Lade - cool, dry and sunny, SW 2 - A gorgeous spring morning to be out and about around the local patch where two Common Sandpipers flying around the margins of south lake were new in, calling frantically on bowed wings and habitually bobbing when landing. Yet again the ponds were alive with warbler song as Reed, Sedge and Cetti`s Warblers, Lesser and Common Whitethroats progressed through their various breeding cycles. From the willow swamp Cuckoo, Blackcap and Chiffchaff song also added to the early morning chorus as a party of 30 Swifts and 20 Swallows hawked flying insects rising off the canopy. An afternoon visit taking in the Kerton Road pit and the Desert across to Mockmill yielded little extra apart from three Whimbrels and eight Curlews. The only other news today concerned a Purple Heron flushed from Long Pits that was seen to fly over towards the reserve (per MC, OL).
As the sun warmed up the garden Painted Lady butterflies moved in to feed on the wall flowers and bask in the suntraps following their long journey from the south, some of them looking worn and worse for wear. A large influx of migrant Painted Ladies has been reported across southern coastal counties these past few days moving up through the continent from their breeding grounds in North Africa, and a most welcome sight they are too.
Hi Paul we could be not believe are eyes, yesterday (wed) at Scotney, a Clouded Yellow, seams very early
ReplyDeletere. Painted Ladies invasion, certainly not the case here on Sheppey, in fact there are still very few butterflies being seen.
ReplyDeleteHi Ken, there have been others reported along the south coast recently, still unusual this early on though. I`m sure the Painted Ladies will eventually reach Sheppey, Derek.
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