Common Blues

Lade - Saturday - Humid, dry, cloudy, e 2 - Yesterday was perfect weather conditions for carrying out a butterfly transect, being muggy with light airs and milky sunshine poking through from time to time. The walk along the old railway line track from the quarry to the aerial mound (about 800yds) delivered 52 Common Blues on the wing, plus 12 Small Heaths and two Painted Ladies. I couldn't resist a few more close up pics of an exquisite Bee Orchid. 

                                Common Blues, Lade

                                Bee Orchid, Lade

Sunday - warm, cloudy, rain, sw 2  - A fresher feel to the weather this morning with the wind swinging round to the south-west and rain on the way. However, there was a decent catch of 21 species of macro moths in the garden trap, but only Buff-tip new for the year.
  A circuit of the site revealed little of note apart from Reed and Cetti`s Warbler chicks out of the nest, plus a 1st summer Little Gull hawking insects over north lake amongst a flock of Black-headed Gulls, plus a few Swifts and House Martins. Along the foreshore 15 Curlews and 25 Oystercatchers were present, while a trickle of Sandwich Terns and Med Gulls passed overhead.
  I haven't quite worked out what`s been predating the waterfowl hereabouts as very few ducklings, cootlets and the like have fledged; the Great Crested Grebes pictured below the exception. Mink have not been seen here for many years, so I don't think they`re the culprits. It may be weather related of course, what with the recent cold periods and some of the torrential downpours flooding nests. Maybe repeat broods will be more successful.
  All the `No Fishing` signs erected by RSPB have now gone missing and several fisherman were in the usual swims around the lakes and in the willow swamp.

                                1st summer Little Gull, Lade north

                                Great Crested Grebe family, Lade south

Orchids and House Martins

Lade - cool, cloudy start, warmer later, ne 2 - Early summer on the local patch is often of interest for a wide range of flora and fauna with birds taking a bit of a back seat, what with flower season now in full swing. I managed to locate Common Spotted, Pyramidal, Bee and Southern Marsh Orchids around the site, although the latter were nowhere near as numerous as in previous years.
  A couple of Grass Snakes were noted by the ponds and everywhere around the willow swamp came the sound of carp thrashing in the shallows, spawning. Up by the swing bridge I counted over 30 monster 20lb plus fish pass through the channel and numerous smaller specimens.
  As the sun broke through a few Painted Ladies, Common Blues and Small Heaths took wing, while by the ponds Common and Blue-tailed Damselflies had emerged along with Four-spotted Chasers, Black-tailed Skimmers and our first Emperor of the summer. 

                                Common Whitethroat

                                Painted Lady on Valerian

                                Spawning carp

                                Reed Warbler

                                           Bee,  Pyramidal and Spotted Orchids

On the breeding bird front it was good to see first broods of fledged Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers out and about, while Reed Warblers were singing from every available clump of reeds. Cuckoos were also going like the clappers and I noticed at least two females flopping around in the reeds, presumably seeking out suitable nests for egg-laying. Large gangs of Jackdaws were active in the willow swamp making a right old racket as the juveniles begged for food, and I watched an adult swoop down over the lake and snatch a Coot chick off the water, a behaviour that was new to me. Whilst on the subject of Jackdaws, they were also in the garden today working the fir trees and laying waste to the Collared Dove nests.
  The garden moth trap was much reduced in numbers due to a fresh north-easterly coming off the sea last night, but did included Willow Beauty and Spectacle new for the year.
Burrowes - A brief call in the bird reserve yielded the usual fare on Burrowes including a pair of Wigeon, Pintail and Teal amongst the eclipse ducks, plus Cuckoo.

                                Common Whitethroat, Burrowes

Lydd Allotment - This afternoon at the allotment I got distracted by a group of House Martins collecting mud from puddles for nest material. They took absolutely no notice of me and Barney as we (or rather I!) toiled away nearby. The adjacent newish housing estate is home to a small colony of these fabulous little hirundines which sadly, in common with many of our summer migrants, seem to be in steady decline and are now Amber listed.

                                House Martins, Lydd Allotment

Cuckoos and Moths

Lade - humid, sunny, light airs - Following last nights thunder, lightening and torrential downpour it was no surprise to find the local patch soaking wet first thing this morning, although as the strong sunshine broke through it quickly dried up. Painted Ladies, Small Heaths and Common Blues were soon on the wing along the old railway line track amongst a fine show of wild flowers. On south lake Pochard numbers have risen to 75, nearly all drakes.

                                 Painted Lady on Viper`s Bugloss, Lade

  We walked Mockmill where Sedge Warblers, Common Whitethroats and a pair of Stonechat were busily feeding young. All of a sudden Cuckoos have become easier to see hereabouts and I reckon last weekend there was a late arrival of birds, as also confirmed by CP out at St Mary-in-the-Marsh, so perhaps my previous gloomy posts about this charismatic migrant are unfounded, at least locally.
  Despite the rain there was plenty of interest in the garden moth trap with Red-green Carpet and Cream-spot Tiger both new for the year, amongst 23 species of macros. We then moved to the Kerton Road Café to assist in emptying the traps where another 10 species were noted, including a very smart Broom Moth, a species I rarely get at Plovers only half a mile down the road.

                                Cream-spot Tiger and Small Elephant Hawk-moth, Plovers

  At the café they`ve been having `trouble` with a pair of breeding Stonechats that perceive their reflections in car wing mirrors to be others of their kin muscling in on their territory. As a result the wing mirrors are now shrouded in plastic when parked up to prevent the stroppy little chats injuring themselves.
  On a falling tide this afternoon two late Grey Plovers were the best of a meagre bunch of five species of waders, also several Sandwich Terns and Shelducks.

                                Sea Kale, Lade

An 80 species day

Dungeness RSPB - 0900hrs - humid, sunny, light airs - Spent the day guiding for John, Neville and John from Sussex, Berks and Hants. We concentrated on flowering plants and birds, with a dash of history thrown in, and as it was the groups` first visit to Dungeness they were amazed at the wide variety of both disciplines on offer. Botanically the site is probably at its peak about now, while we also noted several species of dragonflies, Painted Ladies and Marsh Frogs.
  Around the circular route, due to the lack of wind, we had cracking views of many passerines including Sedge and Reed Warblers, Common Whitethroats, Linnets, Bearded Tits, Reed Buntings and Tree Sparrow, plus Marsh Harriers, Hobby and Raven. On Dengemarsh it was good to see the Common Terns had reclaimed one of the tern rafts. On Burrowes the dreaded Iceland Gull hybrid was in front of Makepeace hide, while a drake Pintail was the surprise duck amongst a host of eclipse birds including Teal and Wigeon.

                                Common Terns, Dengemarsh

                                 Sedge Warbler, Return Trail
                           
Scotney - In muggy conditions the farm turned up trumps for the guests with stunning views of Little Owl, Yellow Wagtails, Corn Buntings and a Mediterranean Gull. Also noted Avocets and Black-headed Gulls with chicks, Skylarks, Reed Warblers, Marsh Harrier and Little Egret.

                                Little Owl, Scotney

                                2nd summer Mediterranean Gull, Scotney

Dungeness - We finished off at the point plant hunting and a brief seawatch from the concrete road where a trickle of Sandwich Terns, Gannets and a Kittiwake were  noted. It was also good to see a Meadow Pipit with fledged young.
  A fine day in the field, in great company, during which time we rattled up 80 species of birds with plenty of quality for the guests to saviour.

American Golden Plover

Lade - warm, dry and sunny, ne 2 - At long last, a muggy evening perfect for mothing and the conditions duly delivered with 21 species of macros in the trap including a spectacular Puss Moth and White Spot, a Dungeness speciality. Also in the trap at least 30 Diamond-backed Moths.
  On the lakes an influx of 15 post breeding Pochards followed on from yesterdays birds elsewhere. It was good to here and see several Cuckoo around the willow swamp.

                                Puss Moth

                                White Spot

Rye Harbour - I`m a sucker for a good wader and being as Rye is within my greater Romney Marsh patch I could not resist the lure of an American Golden Plover on the Flat Beach opposite the red- roofed tin shack. And what a stunning bird it was too, an adult male in full breeding plumage, but just a little distant for any reasonable pics, what with the heat haze and all. Apparently, this is the 46th species of wader to be recorded at Rye, the finest wader site on the south coast.
  Also noted up to 10 Little Terns, plenty of Sandwich Terns and a few Med Gulls over calling and the usual host of shorebirds with recently fledged chicks.

                                American Golden Plover, Rye Harbour

Montagu`s Harrier

Scotney - 0800hrs - warm, overcast, sw 2 - A wander out back in increasingly muggy weather conditions produced all the usual farmland birds including Corn Buntings, Yellow Wagtails, Skylark, Little Owl, Common Buzzard and Marsh Harrier. A ringtail Montagu`s Harrier flew from the Army ranges, (presumably disturbed by the loud crumps of mortar firing) over our heads and towards Cheyne Court, and was most likely the same bird that`s has been in this area since last month.
  It was good to see Avocets with chicks and a few pairs of Common Terns settled down amongst the Black-headed Gulls on the island. Also around the lake, a Common Sandpiper, Little Egrets, Egyptian Geese and two 1st summer Mediterranean Gulls. Evidence of post breeding dispersal showed in the form of 20 Pochards, 20 Shelducks and a straggle of moulting Lapwings.
  Two Brown Hares showed well in a field of maize.

                                Brown Hares, Scotney

Burrowes - A quick look at Burrowes revealed nothing much apart from the usual wildfowl and a few forlorn looking terns with nowhere to nest.

                               Foxgloves, Lade

Dungeness  - The Patch was very disappointing with only 50 Common Terns over the boil and a few hundred Herring Gulls on the beach, while there was no sign of the hybrid white-winged gull or Roseate Terns. On the plus side a migrant Spotted Flycatcher and Blackcap were in the lighthouse garden, plus a Reed Warbler in the bramble patch on the sea wall, thanks to SO`s sharp eyes. In the humid conditions Small Heaths, Common Blues and three Painted Ladies warmed up amongst the colourful sward of flowers beside the power station wall.

                                Common Blue, Dungeness

ARC/Tower Pits - An afternoon wander down to the pines produced several good views of Cuckoos, Marsh Harriers and Hobbies. Everywhere we went today Diamond-backed Moths were fluttering around in ground cover, there must thousands/millions across the peninsula.

Springwatch 2016

Lade - cool, cloudy, drizzle, n 5 - This past week has been dominated by dreary, cool weather with a strong wind blowing out of the north keeping most land birds deep in cover. The Swifts have put on a fine show over the pits though, and this morning low over the Desert where they seemed to be plundering emerging insects and micro moths (probably Diamond Backs!). Apart from the Swift spectacle its been deadly dull on the birding front with only the `problem` gull at Dungeness, another appearance of the Laughing Gull and a Roseate Tern today to jolly things along.
  Despite the weather the flora on the shingle ridges hereabout looks set to break through with foxgloves shooting up through the long grass and great slashes of prostrate broom everywhere. If only the sun would return, although the forecast is good for Sunday onwards; infact these past couple of days the temperature down here has struggled to get into double figures, which compares to a respectable 14C - last Christmas Day!
Springwatch 2016 - Yep, its back again, on BBC2 for another three week run, and the usual trio have returned to Masai Minsmere again. Each year I say I`m not going to bother watching it, but what with the poor evening weather this week I`ve been lured to the Idiots Lantern like a moth to an MV lamp. The thing is there are some real gems within the Blue Tits and Badgers, but the trouble is you have sit through some right old drivel from the presenters who continue, year on year, to treat us like morons.
  For example, this week Packham was banging on about the pronunciation of Gyr in Gyr Falcon and rattling a tin to put money in, when him and Hughes-Games kept saying it incorrectly - whilst in the company of a falconer, with a Gyr on his fist; I thought any minute now that falcon is going to bate. And then the daft bugger (Hughes-Games) started yarning on about having a race with it on his motor bike; hang on a mo thought I, is this going to degenerate into Top Gear! And then we had light weight Michaela Strachen endlessly whinging on about the cold weather - "put a bloody fleece on then and tell us something interesting".
  I really don't know why I watch it, I`m my own worst enemy, it does my blood pressure no good, I`m like some sad druggy who can`t kick his addiction. But like I say, there is some good stuff in there, and I feel duty bound to pay homage to the unsung heroes of the show; ie the camera men/woman and nest finders who make it a worthy watch in parts.
  On a positive note the Sparrowhawk plucking post camera was entertaining, as the male bird worked his way through most of the passerines on the British list, and who could not fail to be impressed by the intimate shots of the Golden Eagle on its nest, with chick, in Scotlandshire. But its often the pre-recorded snippets that are the best; like the yellow ant colony item, and the large shoal of mullet `bathing` in front of a fresh water sluice in a Sussex river.
  So, come on BBC, let`s have more of the informative stuff please, and less of the dumbed down old cobblers and stupidity from Packham, Strachen and Hughes-Games.