The Portland Naturalist

The Portland Naturalist

Thursday, 25 July 2013

A Mocha-ry of the Forecast

The day dawned to yet another foggy start, though that soon wore away, and I was able to get out into the field a little in the morning.

The moth traps came up with the highlights as usual though, as the pretty rare migrant Jersey Mocha took the plaudits.

 
The other lifer for me was another migrant, a Four-spotted Footman (the other two spots are hidden).

 
Also among the highlights were Barred Rivulet, a feeder on Red Bartsia (which is everywhere at the moment).

 
A beautiful Herald.

 
This pretty micro, Eucosma campoliliana.


And Garden Tiger are numerous at the moment.


A stroll down to the Bill produced little, but I was delighted to be able to see the sea, to do some seawatching!  Sadly, it was almost hopeless.  Just 2 Turnstone and 3 Sanderling went by, as did a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, which it turned out had just been seen by Joe Stockwell from the East Cliffs.

I started to stroll back through the Bill quarry, and came across a juvenile Wheatear, which was surely the same one I saw a week or so ago.  Locally bred?

 
I just started to stroll up Bill Hill, when I flushed a juvenile Cuckoo, and it flew back towards the Obs Quarry.  Surely the same bird that's been around for a while.  Once at the top of the Hill, a view towards Southwell revealed at least 4 Kestrel.  A couple of these were later heard calling a lot around the Obs.  I think a family party.  From this same view I also had the spectacle of watching a pair of Peregrine cooperatively hunting a Woodpigeon.  They disappeared behind Southwell Business Park, so I was unsure of the outcome.
 
I got home for lunch, then noticed that it had fogged over again!  

After an afternoon nap I looked outside, and guess what, there was barely a cloud in the sky!  Portland weather is weird!

Later on I took an evening stroll round Blacknor Point.  Not a lot of note, except another juvenile Yellow-legged Gull mixing in with the local Herring Gull young, perhaps the same bird yet again.  I also found the Portland tick of Betony.

 
 
Less fog tomorrow please!  It's July!


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