Hummers and ladies

Lade - cool, sunny, ne 2 - 4 - Following a weekend spent contributing to global warming on the highways of England, today we were out and about around the local patch with Barney on Shank`s pony, and most enjoyable it was too before the wind got going. Infact the place looked a real picture what with the broom, foxgloves and bugloss all in full flower. On the wetlands this morning the Cuckoos were still going for it and a Lesser Whitethroat rattled away behind the `mirrors`, while I`m pretty sure that both Chiffchaff and Blackcap are breeding in the willow swamp. Great Crested and Little Grebe juvs are all over the place at the moment along with Coot and Moorhen chicks. Buzzard and Marsh Harrier were both noted hunting the back fields.
As for the garden moths, well, words fail me, 10 species - its early June for goodness sake, what is going on, where have all the moths gone? Answer, clear cool nights and that damn wind blasting in off the North Sea. However, Cypress Carpet was NFY.
On a brighter note though whilst working in the garden this aft a Hummingbird Hawk-moth briefly alighted on the valerian, but by the time I`d run in doors and grabbed the camera it had gone. Along with painted ladies there have been a few about of late and the pic below is one that did not escape the attention of master photographer Dave Featherbe yesterday.
This evening we ventured over the beach, which turned out to be a bad move due to the increasing wind strength, still a couple of Med Gulls and 10 Sandwich Terns was some compensation. However, we ended the day on a bright note by reuniting a couple of wayward Beagles with their owners.

                                Cypress Carpet, Lade

                                Hummingbird Hawk-moth, Dungeness, (by D Featherbe)