WHAT'S BUZZING OR FLYING NEAR YOU 2019

what's last one (128135) ?

 

Sorry @Jenny namaste for confusion, the first two are Painted Ladies and the last is the Brimstone.

 

Wheatears at Portland Bill, it is early into the 'autumn' migration but thousands of birds are already moving south.
I gave up counting Wheatears after around forty, many were juveniles which need to bulk their weight up for the long journey to Africa.

 

Wonder why they are leaving early...
? What do they know ?

 

They will not necessarily fly off together which means the young ones will find their way to West and Central Africa unaided. They have some sort of inbuilt navigational aid but it is one of the many mysteries of migration as is why they go early. Some will still be here in October.

These are only a week or so earlier than usual, Yellow Wagtails, always around horses and cattle, in a month or so they will be following Zebras and Wilderbeest.

 

Thank you for sharing your love and knowledge @strongylodon - I enjoy learning about these things,
Jenny

 

That was a useful bit of info

I've just got back from a flying visit to Dorset, leaving at 2:30 am to arrive at Chesil Beach at daybreak for a quick fishing session, and leaving before the car park charges kicked in. I was then going to The Arne via Durlstone, but decided to also pay a visit to Portland Bill and wasn't disappointed.

Wheatears






And at The Arne, an Osprey with a Mullet, being watched by a Crow (taken from about half a mile away, with hand held telephoto).

 

@Scrungee, smart young Wheatear and Rock Pipits both in good numbers at the Bill.
I was on an Osprey Cruise today (from Poole Harbour) and saw 6, all distant but mainly the recently released youngsters from the translocation project.
The Osprey in your pic doesn't appear to have a ring so it may be one of the northern birds lingering.
Shame I missed you, I am at Arne tomorrow as a volunteer and will probably be at that viewpoint for a while.

Some of the Spoonbills at Brownsea Island seen from the bird boat.




Stopped at Lytchett Fields on the way back and found the juvenile Little Ringed Plover but the wind had increased and holding the camera wasn't easy so a blurry image.

 

Golden Ringed Dragonfly.

 

Yes, it was an unringed bird, according to the volunteer at the viewpoint (wish I could afford a Swarovski scope). When I said I'd been following the Osprey translocation project for 3 years, she 'corrected' me stating it's only been going on for 2 years, which is obviously incorrect, but I didn't want to get into an argument about correcting her arithmetic/promugaltion periods/etc.

I'm back on 30th Sept, staying near Poole for 5 nights, hoping more to see then, plus intend visiting Brownsea (been watching Spoonbills on the webcam), hopefully some Red Squirrels


I avoided using this image in the post above, due to typical mistake of concentrating on bird and forgetting about the background (that lighthouse with big red stripes).

 

I know who 'corrected' you and she is very much like that unfortunately.
There should be more Spoonbills by the end of the month and waders as there are very few at present. Back of the church on Brownsea is one of the best places to see Red Squirrels.

 

More something that has been buzzing near us in the past week or so...

.... I found this when sweeping in the hall. About 1cm long.


Hubby just said “it’s a wobble-bottom shield bug”. I’m not convinced....

Done a bit of googling, and possibly one of the sexton beetles?

 

Hi, we seem to have lots of these, particularly on the geraniums, any idea what they are please? (just out of curiosity really) they look so fragile, I wondered if they were a type of moth or similar?

Many thanks in advance on this lovely Autumn Sunday

 

Plume Moth, there are many species.