1 Pheasant

Herring Gull

6 Great Black-backed Gull

200+ Wood Pigeon

2 Skylark

8 Meadow Pipit

2 Pied Wagtail

Dunnock

Robin

2 Stonechat 

1 Black Redstart

Blackbird

2 Song Thrush

1 Chiffchaff

2 Goldcrest

5 Long-tailed Tit

Great Tit

Blue Tit

Wren

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Jackdaw

Starling

House Sparrow

Chaffinch

2 Lesser Redpoll 

Linnet

23 Siskin

Goldfinch

A Long-tailed Tit

This Goldcrest was very interested with............

..............lichen.

Perhaps there were a few insects crawling around inside it.

A male Stonechat

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Red Admiral


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

Froghoppers Recorded:

Common Froghopper (Philaenus spumarius)

A Common Froghopper (Philaenus spumarius). More on froghoppers here.

General Shots:

I think I needed to be further back to get this double rainbow in the frame.

Right the crock of gold is in the Unit on the Osprey Industrial Estate. I'm on my way!!

Ted:

Sorry Ted not today. The track behind him goes for another 100 metres or so, but it's well overgrown. with lots of nasty brambles across the path.

Ships Today:

This is the Maltese Container Ship "OOCL St. Lawrence" preparing to leave Portland Harbour for Antwerp. More on this vessel here.

This is the Maltese Chemical/Oil Products Tanker "Red Opal" anchored up in Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel here.

And another Maltese ship. This is the Chemical/Oil Products Tanker "Monjasa Provider" anchored up in Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel here.

This is the British Offshore Support Vessel "Stirling Castle" moored up in Portland Harbour. More on this vessel here.

This is the British Work/Repair Vessel "Rem Power" moored up in Portland Harbour. More on this vessel here.

25 Oct 23

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadows, Wakeham Wildlife Site, Wakeham Railway Cuttings, The Mermaid Track, The Cuttings, Silklake Quarry, Bumpers Lane, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve, Higher Horse Paddock and Lower Horse Paddock

Well for once the weather forecast was totally wrong and the sunshine and showers forecast for the day never materialised. Instead we had a dry afternoon, with the odd burst of sunshine.

The bird watching was pretty good with over 30 species recorded including 4 Skylark, 23 Meadow Pipit, 2 Stonechat, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Siskin and 2 Greenfinch.

Oddly enough there were no butterflies seen other than a Clouded Yellow in Bumpers Lane. And is it that time when the Ivy Bees have all gone. Not one was seen, in fact I didn't see any bee species along my walk.

Though there were no bees to be seen, there were however plenty of Common Wasps about and I came across my first Autumn Queen Common Wasp.


Mammals Recorded:
1 Grey Squirrel

Birds Recorded:
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Buzzard
1 Kestrel

1 Pheasant

Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
4 Skylark
23 Meadow Pipit
3 Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
2 Stonechat
Blackbird
2 Song Thrush
2 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaff
3 Goldcrest
20+ Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
2 Lesser Redpoll
Linnet
3 Siskin
Goldfinch
2 Greenfinch

A Kestrel looking for its next meal in Wakeham Meadow

Its been awhile since there's been a Pheasant to the east of Wakeham. This male was in the Higher Horse Paddock.

One of 23 Meadow Pipits in the temporary Horse Paddock on the butterfly reserve.

And the male Stonechat (right) has a new mate, a Meadow Pipit. No wonder.....

...........the female Stonechat has raised feathers on her head!!

A male Blackcap along Old Quarry Lane. The female was close by.

One of the three Chiffchaffs seen along my walk

And a couple of photos of the...........

.............Goldcrests along Old Quarry Lane. There was a third bird a bit further along the lane.

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Clouded Yellow


Moths Recorded:

Rusty Dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis)

These Rusty Dot Pearls are pretty numerous at the moment

Bees Recorded:
None


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

Though there weren't any bees seen today, there were plenty of................

..................Common Wasps (Vespula vulgaris), plus my............

..............Queen Common Wasp for this Autumn

Hoverflies Recorded:
3 Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
1 Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
1 The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)

A Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

And a The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)

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

I came across a couple Common Green Shieldbugs today

This is a Harlequin Ladybird form succinea

And a Harlequin Ladybird form conspicua, which are pretty scarce on Portland

Ted:

Make the most of the weather Ted. The outlook isn't looking good

Ships Today:

This is the Panamanian Vehicles Carrier "Schelde Highway" on its way from Portbury to Zeebrugge. More on this vessel here.

24 Oct 23

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadows, Wakeham Wildlife Site, Wakeham Railway Cuttings, Penns Wood, St Andrew's Church, Church Ope Cove, Penn's Weare, Penn's Copse, Rufus Castle, Bumpers Lane, Broadcroft Quarry Lane, Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve, Higher Horse Paddock, Lower Horse Paddock.

With the forecast of sunshine and showers, it was a case of picking a dry slot and hoping I didn't caught out. As it was I left the house and it stayed dry for the entire walk.

Main highlights were:
Meadow Pipit - Three in the butterfly reserve
Rock Pipit - Three on the beach, including the double leg-ringed bird.
Pied Wagtail - Two still on the beach
Stonechat - A pair on the butterfly reserve.
Chiffchaff - One in Penns Wood, one at the back of Church Ope Cove and one in Broadcroft Quarry Lane.
Goldcrest - One in Penns Wood
Long-tailed Tit - Seventeen in Penns Wood
Siskin - Two over Old Quarry Lane


Mammals Recorded:
2 Grey Squirrel


Birds Recorded:
Kestrel
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
3 Meadow Pipit
3 Rock Pipit
2 Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Robin
2 Stonechat
Blackbird
3 Chiffchaff
1 Goldcrest
17 Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
2 Siskin
Goldfinch

Just three Rock Pipits on the beach today, including the double leg-ringed bird.

The juvenile Pied Wagtail is still present on the beach. The male Pied Wagtail was close-by.

A Dunnock (left) shares a bramble with a female Stonechat.

Quite a distance away was a male Stonechat

Just 3 Chiffchaffs seen today. This one was in Broadcroft Quarry Lane

A couple of very busy...........

..................Blue Tits looking for a snack. 

Goldfinches on the seed heads of Lesser Burdock (Arctium minus)

Reptiles Recorded:
1 Wall Lizard

Just the one Wall Lizard. This juvenile was in the grounds of St Andrew's Church

Butterflies Recorded:
2 Green-veined White
1 Speckled Wood
3 Red Admiral

Moths Recorded:

2 Rusty Dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis)

Rusty Dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis)

And another slightly worn Rusty Dot Pearl

Bees Recorded:
Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae)

As the Ivy flowers start to go over, I'm finding fewer Ivy Bees on my travels

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

There is certainly no let up in the Common Wasp nest in Wakeham Meadow. There seems to be more every time I visit.

Hoverflies Recorded:
10+ Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
3 Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
3 Hornet Plumehorn (Volucella zonaria)
1 Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)
3 Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

A Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)

And another.

And one more Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)

There were several..........

.............Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) about as well.

A Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) on a Hebe sp. With around 90 different species of Hebe, I'm not going to guess as to which one this is. More on Hebes Here.

Top right and centre far left are two Hornet Plumehorns (Volucella zonaria).

Hornet Plumehorn (Volucella zonaria) no. 1

Hornet Plumehorn (Volucella zonaria) no. 2. There was a third one close by

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Blue Blowfly (Calliphora vicina)

Cranefly (Tipula confusa)
Kelp Fly (Coelopa frigida)

House Fly (Phaonia rufiventris or P. subventa)

Cranefly (Tipula confusa)

Blue Blowfly (Calliphora vicina)

#1 - House Fly (Phaonia rufiventris/subventa). More on Phaonia rufiventris here. and P. subventa here.

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
7 Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)

1 Dung Beetle (Aphodius contaminatus)

Below are Harlequin Ladybirds (Harmonia axyridis) - form succinea

Below is a Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) - form spectabilis

A Dung Beetle (Aphodius contaminatus) on Ragwort. And a new beetle for my Portland List.

Spiders Recorded:
Nurseryweb Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)

A Nurseryweb Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)

Springtails Recorded.

Springtail (Orchesella villosa)

And an odd looking invertebrate I came across.........

...........at the west end of Wakeham Railway Cuttings. There was a large Portland Stone Boulder with a small pool of water sat in the middle of it. This little creature which was roughly 5mm in length was swimming about in it. It then came out of the water and walked across the boulder. It's a Springtail (Orchesella villosa) and a first for me on Portland. More on this Springtail here.

General Shots:

The south facing cliffs at Church Ope Cove where I had hoped there might be a Black Redstart. No luck today, but I'm sure there will be one or two this Autumn/Winter.

And looking south along the beach

Hmm. Silklake Quarry maintained by the Dorset branch of UK Butterflies is now a Camp site!!

And in Broadcroft Quarry Butterfly reserve............

............there is now a dwelling in the right-hand copse.

Ted:

Lots of Teds again

Ships Today:

This is the British Fishing Boat PO18 "Boy Lynham" fishing off Portland's east coast. More on this vessel Here.

This is the British Sailing Vessel "Donald Searle" on its way from Brixham to Weymouth Harbour. More on this vessel here.

This is the British Training Ship "TS Royalist" on its way from Portland Harbour to Weymouth Harbour. More on this vessel here.

This is the British fishing boat WH8 "Dream Catcher" fishing just off Church Ope Cove.