A good half hour at the Ash tree on the Common , produced not a single sighting of Purple Hairstreak , having read reports of their emergence elsewhere .
A walk around Keston Ponds confirmed that now the fishing season is under way again , the amount of rubbish left on site has increased enormously . This was added to by a good sized branch giving way , and crashing onto the bank across the footpath , probably due to the stress the tree is under during this hot dry spell . Fortunately , being early , no one was underneath . Dragonflies and Damselflies are still poor in number compared to other years , probably due to swim clearance for the anglers . There were 9 Emperor Dragonflies on the wing , including one 
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 Odonata . The 
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 
underwing , but this specimen has golden brown coloured underwing . This form is called 'hutchinsoni' , at a guess first noticed by a guy named Hutchinson . They are produced by early 
Spring caterpillars . On the bank behind the lake , Nettle Leaved Bellflower , a member of the Campanula family is in flower . Whilst I was walking around the lake , the owner's dog came 
down for a swim , with the four Mallard youngsters .
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 Odonata . The 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 underwing , but this specimen has golden brown coloured underwing . This form is called 'hutchinsoni' , at a guess first noticed by a guy named Hutchinson . They are produced by early Spring caterpillars . On the bank behind the lake , Nettle Leaved Bellflower , a member of the Campanula family is in flower . Whilst I was walking around the lake , the owner's dog came down for a swim , with the four Mallard youngsters .And finally , for Warren , the normal colour of Musk Mallow as opposed to the pale form you
found on your patch .
found on your patch .
2 comments:
Ah! That's it! Mine was a little paler.
No fog for you this morning then ? One good thing about fog - it keeps the noisy aircraft away!!
Sharp eyes to pick the abberant comma!
Hope the trip to see Springsteen was worthwhile...from one noise (Biggin) to another (The Boss).
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