Saturday 30th. August 2014

After the rain washed out Monday and Tuesday , a couple of hours in Willow Hide at Sevenoaks Reserve found the Kingfishers on good form , making regular visits to the two stick just out in front .

Shame the few sunny spells were interspersed with longer cloudy ones , and that the Kingfishers

seemed to choose the latter for their visits . Most interesting sight was a Sparrowhawk chasing two Kingfishers around the far end of Snipe Bog Lake . Also around were two Green Sandpipers who stayed well away in cover , apart from one fly by which John managed to get on camera .
Thursday started in similar vein weather-wise , but suddenly the skies opened up just after lunch , enough for me to head for the meadow below Biggin Hill Airport to see if the Clouded Yellows were still around . A surprising 14 species were recorded , many of which were very faded and damaged ,

which included the 3 male CYs that were recorded on the visit . Once again there was interest overhead , with three Common Buzzard enjoying the warmth and wind , two Sparrowhawk and a male Kestrel . But the best sighting was what looked like a family group of three Raven , two flying

together and the third some distance behind , 'cronking' continuously as the passed over . The habitat

would seem ideal for them , but they would have to learn to live in harmony with those Common Buzzards , which I know from visits to Old Lodge on Ashdown Forest is rather unlikely , but we can

hope . On the track back to the car , and out of the wind , a mating pair of Small White and a male

Brimstone , topping up on nectar from Black Knapweed .
Yesterday , I headed off for Elmley Reserve on the Isle of Sheppey , to hopefully see some migrants before the all headed South . I started the track to the car park full of expectation , but on arrival all I had seen were Coot , Little Grebe , Starling , Grey Heron and distant views of Marsh Harrier , not even a Lapwing or Redshank never mind a migrant . I did however find a Yellow Wagtail looking for

food on the edge of the car park , along with several juvenile Pied Wagtail , and a good number of

 

noisy juvenile Goldfinches , all clamouring for use of the one , almost dried out, puddle . The return

 

down the track was no more exciting , apart from a fleeting glimpse of a Brown Hare , just before it

disappeared into the game crop , and a Little Egret that flew in from the pools behind the farmhouse .

Over the Swale in the Oare area , darkened skies were dumping their contents , not a day to get caught out in the open , as more could be seen down wind . My next stop was Leysdown , where the tide was coming in , with lots of waders and gulls on the waterline . With binoculars , Godwit , Curlew and Oystercatcher could be seen , but too far for any shots . I watched a young family arrive , the kids full of excitement on getting to the beach , and starting to dig in the sand and play bat and ball . A look in the bush behind the pitch and putt hut , favoured by a migrating Wryneck , failed to produce , same as it failed for me last year , and a wooded area nearby had a juvenile Sparrowhawk , seen a couple of times , but continually calling . On the shore side , a group of Turnstone , still in

Summer plumage , turned into the wind , and many of the Oystercatcher started moving down the



beach towards Shellness ,a favoured roost for them , then , the heavens opened . The beach cleared in seconds , including the young family , all running for their cars . I carried on to the start of the Shellness track , but finding little , decided to head for the raptor mound at Capel Fleet . I looked for Wheatear at a couple of places where I had found them in previous years , but failed this time . The wind had got up quite a bit and it blew a flock of about 50 LBJs across the road in front of me . I couldn't get a positive ID , but many were likely to be Corn Bunting , being in the area where I have

seen them before . A couple of Marsh Harrier were searching the ditches for a meal , the male above always keeping a good distance , the female I thought was going to fly right over my head , but she

veered off early , denying the shot I was hoping for . With little else found , I decided to give Elmley a second chance , before heading off home . It was a case of 'deja vu' until reaching the final rise to

the car park , where I found a single Wheatear on the side of the track , which took no notice of me at all . It was later joined by a second and whilst looking at that bird with binoculars , sensed something moving across the track closer to me . It proved to be a Stoat , but , by the time I put down the binoculars and grabbed the camera , it had disappeared into the trackside vegetation . At the top of the rise to the car park , I could seen several dark birds , seemingly lying on the ground . As I approached , naturally they flew off , so I pulled over , turned off and waited . Eventually they

returned , and proved to be mainly Sand Martin , with a few juvenile Swallow . They seemed to be

dust-bathing , but the track is made up of road planings , the material removed when a new surface is put down , so wouldn't seem to contain much in the way of dust , but seemed to be happy with it . It's the closest I have ever got to the species , and must say it made my day . On my way back down the track , a second , or the same Stoat almost ran under the front wheels across in front of me , but fortunately I was only crawling along , and it safely made the other side , and another large flock of LBJs in the game crop , blown around by the strong wind and disappearing immediately they landed . As I passed the cattle , a flock of Starling lifted off , with an unusual individual amongst them . I kept an eye on it and after a while it came a bit closer , before once again flying away . It had white tail

feathers , a possible part albino ?  The same area produced another 5/6 Yellow Wagtail , including a bright male . I was seen off the property by a juvenile Grey Heron alongside the last ditch , no doubt

looking for the Marsh Frogs that I could hear croaking in the area . A day that started off poorly , but turned out to be most enjoyable in the end , especially the Sand Martins .
And finally , Carol has always wanted to get a Nuthatch on the garden feeders . Her wish has come true , with a regular visitor every day this week .



Sunday 24th. August 2014

Thursday morning , I returned to the meadow below Biggin Hill airport with sunnier skies , but still with the strong wind blowing across the slope . I didn't see as many Clouded Yellows , just 3/4 on the visit , but the sunshine gave longer views than those of the previous afternoon . As anyone will know who has chased CYs , it's better than a morning at the gym , but worth the effort when one flicks

open it's wings , just as the shutter is pressed , but feeding seemed to be the main aim of the

specimens , all males , seen during the visit . Also seen were a pair of Sparrowhawks , playing with the wind on the fringe of the airport , and two of the local Common Buzzards that drifted overhead ,

no doubt searching for their breakfast . With just the 100mm. macro lens on , the shots had to be

heavily cropped . On Friday , I did the High Elms butterfly transect in reasonable conditions , and was surprised to record 15 species , and a total of 145 butterflies . But , taking out Common Blue , Meadow Brown and Brown Argus , a total of 111, the other 12 species only produced 34 butterflies

between them . The sunny spells brought Brimstones out to nectar , and Silver-washed Fritillaries ,

down to 4 , all females , and time has caught up with them too , they will probably have finished on the next transect . Down in the bottom glade , butterfly numbers might have been down , but Odonata numbers were definitely up , with 30/35 Migrant and 2 Brown Hawkers filling the air space , and making short work of anything that flew up into it . On the bridleway through the golf course , on the way back to the car , a Pigmy Shrew nipped across the path in front of me . A quick look at the House Martin nests on the farmhouse showed most had headed South , but there were still 3/4 birds feeding overhead . Yesterday , a quick look at Bough Beech Reservoir revealed even less waders around with no sign of the Black-tailed Godwit , and just 3 Green Sandpipers and a single Common Snipe seen from the causeway . I then moved on to the reserve with the feeders in the wood , where the flora was

a sight to behold . Lots of Common Fleabane / Pulicaria dysenterica , a member of the Daisy family ,

interspersed with my favourite Scabious , Devilsbit / Succisa pratensis , a member of the Teasle family . The best surprise was finding a few specimens of Sneezewort / Achillea ptarmica , another

member of the Daisy family , and a species that I see very rarely these days . 8 species of butterfly ,

once again , all in small numbers were recorded , they included Red Admiral and Comma , both

found feeding on the ripe blackberries . Whilst on site , 3 Grass Snakes were found , two juveniles

together , and this adult , found with a Slow Worm . The opaque film on the snake's eye indicating that it is about to slough , change it's skin . Several Southern Hawkers were on the wing during sunny

periods , like this one , all but one were immatures . A couple of Brown Hawkers who refused to stop

for the camera , and a few Ruddy Darter , completed the Odonata sightings . With the cloud thickening , I left for home , having really enjoyed my time on site .
This morning , with cloud due in by lunchtime , I spent a couple of hours wandering around up on the Common . First find was the remains of a dragonfly , regarded as towards the top of the insect foodchain , but this one obviously met it's match , snared in a spider's web , and eaten by the

occupant . In the sunshine , something shone like a jewel on the leaf of a Buckthorn . I have no idea

what had emerged from them , about 2mm in length , but it's the first time I've come across anything

like them . On the small Oak to the right , one of our smallest Ladybirds , with almost the largest number of spots of any of them , the 22-spot Ladybird / Psyllobora 22-punctata . Most of the Gorse on the Common is not in flower at the moment , but amongst the Heather , the low growing Dwarf

Gorse / Ulex minor is taking it's opportunity to do so before it's larger relative . And finally , with the

butterfly season coming to a close , as demonstrated by this very faded Common Blue , some , like

this pair of Green-veined Whites think there is still time to get the job done .

Thursday 21st. August 2014

Catch up time again , starting with a Monday morning visit to Sevenoaks Reserve , but unfortunately there was very little interest found , even the Kingfishers refused to pose , giving just a couple of fly-byes to the hopeful photographers waiting . It was good though , to catch up with fellow enthusiast Graham , the first time we've bumped into each other this year , having managed to do it several times last year . Even the weather closed in , but before it did , I did manage to find some

Small Red-eyed Damselflies on the lily pads down at Long Lake . I spent Tuesday morning on the causeway at Bough Beech Reservoir , where the water level is at a nice level to attract passing waders , with mud showing all around the main reservoir and the North Lake , but someone forgot to tell the waders , with just a few Common and Green Sandpiper feeding on the North Lake , until a passing Common Buzzard spooked a Black-tailed Godwit , which then came to rest with the many

BHGulls on one of the ridges , where it had a wash and brush up , before returning to where it flew from originally . The only other interest found , was a long winged bird with a large bill , that landed

on the water about 2/3rds of the way to the right hand point on the main reservoir . It looked really

interesting at the first angle , but when to turned slightly , it had that immature gull look about it . I've sent thr pictures to a couple of people , and both came back with immature Lesser Black-backed Gull , but what a bill on the first shot .
A cool wind greeted me yesterday morning when I arrived at Old Lodge Reserve on Ashdown Forest , with Black Darter high on my list to find , but the first hour or so was spent walking the reserve , looking for anything of interest , as it was like a graveyard . Just Corvids and Tits along the top path , nothing at all on the four ponds heading down to the stream in the valley , so it was nice to

be welcomed by a confiding Wren . Half of the stream was in full sun , but nothing was moving , so I carried on up the other side of the valley and followed the power lines back to the car park , adding almost nothing to what had been seen . I started the second circuit taking the other path down to the bottom of the gully and coming back up the gulley to the top path . I must admit I thought of heading back to the car at this point , but decided to give the ponds and stream another go . The second pond

did produce an Emerald Damselfly and the fourth produced three Small Red Damselfly , but no sign

of Black Darter , but photographing anything in the wind was very awkward . I went back down to the stream in the valley , and although most was now in sunshine , not a single Odonata was seen . It wasn't all bad though , as while I was there two juvenile Common Redstart were feeding in the area ,

and one posed on a concrete post just over the stream , but as can be seen , it too was troubled by the wind . The same fence line produced a scowling Whitethroat , but always scowling from within

vegetation . Whilst at the stream , and elderly couple arrived , hoping to see Golden-ringed Dragonfly , so they were not happy with my lack of sightings either . I left them to it and started back

to the car , on the way spotting a female Common Redstart , sunbathing out of the wind in a Holly . The rest of the way to the car was no more exciting , and I reached it without having seen a single raptor , most unusual for the site . After a spot on lunch , I decided to have a look at two other ponds over the other side of the forest before heading home . Things improved on the Odonata front with both Brown and Migrant Hawker seen on the walk to the ponds and Emperor patrolling over the first one . The surprise though was when a male Broad-bodied Chaser , in pristine condition , flew up to

confront the Emperor , before settling down again on Gorse . The species can be found into this month , but usually they are well past their sell by date by now . A couple of minutes later , a female BBC appeared over the water and the male attempted to do his duty , but she rebuffed him , and I

watched her fly off and settle a short distance away on some bracken , and like the male in pristine condition . She was finally disturbed by a horse and rider , and this time when she flew in , the male did do his duty . A couple of minutes later , she was ovipositing in the shallows , with the male

patrolling above her . Of interest , the vegetation she is laying amongst is Myriophyllum aquaticum / Parrots Feathers an invasive introduced species , which has almost completely covered this pond , and I don't think there is a remedy to eradicate it . The other pond , which hasn't got the Parrot's

Feathers , yet , contained my favourite water plant leaf , that of Arrowhead / Sagittaria sagittifolia .
On the way home , I stopped off at the site just below Biggin Hill airport , where a fellow enthusiast found Chalkhill Blue a few weeks ago . The clouds were building , but a quick look produced nie species of butterfly , including 4/6 Clouded Yellow , one of which was only too happy for the warmth

of my finger during a prolonged cloudy spell . The Chalkhill Blues were still on the wing , but

pristine couldn't be used to describe the males , having lost most of the scales from their topwings .