I stayed in our volunteer / resident artist accommodation last night. My night walk at 9:30pm caught sight of two foolish anglers whom had risk themselves and other my climbing into Tilly Whim. Two Tawny Owls communicated briefly, one at the Small Copse the other near the Goat plots woodland neighbourhood. About a dozen Swifts hawked around reservoir copse.
Meanwhile Anvil Point lighthouse kept mariners safe and the Portland Breakwater light give 4 flashes a pause then two flashes one might imagine in response! My first Glow Worm was observed around 10pm. Three in total were about Lighthouse Green, all near short grass and bare stone and facing inland. Another 8 were seen on my uphill journey all beside Lighthouse Road. I caught a brief glimpse of an unidentified bat flying over snaking cutting of the road. All bar one of the 11 Female Glow Worms were on the landward side of the road.
In the morning on a Teasel flower a relative of the Glow Worm one Soldier Beetle some times called a “Bloodsucker” due to its vivid red wing cases and black tipped bottom. Only the Common Field Grasshopper was observed by me, however, Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns and an abundance of Gatekeepers were on the wing. Two Empis tessellata flies appear to fly and mate, then I discovered the “female” to be carrying a small fly to eat!
The first 2 pairs of Goldfinches were first observed in Ash by the Centre, whom will soon be keen to feast on thistle and teasel seeds. A pair of Whitethroat were seen, Blackcaps and an elusive Green Woodpecker heard. Over Breakfast I saw a pair of Kestrels one of which was briefly mobbed by a Magpie. One Kestrel retreated to the Large Copse whilst the other stayed near me hawking from a Sycamore. A few Blackthorn sloes were purple in colour but not ripe yet!