Friday 13th. June 2014

On Wednesday , a walk around Hutchinsons Bank and across the road at Chapel Bank produced my first Ringlet of the year , but out of Kent , and several Cinnabar Moths . Always on the move and

closing wings as soon as they did land , they led me a merry dance for a while . But before I ran out

of steam , managed to get a few open wing shots of one specimen . Only other thing different to get in the viewfinder was another hoverfly first for me , Xanthogramma pedissequum , try saying that

coming out of the pub .
Yesterday , Martin and I had an away day , with our first stop at Fairmile Common , not far from Junct.10 of the M25 . We arrived about 0900 , and in the warm sunshine , our target was already on the wing , Silver-studded Blue , though numbers were small as they have only just started emerging .

once warmed up , the males got down to scrapping amongst themselves and frantically searching for

a mate , of which only two were seen . As with several of the Blues , the female being brown , but the

female does show off her 'silver studs' on the back of the hindwing , better than the male does . Aloso like some other Blues , this butterfly has a very close relationship with black ants , the ants attend the larvae and in return receive sugar rich secretions . Martin found a freshly emerged male still being

attended by two of these black ants .
From there , we headed down the A3 to one of my favourite sites , Thursley Common , a site that was once the holy grail of Odonata . I'm afraid that isn't the case now , as after two and a half hours

searching the site , 10/15 Four-spotted Chaser , 2 Keeled Skimmer , male pictured , and a few Large Red , Azure and Common Blue Damselflies was all the Odonata that was found. Because of the lack of dragonflies , our Hobby sighting was restricted to just one that appeared to be over flying . But it

wasn't all doom and gloom on the way around , with several sightings of a male Cuckoo , interestingly , in the same area where I photographer the Great Grey Shrike a couple of years ago . A

female Kestrel also afforded good views as she passed by but no replacement for the lack of Hobbies , and Common Crossbill were heard more than seen in the very tops of some tall Pines . Best sighting for me was the cousin of the Green Tiger Beetle from the last post , the Wood Tiger Beetle /

Cicindela sylvatica , a species seen in books , but a first for real for me . I also tried to photograph Digger Wasps along the sandy tracks , but having warmed up , I found it an impossibility . Only just edged out for best find was this female Raft Spider / Dolomedes fimbriatus , found in the ditch

alongside the main boardwalk . Including legs , she was about 3.5-4 cms  , suspended on the surface tension . They can fully submerge themselves to hide from predators or to ambush prey . The Early

Marsh Orchids were past their best , but a 2/3 white specimens were an unusual find . Just starting to

flower was the Bog Aspodel /Narthecium ossifragum . We decided to make one last visit , to Botany Bay / Oaken Wood to try for Wood White butterfly . Cutting cross country , we arrived in no time , having the whole parking area to ourselves ! heading down the track to the bridge and on to the triangle , just Brimstone and Speckled Wood were seen . Beyond the triangle , a Wood White was seen , but stubbornly refused to stop for anything more than a second to nectar , before heading further down the track towards Oaken Wood . We saw 2/3 specimens , but never managed a shot . Large Skipper and Small Tortoiseshell were added , but that was about it . By now the easy availability of parking became obvious . The only shot taken on an hour and a half visit was this worn

Brimstone on one of my favourite plants , Orange Hawkweed / Pilosella aurantiacum .
With a change in the weather for the weekend , today I did the High Elms butterfly transect . More butterflies , 86 , but 58 of those were newly emerged Meadow Brown , and one species less with 8.

 That did though include my first 'Kent' Ringlet of the year , pictured , and 4 Red Admiral , including two egg laying females . This specimen was very interested in two small Stinging Nettles at a gap in

the bridlepath , settling three times . When she moved on I found her three eggs , one pictured . Only

other interest found , a Speckled Bush-cricket / Leptophyes punctatissima .nectaring on Dog Rose .

Wednesday 11th. June 2014

A catch up in pictures of a few recent visits ,

a quick trip to Hutchinsons Bank in a brief spell of sunshine , produced this female Small Blue , intently laying what could be a second brood later in the year . When she moved on , I found her

work , tucked amongst the unopened flower heads of the larval foodplant , Kidney Vetch .

I spotted this female Large Skipper , resting between laying her eggs . When ready , she flew to a grassy area , and although missing the actual laying , kept sight of the blade that she was using . Once

again , the egg was found on the underside after she had moved on .

In the garden , the Mullein Moth caterpillars are demolishing Carol's Verbascum flowers , before disappearing to pupate underground , where it could remain for up to five years before emerging as an adult moth , and an insect that I usually find around Bramble

flowers , and which has gone through a couple of name changes over recent years , Strangalia -Rutpela -Leptura maculata .

A look on the Common when passing , produced what seemed to be a mass emergence of Green Lacewing / Chrysopa septempunctata , and several fresh looking Green Tiger Beetle / Cicindela

campestris .

A morning visit to Sevenoaks Reserve found the Gt.Crested Grebe pair from Willow Hide , showing off their two new arrivals on the female's back , but always at distance . No such problem with the

Egyptian Geese , who brought their 8/9 well grown youngsters right up in front of the hide . Not to be outdone , the resident Mute Swan pair , after being very shy over the back of the lake , paddled

around the left hand island and did the same , the three youngsters in line astern formation as

they passed by . I got an even closer view , when as leaving the hide , found the family waddling down the path behind the door , before re-entering the water in the small pond where the pond

dipping takes place . Down at the small meadow alongside Long Lake , a very fresh Common

 

Darter , my first of the season , and close to the waters edge , a juvenile Grass Snake .

Saturday 7th. June 2014

Thursday morning , I made a visit to Sevenoaks Reserve , hoping to find and photograph Odonata , heading straight for the small meadow alongside Long Lake . In the vegetation along the way , a few bits of interest were found including ,

the first of the large hoverflies found this year , Volucella pellucens ,

a pair of mating Harlequin Ladybirds ,

a Potters or Masonry Wasp / Ancistrocerus gazelle or A.parietum ,

and this strange fly with tucked under abdomen , Sicus ferrugineus .
The small meadow proved again , disappointing for Odonata , with just a few damselflies to be found , but the still singing , but not seen Garden Warbler was well worth while . On the way back I

looked in the fishermens swims along Long Lake , finding a male Banded Demoiselle , displaying to passing females , and a bit further on , another opportunity , after best part of an hour trying , to get

Downy Emerald in flight . Around at Tyler Hide , the islands were very quiet , but a Little Ringed Plover was flitting between islands , then landing on the waters edge out from the hide , but a long way off . Slowly it worked it's way towards the hide and I took shots as it did so . Still some distance

away it flew back to the islands , this being the last shot before it did so . On the way to Sutton Hide ,

a nice show of Biting Stonecrop / Sedum acre . Slingsby Hide produced a few Reed Warblers moving amongst the Phragmites , and a single male Reed Bunting defending his tree against all-comers . On

the way to the car , I stopped near the viewpoint to get a shot of the pair of Egyptian Geese with their 5 youngsters . I then spent the afternoon up on the Downs , looking for butterflies and Orchids . I

must admit , the latter were easier to find than the former , with Fragrant Orchid in their thousands . It really was a matter of watching every step taken , and Pyramidal Orchid look like they are going to

have a good year too . The most pleasing find though was 21 Bee Orchids in four groups , all on the

same South facing slope . AS I stated before , it was a different story with butterflies , as , although 12 species were recorded , numbers were very low , with just 65 being recorded . Taking 29 Common Blue and 6 Brimstone off the total , it shows how bad things were , in perfect conditions . There were

some high spots , like a very worn female Painted Lady I found nectaring non-stop on Dogwood , my

first Meadow Brown of the year , one of four recorded and my first , Kent , Large Skipper of the

year , one of four recorded . Just before getting back to the car , I came across some horses , Cobs I

think , in a field . Three of them had youngsters with them .
Yesterday I did the High Elms butterfly transect , prior to the forecasted heavy rain today . My fears re. butterfly numbers were enhance when , by the time I crossed the lane from the Conservation fields , only 4 specimens were in the book . The fenced off Conservation field did not produce a

single specimen . Only highlight was a female Broad-bodied Chaser , found on Bramble around the edge . The walk to Burnt Gorse was almost barren of butterflies , as was the top under the power

lines . The only excitement came at the far end , when I found another Painted Lady , Small Tortoiseshell , 2 Peacock and a fresh female Speckled Wood , all nectaring on Bramble flower . In total 32 butterflies from 9 species were recorded , and that total consisted mainly of 12 Common Blue and 8 Speckled Wood . The frightening thing is that in a couple of weeks time it will be Mid Summer . I did find two more Bee Orchids on the way round , bringing the total to 10 on site . On the vegetation along the way back to the car though the golf course , I found another variant of the

Harlequin Ladybird . And finally , whilst we were having breakfast this morning , we noticed this

Wood Mouse having his , clearing up under the feeders , taken through double glazing .