11 Jul 2011
An after work trip with Norm Winterman saw a return to Cliffe in warm, still conditions - there was lots of insect activity and in the next 2 hours we had 40+ Scarce Emerald Damselflies. Here's a male....
Soon however, we located the main prize - 8+ Southern Emerald Damselflies - a recent colonist to the UK.
Male:
Female:
2 Water Voles were a pleasing site, and a smart adult summer Spotted Redshank was on the Black Barn pool - smart trip!!
09 Jul 2011
First family trip for quite a few weeks saw us start at Bluewater with an attempt at the trim trail and a couple od Red-Eyed Damselflies.
Shoreham - a very large female Adder was basking on top of one of the tins - awesome sight!!
A few more hours spent at Dene Park Wood - good to meet James Lowen and his daughter here, but again no Purple Emperors. We did enjoy Purple Hairstreak and 2 Silver Washed Fritillaries amongst the usual species.
New Hythe - with Leigh and Kieran asleep in the car, I ventured down to the SW corner of Abbeymead pit with Owen. We met up with Phil Sharp, a very pleasant local and soon had a Lesser Emperor patrolling up and down in front of us at close range - the blue saddle was obvious at all ranges - superb!
A great trip!
08 Jul 2011
Norm's garden:
Pine Hawk Moth
07 Jul 2011
Norm's Garden:
Bordered Sallow (right) and Brown Line Bright Eye:
Knott Grass :
06 Jul 2011
Norm's Garden:
Oak Eggar Dark Sword Grass :
Lesser Spotted Pinion :
Campion :
Elephant Hawk Moth Dingy Footman :
Small Rivulet :
We headed down to Dene Park in the afternoon, but had no luck with Purple Emperor. We did see quite a bit of stuff here though, including 12 Beautiful Demoiselles, Brown Hawker, 2 Southern Hawkers and 6 White Admirals.
White Admiral:
Comma:
Beautiful Demoseille:
This fungus certainly drew our attention! :
Dryhill - a few Broad-Leaved Helleborines were just starting to flower. Again, several hundred plants present at this site.
04 Jul 2011 Norm trapped a Lesser Spotted Pinion ( he traps about 300 yards away from my garden )
03 Jul 2011
Checking the weather forecast saw myself and Simon heading North to the Lake District for the day. We arrived at Honister at 10:45am and immediately headed up the steep track to the plateau.
We couldn't have timed it better - bright sunshine, warm with little wind saw us admiring 15+ Mountain Ringlets bounding across the grassy plateau - a new UK butterfly for me ( after a few failures at this site in years gone by ). They were smaller than I was expecting and had broad, fat abdomens. Here's a selection, including a hand shot that I didn't give any thought to when it was taken......
Once we had our fill it was back down the mountain to the car park and off to Ulpha, a Large Heath site. Today I learnt a valuable lesson - there are 2 Ulphas in the lakes, and guess which one the sat nav took us to? Bollocks!! Eventually we found the right one and walked out to Meathop Moss - it was hot so everything was very active, but we had 30+ Large Heaths, a superb Emperor Moth and several Northern Eggars - nice!
Just a few miles away was Arnside Knott where we ended our trip. Lots of large Fritillaries were flying but proved hard to id as they were so active. We had 30 un ided, 10 Dark Green Frits, 1 High Brown Frits, 2 Small Pearl Bordered Frits, 1 Northern Brown Argus and a Grayling.
The drive home was a bit of a slog, but we arrived home with smiles on our faces!!
Just a few miles away was Arnside Knott where we ended our trip. Lots of large Fritillaries were flying but proved hard to id as they were so active. We had 30 un ided, 10 Dark Green Frits, 1 High Brown Frits, 2 Small Pearl Bordered Frits, 1 Northern Brown Argus and a Grayling.
The drive home was a bit of a slog, but we arrived home with smiles on our faces!!
29 Jun 2011
A superb Striped Hawk Moth was trapped in Dartford overnight in Norm's garden....
26 Jun 2011
A day trip to France with Paul, Trevor and Simon looked superb on paper and the gen also looked good as we heading across the channel on the Eurostar. Searching through the dunes we could not locate the refugia that was supposed to be on site - 6 foot hinged doors set in concrete - we were a bit deflated but did locate a damp area full of tiny Natterjack Toadlets.
A day trip to France with Paul, Trevor and Simon looked superb on paper and the gen also looked good as we heading across the channel on the Eurostar. Searching through the dunes we could not locate the refugia that was supposed to be on site - 6 foot hinged doors set in concrete - we were a bit deflated but did locate a damp area full of tiny Natterjack Toadlets.
After a lot of searching and scant reward we decided to head back early and do a couple of sites in Kent on the way home. Here's Paul having a kip on the train - looks like a state funeral!
First stop was a private site on the East coast of Kent that holds a healthy population of Wall Lizards - we had great views of several basking in the sun. 
Parkgate Down was our last stop and once we got our eye in we had 15+ Musk Orchids on the bank there.
So, despite the lack of some of our targets, a good day with the usual great company and a bit of jam on the way home!
Could have been worse - we could have gone to Scotland.............
19 Jun 2011
After a sleep over a trip was hatched with myself and Andy taking our 2 6 year olds down to Somerset for the day. On arrival Collard Hill was cool and overcast with some rain! - not ideal!! However, we did locate a few Large Blues, a butterfly that became extinct in the UK in the 1970s and now has been reintroduced to several sites in the South-West - it relies on a particular ant to look after it's caterpillars - a strategy that probaly lead to it becoming extint in the first place!!. A few trolli ( Wasp ) orchids also pleased us as did the warm welcome we received from the various wardens on site. A Marbled White showed well on the way back to the car.
Heading back, a quick look at a spot I visited 5 years ago produced a single flower of a bee x fly orchid hybrid still out, though the rest of the plant had gone over.
A whistle stop at Bentley Wood gave us White Admiral and Silver Washed Fritillary, but Purple Emperors had yet to emerge.
However, although it was time to go home, the fun was just beginning!! Andy's car engine light came on, then started flashing, then the engine cut out and we glided to a halt on a country lane! Reading the manual we worked out that if the light flashed then the car must not be accelerated - we crawled home along the A303, M3 and M25 at 50 mph, our eyes fixed on the engine light. Fortunately our 2 sons were knackered so slept the whole way home - result!!!
After a sleep over a trip was hatched with myself and Andy taking our 2 6 year olds down to Somerset for the day. On arrival Collard Hill was cool and overcast with some rain! - not ideal!! However, we did locate a few Large Blues, a butterfly that became extinct in the UK in the 1970s and now has been reintroduced to several sites in the South-West - it relies on a particular ant to look after it's caterpillars - a strategy that probaly lead to it becoming extint in the first place!!. A few trolli ( Wasp ) orchids also pleased us as did the warm welcome we received from the various wardens on site. A Marbled White showed well on the way back to the car.
Heading back, a quick look at a spot I visited 5 years ago produced a single flower of a bee x fly orchid hybrid still out, though the rest of the plant had gone over.
A whistle stop at Bentley Wood gave us White Admiral and Silver Washed Fritillary, but Purple Emperors had yet to emerge.
However, although it was time to go home, the fun was just beginning!! Andy's car engine light came on, then started flashing, then the engine cut out and we glided to a halt on a country lane! Reading the manual we worked out that if the light flashed then the car must not be accelerated - we crawled home along the A303, M3 and M25 at 50 mph, our eyes fixed on the engine light. Fortunately our 2 sons were knackered so slept the whole way home - result!!!
Trolli Bee ( Wasp ) orchid:
Large Blue:
Marbled White:
Bee x Fly Orchid hybrid:
18 Jun 2011
Shoreham area.
Ringlet:
Common Shrew:
11 Jun 2011
Entry road to Dartford Football club.
Bee Orchid:
05 Jun 2011
A family walk in windy and cloudy conditions was conducted at the strategic location of Lullingstone golf course, where I 'luckily' located 6 pristine Dark Green Fritillaries and 3 Lizard Orchids - nice!! At least it felt like a proper summer at last with cool winds and drizzle!!!
Here's a Lizard Orchid flower starting to unfurl...
Later on I visited a local mother to see a few good local species - Rannoch Looper which is currently invading the South-East and the localised Red-Necked Footman.
Rannoch Looper:
Red-Necked Footman:
04 Jun 2011
Another trip to Sheppey to search for Dainty Damselfly - and being the first weekend since James Lowen's Thursday sighting it was going to attract a crowd - 6 of us in total and we all knew each other!!! Again it felt cool with less wind than yesterday and there was more activity - Common Blue Damselfly, Common Bluetail, Red-Eyed Damselfly and Black-Tailed Skimmer kicked things off and as the heat started to rise, there it was.......a male Dainty Damselfly!! Extinct for many years in the UK, it was rediscovered last year at 3 sites on the Isle of Sheppey. I think it could have been overlooked as the ID is quite subtle - these photos illustrate some the features to look for.
Pleased with this it was off into East Kent to search for Late Spider Orchid - we found around 10 in flower but numbers were well down on previous years. I had very good views of the RDB moth Black Veined Moth - a species restricted in the UK to 2 chalkland slopes, both in Kent.
Parkgate Down produced a few resonable Monkey Orchids, but again no Musk Orchids.
The day ended at Yocklett's bank with the highlight being a rather fine specimen of Greater Butterfly Orchid.
A fantastic day!!
03 Jun 2011
The morning was spent unsuccessfully searching for Dainty Damselfly on Sheppey - not helped by the high winds and Owen getting a severe attack of Hay-Fever!!
The evening was spent with a crew looking for Scorpions at the same site as earlier this year - fabulous little critters, especially when they glowed green in the UV light I was using to locate them. One large individual was particularly impressive.
30 May 2011
Monkey Orchids starting to go over at Parkgate Down.
Next was East Blean Woods where the numbers of Heath Fritillaries had increased somewhat since last weekend - I had 80+ around the carpark! Had a good chat with local Dylan - check out his car when you see him next - it's a winner!! ( day-glo orange above, white below - top combination!!).
28 May 2011
2 good moths trapped locally.....
Grey Arches:
Small Angle Shades:
Burnished Brass:
Freyer's Pug:
22 May 2011
A laid back 'Team Hunter' outing started well with 160+ Man Orchids at Preston Hill
, and, despite the very windy conditions at Sevenoaks a few insects seen including Banded Demosielle and a brief Downy Emerald.
Azure Damselfly:
Harlequin Ladybird:
Pleased with this we headed to Holborough Marshes, the only site I know in Kent for Early Marsh Orchid.......
Nearby we located Hairy Dragonfly and Red-Eyed Damselfly on the stream by Brooklands lake.
An early finish today, although I popped out to Greenhithe to see 2 Sanderlings Andy had found earlier - a good local bird and the end of another great weekend!!!
21 May 2011
A morning out in Kent produced quite a few good sightings in glorious sunny weather.
At Dartford I had 29 Man Orchids, then at Stockbury a few Lady Orchids, 3 Bird'sNest Orchids, 2 Man Orchids and 1 Fly Orchid.
After a site recce elsewhere I visited East Blean woods where 8 smart Heath Fritillaries were on the wing in the car park - a very rare butterfly in the UK:
Pleased with this I attempted to twitch a Bluethroat at Oare but had no luck - a Hobby showed very well hawking dragonflies right in front of us.
Home for lunch I picked up Owen and spent the afternoon looking for bugs at Rainham RSPB on a trip lead by Howard Vaughn - we had an excellent time, seeing loads of superb insects. Here's a selection....
Udea Olivalis:
Agapanthia villosoviridescens:
Spindle Ermine ( micro moth ) caterpillar:
Some hatching larva:
Other sightings included Pyrochoa serraticornis, Roschel's Bush Cricket, Dock shield Bug, Horned Treehopper (awesome looking beast!!)
Brilliant!!!
18 May 2011
A few moths trapped in North West Kent:
Alder Kitten:
Alder Moth:
Bird'sWing Moth:
Green Silver Lines:
Satin Lutestring:
15 May 2011
For reasons better known to the instigators, several species of amphibian have been either introduced or reintroduced into the English countryside over the last 100 years or so and today a group of us met up to attempt to see some of them in their new homes.
Here’s the frog paparazzi in action…..
A short drive north and Pool Frog was added to the day list where 9+ were present on a small pond – the males were displaying and battling each other in the centre of the pond.
Midwife Toad was next – what a tiny species!!! but a little cracker!!
This one is sat on my hand!!
The rest of the day was spent on a Norfolk
We did have Great Crested Newt and a recently emerged Four-Spotted Chaser showing very well.
En route home we had a brief detour for 4 Stone Curlews, strutting around on their chosen close cropped heath.
A cracking day out in great company ( and my trusty little diesel kept the fuel costs down )!!
14 May 2011
A bird searching day with Andy, Barry and Gary – hard work, but good fun to get us all together again.
At Cliffe we had 2 stints fly over, that in our heart of hearts were Temminck’s but we didn’t get conclusive views as the birds headed off into Essex .
We headed slowly towards Sheppey seeing 15+ Slow Worms at one site and ending up at Shellness to watch the falling tide – 2 sum plum Sanderlings entertained as did 2 Little Terns and Andy ( Hubble ) scoping distant raptors on the mainland!
We finished up at Elmley with 3 ridiculously distant Spoonbills, 3 much closer drake Garganeys and a knob –end in a helicopter trying to land on the reserve in the Spitend area – the sort of footage that would make ‘Springwatch’ watchable!!.
We also had 4 Black-Necked Grebes at one site during the day.
07 May 2011
A couple of hours spent watching the foreshore at Dartfprd paid off with a few good waders - 5 Grey Plovers ( 3 in sparkling summer plumage ) took the honours, but 5 Greenshanks, 2 Whimbrels and 2 Bar-Tailed Godwits were also good to see so close to home, though I was surprised to have a Green Hairstreak fly past me!
A couple of hours spent watching the foreshore at Dartfprd paid off with a few good waders - 5 Grey Plovers ( 3 in sparkling summer plumage ) took the honours, but 5 Greenshanks, 2 Whimbrels and 2 Bar-Tailed Godwits were also good to see so close to home, though I was surprised to have a Green Hairstreak fly past me!
The late afternoon was spent near Shoreham on the North Downs and in the warm conditions it was not a surprise to see 12 Slow Worms, 1 Common Lizard and 2 Adders. A White Helleborine was in flower and several Man Orchids were located - another pleasing trip at this top site.
02 MAY 2011
An early start saw us checking out the moat at Arundel castle – 2+ Water Voles were located and showed well for the family and a Grey Wagtail zipped through.
Here’s Ratty ( must have had the camera the wrong way round! )
We then spent a few hours at Arundel WWT where another Water Vole was seen from the reedbed boat cruise.
We ended our mini break at Oreham common to find the Water Shrew ditch completely dry!!!
Lots of Nightingales singing here.
01 MAY 2011
A short family break started again at University Way
Onto the woodland around Chiddingfold and the trees were sheltering us from the strong winds. 2 Nightingales were seen singing out in the open, though I had left my digiscoping kit in the car – D’oH!!! Over 20 Wood Whites were flying along the wooded rides and views were very good of this delicate butterfly….
We also saw Red Admiral, Green Veined White, Speckled Wood, Brimstone and Orange Tip. 1 Early Purple Orchid was in full flower.
Brimstone:
Our lunch stop was at a site new to me – Kithurst Hill near Storrington and a little cracker it proved to be!! I spent 2 hours in one meadow enjoying the fantastic variety of butterflies here……
Duke Of Burgundy
Small Blue:
Also seen were Green Hairstreak, Holly Blue, Common Blue, Small Copper, Dingy Skipper and Grizzled Skipper – fantastic!!
Other wildlife was represented by Common Lizard, Early Purple Orchid and Common Twayblade.
Time was marching on so off to Pulborough Brooks where the kids used the Play park and I had a quick look around the reserve trying to avoid the hordes of robin strokers – however it was worth it – Nightingale seen well…
…and at the view point I located 6 Garganeys ( 4 drakes and 2 females ), 2 Wood Sandpipers and a Greenshank.
Time for dinner and a Travelodge!!
30 April 2011
6:20 – 6:35 am, University Way
6:45 – 7:15 am: Rainham Tip car park: 1 Grasshopper Warbler and 40+ Bar-Tailed Godwits were all good to see.
8:15am: After a quick breakfast it was on to Norm’s to have a look through his moth catch from the night before.
Angel Shades:
We then headed to Shoreham to look for day flying moths:
Pyrausta nigrata:
We also had Small Purple Bar, Pyrausta aurata, Burnet Companion, Common Carpet, Adela reaumurella and one of the Treble Bars.
Other wildlife was represented by several Slow worms, 1 Adder, Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Green Hairstreak, Brimstone, Holly Blue, Broad-Bodied Chaser and an in-flower Man Orchid.
Green Hairstreak:
Grizzled Skipper:
En route home a walk around a local wood gave us a Square Spot moth and a very approachable Hairy Dragonfly.
Nice!!
29 April 2011
A walk around Rainham in murky conditions provided the hoped for Bar-Tailed Godwits – 35+ including 32 on the Dartford side of the Thames . 2 Whimgrels flew over and Reed and Grasshopper Warbler were added to the year list.
However, the main highlight today was the flooded field off University Way
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