I booked a rental car from 1st to 4th July 2023 for a trip away from home to include visits to a number of sites in Dorset, primarily on the Isle of Purbeck but also the Isle of Portland and Martin Down NNR on the Dorset and Hampshire border.
The main purpose of my visit, other than adding Nightjar and Little Tern to my 2023 UK year list, was to see and photograph the 6 species of UK reptile, namely Adder, Grass Snake, Smooth Snake, Sand Lizard, Common Lizard and Slow Worm, plus the same for a range of butterfly species and dragonfly and damselfly species.
I was successful in seeing both Nightjar and Little Tern during my trip, taking my 2023 UK year list to 182 species.
Reptiles were an extremely disappointing and complete failure! Despite searching at several sites with large amounts of suitable habitat, I did not record a single sighting of any of the 6 reptile species!
I was far more successful with butterfly species and dragonfly and damselfly species.
I recorded 21 butterfly species, including 5 as new records for me as shown in bold below, and 5 dragonfly and damselfly species, including 1 as a new record for me as shown in bold below.
Lulworth Skipper
Keeled Skimmer
Black-tailed Skimmer
Four-spotted Chaser
Common Darter
Emperor Dragonfly
In addition, I recorded 4 mammal species: Red Fox, Fallow Deer, Roe Deer, Rabbit
I visited the following sites in Dorset:
Wareham Forest – Morden Bog NNR
Wareham Forest – Great Ovens NR
Purbeck Heaths NNR – Hartland Moor NNR
Broadcroft Quarry, Isle of Portland
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