I decided that whilst there , I would do the full two and a half hour butterfly transect , and so , put plenty of water in the car before setting off . It was obvious right from the start , that there had been an explosion in the number of Meadow Brown and Ringlet on the wing . Every blade of grass seemed to have one of either species on it , but by far and away the most productive areas were those that were not cut last Autumn . Having found Marbled Whites on Burnt Gorse last week , it was good to find 3 more here , well away from the originals . The main Conservation field , with the exception of a small area at the Cuckoo Wood car park end , was cut by tractor/mower , and the small area won hands down on numbers recorded . By the time I got to that area , it was good to get into shaded woodland , as the temperature was creeping relentlessly upwards . Along the track towards Burnt Gorse , I stopped to check on the 2 Violet 
Helleborines , and I'm glad to say they are doing very well , with the first found one beginning to unfurl it's flower head . Along the edges of the paths , the enchantingly named , Enchanter's 
Nightshade is in flower , a delicate little plant . Before dropping down to Burnt Gorse , I checked the small glade , at the far end of which , I had Friday's sighting . As soon as I got to the first Bramble patch , the unmistakable flash of large orange wings , confirmed that the Silver Washed Fritillaries are on the wing again . I didn't manage a shot of this specimen , as it had a quick check of the Bramble flowers , and swiftly moved on . At the end of the glade , there was no sign . I headed for the Orchid Bank , and immediately had another patrolling the unfenced area , where hopefully the White Letter Hairstreaks will appear soon . Another clearing , adjacent to where I recorded egg laying last year , produced 4 males , 3 in combat with each other , even
though no females were seen , and the fourth , looking as if it had just emerged , was nectaring on Bramble flower . The diagnostic feature for the male are the 4 dark bars across the wings . Moving on to the glade where the majority of the egg laying was recorded , another 2 males were found . One seemed to think that the whole glade belonged to him , and drove off the other every
time he entered it . Having driven off the other , the first then took up position on a branch , overlooking the area . On one return , he settled just in the right position to show clearly how he 
gets his name , as if someone had 'washed' the underwing with silver . Apart from good numbers of Small Skipper , Burnt Gorse didn't produce any surprises . At the far end , where it joins with 
Hang Grove , two members of the Mullein family were found . The first , Great Mullein , also 
known as Aaron's Rod , and , within a couple of metres of it , the less common White Mullein .
Helleborines , and I'm glad to say they are doing very well , with the first found one beginning to unfurl it's flower head . Along the edges of the paths , the enchantingly named , Enchanter's Nightshade is in flower , a delicate little plant . Before dropping down to Burnt Gorse , I checked the small glade , at the far end of which , I had Friday's sighting . As soon as I got to the first Bramble patch , the unmistakable flash of large orange wings , confirmed that the Silver Washed Fritillaries are on the wing again . I didn't manage a shot of this specimen , as it had a quick check of the Bramble flowers , and swiftly moved on . At the end of the glade , there was no sign . I headed for the Orchid Bank , and immediately had another patrolling the unfenced area , where hopefully the White Letter Hairstreaks will appear soon . Another clearing , adjacent to where I recorded egg laying last year , produced 4 males , 3 in combat with each other , even though no females were seen , and the fourth , looking as if it had just emerged , was nectaring on Bramble flower . The diagnostic feature for the male are the 4 dark bars across the wings . Moving on to the glade where the majority of the egg laying was recorded , another 2 males were found . One seemed to think that the whole glade belonged to him , and drove off the other every time he entered it . Having driven off the other , the first then took up position on a branch , overlooking the area . On one return , he settled just in the right position to show clearly how he gets his name , as if someone had 'washed' the underwing with silver . Apart from good numbers of Small Skipper , Burnt Gorse didn't produce any surprises . At the far end , where it joins with Hang Grove , two members of the Mullein family were found . The first , Great Mullein , also known as Aaron's Rod , and , within a couple of metres of it , the less common White Mullein .A favourite of mine , Vervain , was also found , and whilst checking up on it , found that it is the 
only British member of the Verbena family , which is a mainly tropical family , that also includes the huge Teak trees of tropical forests .
only British member of the Verbena family , which is a mainly tropical family , that also includes the huge Teak trees of tropical forests .The full transect results were , Meadow Brown (378) , Ringlet (224) , Small Skipper (27) , Marbled White (6) , Comma (8) , Large Skipper (4) , Silver Washed Fritillary (conservative 12/15) , Small White (1) , Common Blue (1) , Speckled Wood (8) , Brimstone (2) and Red Admiral (1) .
Although the number of Burnet Companion , day flying moths , have reduced greatly , the Six 
spot Burnet moths were found in good numbers . The only birds of note found , were 2 juvenile Green Woodpeckers , Common Whitethroat , Blackcap and Chiffchaff . Blackbirds were very vocal , perhaps it's because they only have another couple of weeks or so before they stop singing . Carol read an article a couple of weeks ago , that they stop singing by 17th. July , we''ll 
see . I can't remember whether I have posted it before , but the pappus of the Goatsbeard- Jack -go-to-bed-at-noon , is truly a work of art in my mind .
spot Burnet moths were found in good numbers . The only birds of note found , were 2 juvenile Green Woodpeckers , Common Whitethroat , Blackcap and Chiffchaff . Blackbirds were very vocal , perhaps it's because they only have another couple of weeks or so before they stop singing . Carol read an article a couple of weeks ago , that they stop singing by 17th. July , we''ll see . I can't remember whether I have posted it before , but the pappus of the Goatsbeard- Jack -go-to-bed-at-noon , is truly a work of art in my mind .
female egg laying . Red Eyed Damselflies - pictured are really down in numbers . A walk down to the Bog produced a very quiet scene with the pools dried up , I didn't record any 
two over-riding species on the site are Bog Cotton , and the Bog Asphodel , which still has a long 
way to go , before being in full flower . I know I posted it before , but I couldn't resist another 
close up of this delicate flower . My last call was at the farm lake , and already the Air Show traffic was building up , so I was glad to get there . Worryingly , I could only see 3 adult and 4 young Little Grebes , especially when they started off with 10 or 11 young between the two 
families . No such problems for the Coots , with their 5 from their second brood growing quickly . Black Tailed Skimmers and Common Darters are still emerging , but not so many seen on the wing today . It was the same for butterflies , but I did find a pair of Ringlets doing what a pair of 
Ringlets are meant to do . I almost dismissed a Comma , apart from recording it , when a second look had me reaching for the camera . Normally , the Comma has black/grey coloured 
Spring caterpillars . On the bank behind the lake , Nettle Leaved 
down for a swim , with the four Mallard youngsters .
found on your patch .
sight , or when one rested , followed another . As can be seen from this shot , damage has been 
inflicted during the many aerial battles when two met . At the end of the time , I was sweating buckets , and not even a glimpse of a female had 
very brown pond , as many are on the site , where a male Broad Bodied Chaser was standing 
guard over his patch . The Common 
Dragonfly , which is found in a variety of habitats , but the other was a heathland specialist , the Keeled Skimmer , which gets it's name from the 'keel or join' , that runs the length of the 
abdomen . I believe that this species can be found at just one site in Kent , 
The second pond once again produced a female Emperor Dragonfly , and once again egg laying . The other ponds provided more of the same , with the addition of Common Blue , Azure and Large Red Damselflies . I was hoping that two other heathland species , Small Red Damselfly , obviously smaller than the Large , but with red legs rather than black , and Black Darter , might have emerged , but it would appear it was just too early for them . I followed the track down the slope to the small stream that runs in the valley , a haunt that was favoured by Golden Ring Dragonfly in years gone by , but with ponies grazing the area , and damage to the 
without a breath of wind was tiring , but on the path a Green Tiger Beetle gave me a rest while I photographed it . My last sighting of this species was the day I photographed the Smooth Snakes in deepest Surrey . At the top of the slope , I spotted a brownish 'darter' sized dragonfly pass me and settle in the heather , some way off the track . I followed , and it turned out to be a female 
Keeled Skimmer , keeping out of the way of those male advances . Once again , showing the 'keel' along the back of the abdomen . Also on the path was a butterfly that you would expect to find in
this habitat , the Small Heath . I deviated from the path on the way back , and I'm glad I did , for two reasons . The first was as I was walking through a large area of Bracken . I spotted a large dragonfly , hawking for insects , but it moved off before I could get a good look at it . Further on , I came across it again , this time it was perched . It was what I had been looking for at the 
stream , the aptly named Golden Ringed Dragonfly . I managed this shot , and as I took a second , it launched after a passing insect , and I never saw it again . Having said that , it could have been perched just over the Bracken plant in front , but it was so thick and tall , you couldn't 
see anyway . The second bonus for the deviation was a distant view of a 
reptile with the right idea . A Common Lizard was sat in the shade on the step , and I had to step over it , without it moving to get to the car park .
when it flew , it settled on the next Pine . Any ideas ?
settled on the seed head of 
surrounding vegetation . It was there that I found a Red Admiral and a Comma , resting within 15 
Nettles , I found another very fresh looking Red Admiral . The egg that this butterfly hatched out of , was probably 
Peacock caterpillars . They had spread out from where they had hatched out , but , back there , there were many caterpillars , that had hatched out from the egg , but then for some reason , 
hadn't made it any further . This sight made me recall the statistics of egg to adulthood in butterflies . If a female lays 50 eggs , 20-40 will make it to the caterpillar stage , of which 10 might survive to form 
along with a fresh , very richly coloured Comma , which was finding something of interest on a 
tissue . A walk back towards the pond , produced a Green Veined White , having it's fix of 'honey' from the Creeping Thistle , which have opened up greatly in the last couple of days .
car , I found his wife . The full butterfly count was , Red Admiral (2) , Ringlet (12) , Meadow Brown (24) , Comma (6) , Large White (8) , Large Skipper (12) , Small Skipper (5) and singleton Small White , Speckled Wood and Green Veined White . Damselflies/Dragonflies recorded were , Large Red 
Skipper were on the wing . Not far from the Ash tree , Common 
Pyramidal and a second Bee Orchid - pictured , were found . In the same glade , Yellow Rattle and 
from lilac to my favourite , deep purple . Both probably brought in as seed on the tractor / grass cutter in the Autumn . On the heathland , very little was found , but the Brimstone caterpillars 
are just getting larger and larger , but no adults seen on the wing . Other species found on site were , Large and Small Skipper and Small Heath . Other interest found , were a pair of Bullfinches calling , but not showing themselves , the 
second male Marbled White , and along the top edge , a male Brimstone - pictured , recently emerged by the look of him . The usual Skippers , the odd Common Blue and several fresh 
looking Commas , along with the Meadow Browns and Ringlets completed the recording .
obvious 'no go' for the weekend . On one particular part of the site Wild Parsnip is coming into flower . I didn't 
200 hopefully , when the females emerge . Like many butterfly species , the females are larger , and the 
getting down to what they were put here for , once again , the larger female on the right . Ringlets (52) , Large Skipper (8) , Brimstone (5) , Small White (1) , Comma (2) , Large White (1) , Common Blue (2) , Speckled Wood (2) and Small Skipper (1) , made up the 11 species recorded . The most frustrating time on site , was when I found a Hummingbird Hawk Moth , a migrant from the Continent , feeding on 
things for themselves . This is probably where the saying 'bald as a Coot' comes from . Around 
the lake , things are turning yellow , as masses of Ladies 
in good numbers , this one having flown up onto surrounding trees to finish drying it's wings . If it is a female , then when she comes back to the water to breed , she will be set upon by 6/10 males , as was happening whilst I was there . The Azure Damselflies , like all of them are mating 
ready to start the new generation , and the Common Darters are showing signs of maturing , so 
their breeding time will come soon . Other species recorded were , Large Red , Blue Tailed and Common Blue Damselflies and Emperor Dragonfly . Butterflies were few , but six species in small numbers were recorded .
