Sunday 24th. July 2011

Well , despite Phil giving it 'the kiss of death' and Warren 'putting the mockers on it' , the visit from Butterfly Conservation , Kent Branch , took place this morning at High Elms . Mind you , an hour before the start , the sky was grey and a stiff NW wind was blowing , not ideal butterfly weather . By the time I arrived at the car park , the cloud had started to break up , and by start time , 25 members were ready for the two target species , Silver-washed Fritillary and White-letter Hairstreak . By the time we reached Burnt Gorse , there was more blue sky than grey cloud , and from there on , it was sunshine all the way . The first target species was found , with a few fly by specimens , and not long after , the first White-letter Hairstreak was found , but not everyone got a sighting of the individual . We picked up several more species , before moving on to the glade that I visited on Friday . Thankfully , the Canadian Golden Rod produced a single WLH , then two more were found on another stand of the plant . Everyone got a chance to get photos , and to make things even better , a mating pair of SWFs were found . They flew around for a while , then came to rest at about 3 mtrs up in a shrub . I managed to bend the branch down , giving head high photo opportunities . Eventually the pair flew off , alighting this time on the Canadian Golden Rod , which gave me a chance to get a shot . We visited several other glades , finishing up at the SWF's favourite ovipositing area , where the group witnessed the female ovipositing on the tree trunk , and finding several eggs after she had moved on .

After lunch , we had a walk around the Conservation fields on the other side of the road and managed to add a couple of species to the day's list . Also found was a very pristine female Rosell's Bush Cricket , identified as such by the pale margin to the side-flap of the pronotum and the large ovipositor , obscured by her leg .

We finished the visit back at the car park , and although Sm.Tortoiseshell , White Admiral and Marbled White were missing from the list , we still managed 22 species . Apart from those mentioned , a second brood Dingy Skipper on Burnt Gorse and several mating pairs of Gatekeeper were the highlights .

Saturday 23rd. July 2011

Well , as I pulled out this morning in glorious sunshine , I thought my last minute decision to head for Ashdown Forest was a good one . But , there again , you can't win them all . As I crossed the Greensand Ridge , the cloud cover increased , and by the time I reached my destination , it was fleece weather , with very little sign of the sun , and once again a strong breeze . Usually , on opening the car door at Old Lodge Reserve car park , some bird song is heard , but it wasn't like that today .The odd Chaffinch , a distant Gt.Spotted Woodpecker and the occasional corvid was all that I had heard by the time I reached the viewpoint above the small stream . Although it was still cool , I also looked at the small ponds on the way , hopefully for Odonata , and found none .

Then it would have to be Golden-ringed Dragonfly along the small stream I thought to myself . But the small stream was also like a graveyard , apart from a couple of Large Skippers . A female Stonechat showed at distance and a Common Whitethroat called and showed a bit closer , but nothing better . The small stream looked and sounded the part , but nothing was on the wing over it , was I too late ? Then , some four metres out from the bank , and totally inaccessible , I spotted an emerging dragonfly , still clinging to it's exuvia . It's size and green eyes said it had to be a Golden-ringed I set up the tripod and took the first of several shots . The cool conditions , with just the occassional sunny spell seemed to slow the process down considerably . I couldn't leave the tripod and go looking elsewhere as I did with the Black-tailed Skimmer last year , so could only hang around , taking a shot every now and again . The abdomen lengthened and the markings started to show , and the abdomen was fully inflated , but no movement on opening those wings . I left it to do things in it's own time , and on heading back to the bridge , found a second species that I had hoped to come across , the Black Darter , but this proved to be the only one found today . A single Common Darter was the only other Odonata seen today . Close to the car park , I found a reminder of what today's weather felt like , in the form of Amanita rubescens / The Blusher . I must admit , I was pleased to get out of the wind , having found nothing else on my way back .

Another decision on the way back home , worked out better , with a stop at Bough Beech Reservoir , but I feared the worst at the time , as I was the only person there on the causeway . A quick scan around didn't produce much more than a couple of Green Sandpipers , way over the other side of the North Lake and several noisy Common Terns , arguing over the fishing rights . Then a movement down by the waters edge of the North Lake , turned out to be a Little Ringed Plover , looking absolutely tiny against a Black-headed Gull , which it was seeing out of the parish . A bit later on , I found another , looking as if it was on a nest , but later again , found it in the same pose out in the open , and just after taking this shot , saw a juvenile appear from under the adult and head off to feed along the waters edge , so I guess that solves the 'nesting' shot . As I was packing everything to head home again , I heard and saw the two adults fly over the causeway and onto the edge of the main reservoir , where they both had a wash and brush up , once again looking tiny , this time alongside a Greylag Goose , before flying back over the causeway to the North Lake and their offspring . Just one other bird of interest was this Common Sandpiper , which flew in and started feeding immediately .

I didn't feel so bad when I got home , and Carol told me that it was very similar weather here . Hope it's better for tomorrow .

Friday 22nd. July 2011

Better weather wise this morning , but there was still a strong breeze blowing . I think it will be the most remembered part of the weather this year . Anyway , I was out early to make the most of the sunshine , deciding to check out High Elms before Kent Butterfly Conservation turn up for their visit on Sunday . I did make a quick stop at the Farm lake , but there wasn't much new there , apart from one of the Mallard ducklings missing , with just four left . Two laps around the lake produced little apart from 3 Common Blue butterflies , a male and female pictured warming up in the sun . Three Gatekeeper and a single faded Ringlet were the only other species recorded .

Moving on , I hoped that High Elms would be more productive , but my main concern were the Silver-washed Fritillaries which are the main target on Sunday and if Whiteletter Hairstreak were to put in an appearance , I would be well pleased . Being earlier than usual , the glades on the way to Burnt Gorse were only just starting to be bathed in sunlight and the Buddleia bushes were the same , but several Red Admirals were swooping down from the already sunlight trees to nectar quickly before returning upwards again . I breathed a sigh of relief when I reached Burnt Gorse and found a few SWFs . The males have lost the vibrant colour of emergence , but understandable given that they have been on the wing for 4 weeks now . The females , having emerged duller than the males , are showing wing damage too , and this one unusually showing a greenish aberration on the hindwings . A couple of plants have come into flower since my last visit , one being Ploughman's Spikenard/Inula conyza , a member of the Daisy family , and the other Red Bartsia/Odontites verna , a semi-parasitic , and a member of the Figwort family . Whilst happy with the SWFs , even though they are in much fewer number this year , I couldn't find any sign of the White-letter Hairstreaks , even though their favourite nectar source , the Hemp Agrimony flowers have started to open in the area of the Orchid Bank . Whilst searching , a large hawker sized dragonfly caught my eye , but disappeared a couple of times without me seeing where it settled . Third time lucky , I saw it settle in a small bush some way off . I slowly approached it , and was able to identify it as an immature male Southern Hawker . I took one more step closer after taking that shot , and you can guess the outcome . With clouds starting to win , I headed for the glade down near where the large stand of Bird's-nest Orchids were earlier in the year . Straight away I found three more SWFs , two of them in courting mode , but unfortunately disappeared over the trees to court in private . A male Brown Hawker was patrolling the glade , but I never found where he settled when he disappeared from view , but I did find at least 5 White-letter Hairstreaks , all of them nectaring on Canadian Golden-Rod/Solidago canadensis , as it's name implies , an introduced species . It must be good stuff , as they didn't seem interested in any other flowers . I just hope they stay in the glade , at least until Sunday . I started heading back to the car , and on the way found some Broad-leaved Helleborines/Epipactis helleborine , a member of the Orchid family ,almost in full flower . Which reminds me , I must get up and have a look at the ones up on the Common . I purposely retraced my steps past the Buddleia bushes to the car park , and was pleased that I did , as by now the sun , when out , was streaming into the glades , and several species were competing for the best blooms :Silver-washed Fritillary and Red Admiral ,Red Admiral and Peacock , 2 very smart Red Admirals .Peacock and male and female SWFs .

Nothing else I can do now , just keep everything crossed for Sunday .

Wednesday 20th. July 2011

The Dormouse and Reptile survey up on the Greensand Ridge was once again conducted in overcast conditions , with the vegetation still wet from overnight rain , meaning once again , a soaking from the waist down . It was also done in record time hing both sites before lunch , made possible by the Warden and myself being able to open boxes as we are both licenced handlers . Nothing was overlooked , but the Warden is on leave from tomorrow , so had a list of last minute jobs that we had to do in the afternoon . The pictures are poor because of the conditions and using my old camera , but the highlights of the survey were ,

4 Dormice found , 2 on each site , one female and three males . Three were active , but this male was in a torpid state , probably because of the cool conditions , but at least it meant it was possible to get a few shots in the hand . This large Grass Snake was also sleepy , waiting a good time before moving off .A total of 15 Slow Worms on the two sites , topped by this specimen that was at least 30cms. in length .Another large specimen was this female Adder , laying out on a corrugated tin refugia that measures approx 60 cms. square .When the Adder moved off , another large Grass Snake was found under the tin with a smaller one , bringing the total species count to 9 on all sites .

Last job of the day was to deliver the Land Rover to a garage to have a new winch fitted whilst the Warden is off . I followed him to give a lift back . The garage was very close to a site that Steve/Kingsdowner sent me details of , as the roadside verge contained a plant that I haven't found for 10/15 years . A shame to miss the opportunity , so whilst the Warden sat in the car , I had a look around , just as it started to rain . Anyway , I soon found what I was looking for , the wonderfully named Sneezewort/Achillea ptarmica , a relation of Yarrow and a member of the Daisy family . Also found was Betony/Betonica officinalis , a member of the Labiate family . I could have spent a couple of hours looking around , but the rain was getting harder and the Warden was waiting in the car .

And finally , a moth that landed on me today that I hope is a Rosy Footman .

Tuesday 19th. July 2011

Firstly , many thanks to Dean/DDD , for identifying the moth on the last post as Shaded Broad-bar .

What with the recent weather and helping getting ready and clearing up after the Kent Show at Detling , I haven't got out for a while now . I thought I wouldn't today , but finishing early unexpectedly , I managed an hour or so look around Spring Park Pond . It was quite sunny on arrival , but cloud started to roll in , giving just brief sunny spells . Walking towards the pond , I could see that there was a lot of butterfly activity in an area of Creeping Thistle , so rather than go looking , I waited for the species to come to me , as I got into the middle of the Thistle patch . Looking around , it was evident that the patch was so busy because of very little flower on the Brambles now and very few other sources of nectar . To show how busy the patch was , I recorded 10 species of butterfly in the first ten minutes .

At least 7 Red Admirals were recorded , several of them large specimens which looked like females , and this one definitely was , as I watched her fly to and from a patch of Common Nettle and resting in between visits . I watched which leaf she visited , then went over and checked it . There on the top of the leaf was a fresh egg , just a single as is normal with this species . An unexpected visitor , as I have only recorded the species once here before , were two male Silver-washed Fritillaries . Other species recorded were , 9 Peacock , 3 Comma , 3 Small Tortoiseshell , 3 Small Skipper , 13 Large White - pictured , 2 Large Skipper , 2 Speckled Wood , 27 Meadow Brown , 8 Small White , 2 Purple Hairstreak - including an ovipositing female , 1 Green-veined White and 2 Small Copper - pictured .

Other species photographed were ,

Brown Argus , sex unknown , as it refused to open it's wings ,whilst this female of the same species did so , a single Essex Skipper , with black undersides to it's antennae ,

several female Gatekeepers , larger than the males ,including this already worn one , with white aberrations on the hindwings ,

and one of three Holly Blues recorded .

In total , 18 species recorded as the sun gave way to clouds .

Also feeding on the Creeping Thistle were several species of hoverflies , including this Volucella zonaria . This one was bigger than the many bumblebees that were also nectaring .

I did eventually get to the pond to look for Odonata , but as with many of the previous visits , very little was found . A few Azure and Common Damselflies , both species ovipositing , and just two Common Darters was as good as it got .

Of interest , there are still lots of tadpoles in the pond , still to show any leg growth . I would have expected them to be out of the water as froglets/toadlets well before now .

Tomorrow , Dormouse and Reptile survey day up on the Greensand Ridge .