Made an early start , and was down at Old Lodge Reserve on Ashdown Forest by 7.30 .
Am just posting photos and comments , or I will never get this finished .
My arrival was announced by this Song Thrush ,
and a fly over of Gulls , Common , I think ?
Willow Warblers , Tree Pipits , Common Whitethroats , lots of young family parties , at least 2 singing males and this pair of Common Redstarts , but nothing really close .
Several Nuthatches calling and seen feeding .
Down towards the little stream , Heath Spotted Orchids starting to flower .
At least 12 ponies still grazing / eating the Orchids , including this little fella . 
All over the Heather and grass , lots of these funnel shaped webs . This one guarded by it's occupant . I haven't managed to identify the species yet .
Another Nuthatch , but when I got home , I saw the juvenile , above and right of the adult .Decided to try another part of the Forest , looking for Silver-studded Blues .
Probably a bit early for this species , but I found 3 males , fighting for territory .
The Silver-studded refers to the small blue spots behind the orange on the underwing .
On the adjacent pond , a female Emperor Dragonfly was egg laying in the submerged vegetation. 
No sooner had she finished , when a male clasped her , and took her into the surrounding trees .
Several Stonechats were seen during the course of the day , including this male .
Not many butterflies about , but lots of Common Heath , a day flying moth . This one a male , identified by the feathery antennae . With no more Blues found , headed for Park Corner Heath , a Butterfly Conservation site , 15 minutes away . 
Dyer's Greenweed-Genista tinctoria , found at PCH . 
Only my second Lesser Butterfly Orchid also found here . Note polinia are parallel , Greater Butterfly Orchid , polinia are diverging . 
In very hot conditions , had fleeting glances of a few Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary . A species that rarely keeps still and flies very fast . A bit of cloud cover , and I found this specimen waiting for the sun again . Should have gone 1/2 weeks ago , as they are past their best now . 
Had to pass Old Lodge on the way home , and stopped off again . Looked where I had heard Common Redstart this morning , and managed a couple of shots .
And finally . I found many specimens of this moth on both sites , but don't know it . Over to you please Dean .
Dyer's Greenweed-Genista tinctoria , found at PCH . Only my second Lesser Butterfly Orchid also found here . Note polinia are parallel , Greater Butterfly Orchid , polinia are diverging . In very hot conditions , had fleeting glances of a few Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary . A species that rarely keeps still and flies very fast . A bit of cloud cover , and I found this specimen waiting for the sun again . Should have gone 1/2 weeks ago , as they are past their best now . Had to pass Old Lodge on the way home , and stopped off again . Looked where I had heard Common Redstart this morning , and managed a couple of shots .And finally . I found many specimens of this moth on both sites , but don't know it . Over to you please Dean .Now identified as Brown Silver-line , by Phil and Dean . Many thanks to you both .
4 comments:
Some day Greenie!
Ive come across those spider web funnels, but I hate spiders and don't intend to find out what lives in them !
Good stuff Greenie, nice to see Redstarts featuring. Did you post the Nuthatch shot upside down? Your moth might be a Brown Silver-line but i'll bow to Dean's greater knowledge.
You had a great day out Greenie. I've never seen a Redstart or a Stonechat and not likely to in this area, unfortunately.
Lovely to see the Nuthatches and the lovely Song Thrush living up to its name :) and I thought the last Redstart photo was beautiful.
Brown Silver-line it is.
Another good photo-filled post Greenie.
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