Firstly , thank you to Ken/Focusing On Wildlife for identifying the small colourful spider on the Ox-eye Daisy head , on Saturday's post . It is a female Araniella cucurbitina , one of the smallest of the Orb Web spiders , Cheers Ken .
With visiting in the morning and rain all afternoon , much needed as it was , I didn't get out yesterday , and with more rain this morning , I thought today was going to be a repeat performance . But , just before lunchtime , the rain did stop , but it was still very overcast . Regardless , I needed to get out , so after lunch I headed for the Farm pond , thinking that if the rain returned , I wouldn't be caught out . I must admit that the lake didn't look very inviting , and
at first glance , the only interest were the Coots , with each adult seemingly in charge of half the family each , some able to dive for themselves , but all willing to beg from the adult for an easy meal . But , I was sure that I could hear other calls behind the calls of the juvenile Coots . It took two laps of the lake before I pinned down where the other calls were coming from , and finally 
located the nest of the Little Grebe , which I had been looking for since the pair 'went into hiding' . Just an adult was seen at first , but then a movement behind that adult revealed the 
probable source of the calls . After a while , the adult moved off the nest to reveal three little balls
of fluff . I noticed that the adult was now diving for food , so moved the camera and tripod into a position to view the open water side of the Bullrushes , and the first return of the adult brought 
all three youngsters into view . The other adult also started bringing food , and from nowhere , I 
noticed a fourth youngster in the frame . Well , that's got to be it I thought , but no , a short while 
later , the fifth , and final youngster appeared . One thing's for sure , the two adults are going to 
be kept busy .
at first glance , the only interest were the Coots , with each adult seemingly in charge of half the family each , some able to dive for themselves , but all willing to beg from the adult for an easy meal . But , I was sure that I could hear other calls behind the calls of the juvenile Coots . It took two laps of the lake before I pinned down where the other calls were coming from , and finally located the nest of the Little Grebe , which I had been looking for since the pair 'went into hiding' . Just an adult was seen at first , but then a movement behind that adult revealed the probable source of the calls . After a while , the adult moved off the nest to reveal three little balls of fluff . I noticed that the adult was now diving for food , so moved the camera and tripod into a position to view the open water side of the Bullrushes , and the first return of the adult brought all three youngsters into view . The other adult also started bringing food , and from nowhere , I noticed a fourth youngster in the frame . Well , that's got to be it I thought , but no , a short while later , the fifth , and final youngster appeared . One thing's for sure , the two adults are going to be kept busy .Sure now of the family size , I went on a walk around the lake , as much to warm up again as anything . In one of the other reedbeds , this Moorhen was either practicing the high jump or 
catching insects on the reeds . A very brief thinning of the clouds , allowing the warmth of the sun
to be felt , encouraged a Meadow Brown and this male Large Skipper to emerge , but as quickly as the warmth was felt , it was gone again behind another grey veil . A pure white Common 
Spotted Orchid was found on the far bank , and just before leaving the site , this Black-tailed 
Skimmer was probably ruing not having emerged last week , when temperatures were much more favourable , still clasping onto it's exuvia , underneath a Cornus/Dogwood leaf . The exuvia was the outer skin of it's larval period under water , and having emerged from that water , it is pumping fluid into it's abdomen and wings . Hopefully tomorrow's weather will prove better for it's maiden flight .
catching insects on the reeds . A very brief thinning of the clouds , allowing the warmth of the sun to be felt , encouraged a Meadow Brown and this male Large Skipper to emerge , but as quickly as the warmth was felt , it was gone again behind another grey veil . A pure white Common Spotted Orchid was found on the far bank , and just before leaving the site , this Black-tailed Skimmer was probably ruing not having emerged last week , when temperatures were much more favourable , still clasping onto it's exuvia , underneath a Cornus/Dogwood leaf . The exuvia was the outer skin of it's larval period under water , and having emerged from that water , it is pumping fluid into it's abdomen and wings . Hopefully tomorrow's weather will prove better for it's maiden flight . My Warden has asked me to change my workdays up on the Greensand Ridge to Wednesday and Thursday , so I too will be hoping for better weather tomorrow .
chores before going out , I spotted this specimen moving amongst the vegetation as if it was looking for it's breakfast . At the time I suspected a member of the Ichneumons , and this was 
later confirmed as Amblyteles armatorius .
Skipper of the year , and even managed a second shortly afterwards . Mind you it was all downhill from there , with just six species , just 55 butterflies in total being recorded during the two hour transect , and although it wasn't wall to wall sunshine , the results were very poor indeed . On the Orchid Bank , I did get a flash of orange pass me at speed , assisted by a stiff breeze , that could have been the first Silver Washed Fritillary of the year , but I just didn't see enough of it to make a positive identification . The butterfly count was almost out done by the day flying moths seen , with lots of Nemophora degeerella , the small dancing moths found in sunny glades with long antennae , good numbers of Burnet Companion , a Heart and Dart and a Yellow Shell , that were sheltering in the ground vegetation . Once again , attention was drawn to the flower heads of the Ox-eye Daisies , as they seemed to hold some interest ,
like this Chaffer type beetle , as yet unidentified ,
this very colourful spider , also unidentified ,
and this unidentified caterpillar , taking a chance on not becoming breakfast for a passing bird .
Back in the woodland , this juvenile Speckled Bush Cricket posed nicely , and a bit further along 
the track towards Burnt Gorse , the Violet Helleborine/Epipactis purpurata is showing again this year , together with two other specimens , hopefully they will all flower and set seed later .
From what I have read , the Harlequin Ladybird is having things all it's own way , so it was good to see things might not be as they seem . Most of the White Helleborines have gone over now , as have the few Fly Orchids that showed on the Orchid Bank , but the Broad-leaved Helleborines , 
with their characteristic nodding flower head , are waiting their turn to show off .
have re-used their old nest site from last year , under the missing slates on the roof , and also that they have raised a brood , returning with bills full of food . Meanwhile , under the eaves , the 
House Martins were working hard to keep their growing youngsters happy , one of whom can just be seen above the adult's head .
plant , taken on that visit , the Deptford Pink/Dianthus armeria . After two hours plus of searching , the plant was not found , probably too early , so I will try again later in the month . The visit did produce some nice plants though , 
Common Poppy/Papaverer rhoeas ,
Bugloss/Lycopsis arvensis , not to be confused with Viper's Bugloss , though both members of the Borage family ,
Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea/Lathyrus latifolius ,
Bladder Campion/Silene vulgaris , another member of the Pink family ,
Scarlet Pimpernel/Anagallis arvensis , surprisingly , a member of the Primrose family , but no sign of the target species .
edge , where the Bramble was in full flower , and many Large Skippers , like this female , were making the most of it .What worries me though , is what will happen to the late emerging species if all the Bramble is gone over . Reaching the Orchid Bank , which could be called the 'non Orchid
Bank' following the visit , the target species soon came into view . All the specimens that I saw , like the one pictured were males , but a couple told me that they had seen a mating pair . I thought that this specimen might have been a female , but , when it flew , it proved to be a male
too . At the top of the bank is a stand of Greater Knapweed , and in all honesty , it should have a
'golden M' spanning it , as it was the fast food restaurant that all the males were stopping at .
, Henbane/Hyoscyamus niger , a member of the Nightshade family , that did not appear last year . Those flowers will become capsules , similar to Deadly Nightshade .
specimens of Lizard Orchid/Himantoglossum hircinum did help things , but with the current weather conditions , they were 'weedy' specimens compared to other years , but better than last , when I don't believe any showed . Along the Darenth , Odonata were also in short supply , but 
after photographing this Figwort flower , the battery gave out , and guess who had had another senior moment and not recharged the other one ?
when I got home , noticed the small moth also on the flower , will the man be able to make this
one ? Plenty of Burnet Companions and a couple of Lace Border (pictured) were also seen .
male and female Stonechat ,
Tree Pipit , singing his heart out ,
and still singing as he parachutes back down ,
a few Linnets were found , including this male ,
the only raptor found all day was this Kestrel , whilst hoping to find a Cuckoo on the wires ,
male and female Common Redstart ,
a juvenile Common Redstart , part of 3/4 family groups seen ,
but several male Emperor Dragonflies recorded , and a female ovipositing , 
female Broad-bodied Chaser ovipositing , and just one Four Spotted Chaser recorded .
but I will be interested in the second , as I think I have found this species before , but never been 
able to identify it .
