Down in Dorset for two days although I think I’ll probably be venturing into Hampshire tomorrow.
Didnt get off especially speedily but still managed to fit a lot in. Little terns at ferrybridge were numerous but largely lost in heat haze. Church ope brought wall lizard and my first small skippers of the year. It’s a lovely spot and seems to have grown back from a real cutback last year but butterflies are much thinner on the ground there than five years or so back.
No sign of little owl at Portland but lots and lots of marbled white. They don’t really make it as far west as us and they are of course gorgeous.
A brief sea watch was well timed for a small group of Balearic shearwater.
The original plan had been arne this evening for nightjar and then looking for sand lizard tomorrow morning but I thought I might as well have a look this afternoon. Went to a lovely heathland reserve where I’d been told they were relatively easy. No sign in about 30 minutes at the designated spot so wandered out onto the Heath. Some cool sun dews and tons and tons of silver studded blues. Lovely ones to see and like marbled white not one we get at home.
Despite it clouding over I thought I’d give the lizard spot another go and was rewarded with a very patient common lizard that didn’t mind close views and a briefer but still amazing view of a glowing green sand lizard.
The final U.K. reptile I’d not seen (barring sea turtles and some weird escape species) and with a couple of slow worms earlier on Portland it made a 4 lizard day.
Weather looks a bit dodgy for nightjars so might just get a curry instead but tomorrow looks good for a few more southern specialties.
246 little tern
247 Balearic shearwater
8 wall lizard
9 sand lizard
32 small skipper
33 marbled white
34 silver studded blue
Birds 247 Mammals 20 Herp 9 Butterflies 34 Total 310 Lifers 15
Phone photos only for now