Friday 1 June 2018

First Painted Ladies

                               New signage, Lade
                
Lade - warm, dry and sunny, SW 2 - With the wind swinging around to a more familiar southerly vector, and being the first day of summer, so`s to speak, it was no surprise that the first Painted Ladies were in evidence along the old railway line. The much derided garden escape, Red Valerian, is a magnet for migrant Painted Ladies and today was no different as they topped up on nectar after what had probably been a long flight from the continent and beyond. At least 20 were counted along the track along with a similar number of Common Blues and several Small Heaths in the milky sunshine. Also located amongst the herbage were two pristine Bee Orchids and a small clump of Southern Marsh Orchids in a different reedbed location to the usual. Following a recent spate of vandalism the RSPB had erected two replacement interpretive signs at either end of the site.
  In the garden moth trap this morning 20 species including Reed Dagger, Cypress Carpet and Light Emerald new for the year.


                                Common Blues

                                Painted Lady on Valerian


                                                   Bee Orchid, botanical perfection

                                                  Southern Marsh Orchid

Dungeness - Called in at Burrowes around midday where five Curlews, two Whimbrels and a Little Gull were the highlights. A Cream-spot Tiger had laid its eggs on the front window of the Visitor Centre, apparently all 264 of them!
  We also had good views of a Weasel moving her young by the bee hive bend along the access road.

                               Cream-spot Tigers eggs

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