Awaiting Arrival of Awesome Autumn

It's been almost two weeks since my last update, but you needn't worry about missing anything!  I have made a certain amount of effort into birding Portland in that time, but rarely have I been rewarded.  A few snippets of other wildlife around to look at too however.  Those who are only interested in the birds can skip towards the end!

I think I've finally got the enthusiasm for getting up early for birding again!  My first sighting of this in a long time.

On a walk up near the Verne prison one day, I stumbled on these botanical delights, not having a clue they were here.  There were over a hundred examples of the strange spiralling Orchid, Autumn Ladies-tresses.

Plus a number of Autumn Gentian, just coming out.

It's official. Autumn is here!

I visited the Obs a couple of times, and the flowers there are always covered in pollinators, including a couple of Hummingbird Hawk-moth (lots around at the moment) and this striking hoverfly, Chrysotoxum cautum.

 

The other day-flying moth that's quite obvious at the moment are the scarce-for-Portland Jersey Tiger. I've come across three in the last two weeks.

 



On one day I spotted the little mouthful-of-a-micro, Schreckensteinia festaliella, here showing it's strange spiky, sticking-out forelegs.

I've also noticed a fair amount of moth feeding-signs recently.  This is an area that I really would like to improve my knowledge on.  But, just like most other areas of natural history, there's so much to learn!

But, I think these are the feeding mines of the Apple Leaf Miner (Lyonetia clerkella).  How many different individuals are there in each leaf!?

And, I think these 'windows' in Wild Madder is where the larva of the pyralid Mecyna asinalis has been feeding on the underside.

As for birds, the best sightings in the last couple of weeks have been a juvenile Marsh Harrier circling over Blacknor on the 15th, before drifting out over the sea towards Abbotsbury.  The Gulls had been going mad in the area for a little while, so it was no surprise to find this bird amongst them.  Plus, the flock of Black-tailed Godwit at Ferrybridge two days later was also a patch tick.  They didn't show as well as this Bar-tailed Godwit yesterday, however.

The other patch tick in the last month or so has been a number of juvenile Yellow-legged Gull. Ferrybridge is the ideal location for studying the species' subtleties (particularly the dark tertials and pale head). 

Other than those, there have been a steady presence of the likes of Yellow Wagtail, Tree Pipit, and a Spotted Flycatcher yesterday.  Plus decent sightings such as the likes of two Arctic Skua in Chesil Cove.

Also yesterday, I had the briefest of glimpses of a greyish-backed Whitethroat-like warbler at Suckthumb Quarry, but sadly it could not be re-found.  One that got away.

The weather has been normal.  Portland-weird that is!  These photos taken 24 hours apart from the same point on The Verne.

There is a chance I may start to learn to ring soon.  Watch this space.  I'm looking forward now to what the autumn will bring on Portland, but I've also got a couple of visits to my old patch of Tice's Meadow in the offing!

The 'Greats' of Portland

I had quite a lazy day yesterday, and only had the one short walk, taking in Blacknor Point and it's environs.  Nothing particularly notable was encountered, except this very convincing wasp-mimic Hoverfly, Chrysotoxum cautum.

 

Today, I started the afternoon off with the obligatory visit to the Obs, where there was a nice selection of moths, as usual.  The highlight, no doubt, was the rare migrant Great Dart.  A species with which Portland has the majority of UK records.

Plus a few more notable species included a female Oak Eggar.

A few examples of Rosy Rustic.

Plus, a Straw Underwing.

I then had a wander about the Top Fields, heading for Southwell.  Little unusual was encountered, till I first noticed a Fulmar flying cross-island, seemingly right over the garden of Debby and Pete Saunders (good garden tick!) in Southwell, before heading towards Easton, quite low.  It may be an everyday species on Portland, but it really looked odd flying over buildings!  Then, shortly after I finally got a piece of the current Clouded Yellow influx, as a single individual surged past me and was gone.

I had been asked by the plant recorder for Dorset to do a survey of the Falcaria vulgaris (Sickle-weed - see the post 'The Fool and the Fall') I had found previously, as there are only two sites for the species in the county.  Evidently, one is on the island, though I was not told where exactly this is supposed to be, so it could be a new site, or it may not.  Anyway, I was on the way to the three clumps of the plant near the Admiralty Hedge, when I stumbled on this beauty, the Great Green Bush-cricket.  According to my records, I have seen this species before, but since I don't remember it (I suspect it was on Portland), I was rather delighted to study the monster.  They aren't called 'Great' for nothing you know!

On the way back up-island, I stopped off for a little while at Pennsylvania Castle woods.  I'd not been here before, and I have to say it looked very promising as a migrant trap.  It's pretty much the only proper woodland on the island.  Here, I saw a Grey Squirrel.  That may not sound particularly notable, but until recently this species was a rarity on the island.  I don't know the full details, but I would suspect these woods must be the only site on the island for them.

 

The path eventually opens out into this clearing, complete with ruins (+ Rufus Castle in background).

 

Here on the ruins, I encountered a Common Lizard sunning itself, though it was obviously well warmed, as it scuttled away as soon as I got my phone camera in position!

 

I continued my journey on to High Angle Battery and King Barrow Quarry, where I hoped to look for 2nd-generation Adonis Blue.  No luck at all on that count, but I had an enjoyable time nonetheless, seeing hundreds of Chalkhill Blue yet again.  I shall be back, you Adonis!

 

 

An enjoyable afternoon, though no birds of note whatsoever!