Port and Wey

6 May 24

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadows, Wakeham Wildlife Site, Lower Horse Paddock, Higher Horse Paddock and Broadcroft Butterfly Reserve

Yet another short walk, but an interesting one with the main highlight being a Garden Warbler singing in Wakeham Meadow, where there was also a Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat and a Chiffchaff.

On the butterfly reserve, highlights here were 7+ Swallow heading up the island, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, a Blackcap and 2 Chiffchaff.

Lowlight was that it started to rain, which was a shame as I had hoped to stay a bit longer on the reserve.

Birds Recorded:
1 Kestrel
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
7+ Swallow
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
1 Garden Warbler
2 Common Whitethroat
2 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaff
Long-tailed Tit
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
Greenfinch

A Garden Warbler in Wakeham Meadow.

A Common Whitethroat on the butterfly reserve

And a Lesser Whitethroat in Wakeham Meadow.

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Large White
2 Small White
1 Peacock

Moths Recorded:

1 Buff Long-horn (Nematopogon metaxella)
1 Vetch Piercer (Grapholita jungiella)

2 Common Nettle-tap (Anthophila fabriciana)

A Buff Long-horn (Nematopogon metaxella)

A Vetch Piercer (Grapholita jungiella)

Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Hawthorn Mining Bee (Andrena chrysosceles)

A side-profile of a Hawthorn Mining Bee (Andrena chrysosceles)

And head-on.

Hoverflies Recorded:
1 Spring Epistrophe (Epistrophe eligans)

Spring Epistrophe (Epistrophe eligans)

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

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)

A Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) - form succinea

Caterpillars Recorded:

Buff Ermine (Spilosoma lutea) - Possibly

Buff Ermine (Spilosoma lutea)

General Shots:

Dark clouds building up behind the Young Offenders Institute.

Ted:

This spot where Ted is sat, is one of my favourite places on the island to watch the world go by. Unfortunately the rain cut our stay short!!

Ships Today:

This is the British RFA Replenishment Ship "Tidespring" just off Portland Bill. More on this vessel Here.

5 May 24

Wakeham

It was a day for a rest, and even though the morning rain did eventually clear, I needed to rest my leg. So no walk today. And as per norm.....................

2023

A Common Whitethroat at Lynch Cove.

2022

A Grasshopper Warbler reeling in Wakeham Meadow.

2021

An Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria) in the back garden.

2020

A Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) in the back garden during the Covid 19 Lock-down.

2019

A Turnstone at Church Ope Cove.

2018

A Little Egret at Ferrybridge

4 May 24

Out and About

Two short walks today. The first was to the open ground just south of Fancy Farm, followed by a walk to the North Hide again while I Ted was being pampered at the dog groomers.

Fancy's Farm

Highlights here were 2 Swallows heading north, 2 male and 1 female Stonechat, 3 Common Whitethroats, 2 Lesser Whitethroats and a Chiffchaff singing.

Birds Recorded:
2 Buzzard
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
2 Swallow
Dunnock
Robin
3 Stonechat
Blackbird
1 Song Thrush
3 Common Whitethroat
2 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

Have you ever had that feeling you're being watched. A Robin watches my every move.

A male Stonechat on the Fancy Farm fence.

And another male Stonechat

A male Common Whitethroat hidden in a thicket

This Wren was in good voice

And another bird keeping tabs on me was this Carrion Crow.

Hmm this Jackdaw has lost half of its lower mandible.

There are lots of Linnets around this year. Both of these are.......

...............males.

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Large White

Moths Recorded:
1 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata)

A Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata)

Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Common Carder Bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum)

A Common Carder Bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum) on Horseshoe Vetch (Hippocrepis comosa)

General Shots:

The open ground just south of Fancy Farm

Ted and Theo:

Theo never stops!!

Ships Today:

This is the Maltese Ro-Ro Cargo Ship "Celine" on its way from Zeebrugge to Dublin. More on this vessel here.

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RSPB Radipole Lake

Highlight here was my first Hobby of the year, which was flying alongside dozens of Swifts high above the reserve.

Birds Recorded:
2 Grey Heron
Canada Goose
Mallard
1 Buzzard
2 Marsh Harrier
1 Hobby
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
1 Common Tern
Wood Pigeon
20+ Swift
50+ Sand Martin
Dunnock
Blackbird
1 Song Thrush
10+ Reed Warbler
2 Sedge Warbler
5 Cetti's Warbler
1 Common Whitethroat
2 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
1 Reed Bunting

A drake Mallard on the River Wey.

A female Marsh Harrier soars over the reserve.

And a record shot of two Swifts.

Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:

Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea)

Well I hope I have ID'd this correctly as a female Southern Hawker. This was the best view I could get.

Butterflies Recorded:
Large White
Small White
2 Brimstone

Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

Hoverflies Recorded:
Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)

A Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Alder Fly (Sialis lutaria)

An Alder Fly (Sialis lutaria)

3 May 24

RSPB Radipole Lake - North Hide only

It was another short walk today to stretch my legs, this time from where I parked my car in Goldcroft Avenue here, to the North Hide here and back. The good thing about the North Hide is that there are several benches to rest your legs.

Highlights at the hide were 50+ Sand Martins, with dozens collecting nesting material from within the hide itself. Also noted was a male Marsh Harrier coming into land and a few warblers singing.

Birds Recorded:
2 Grey Heron
3 Mute Swan
1 Canada Goose
1 Mallard
1 Marsh Harrier
1 Water Rail (heard)
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
50+ Sand Martin
2 Swallow
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Song Thrush
5 Reed Warbler
4 Cetti's Warbler
2 Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Greenfinch