BLUE BLUE ELECTRIC BLUE

 If I had a favourite butterfly,the Adonis Blue would be up there,when you see a freshly emerged male there is no mistaking it and when the sun catches the wing just right it is definitely electric blue and no mistake.

ADONIS BLUE note the black in the white margin.

COMMON BLUE- a violet blue with no black in the white margin.

CHALKHILL BLUE a very pale blue when seen in flight and larger than the other two.

All three of these can be seen locally at the moment,you may also see another pale blue butterfly in your garden if there is holly or ivy nearby, the HOLLY BLUE is enjoying a comparatively good summer this year.

Further afield Oare Marsh near Faversham is always a good venue at this time of year for a wader or two.

 AVOCETS can be seen all year round now at Oare

 Whereas this diminutive WHITE RUMPED SANPIPER is a vagrant from the American continent.

The last one I saw was in Tierra Del Fuego!

Autumn migration is well underway now and this SPOTTED FLYCATCHER was at Langdon Hole last weekend,and this one was at Temple Ewell in the week.

Temple Ewell was also the spot for these butterfly gems in the week.

 SILVER SPOTTED SKIPPER

 BRIMSTONE

 BROWN ARGUS

SWIFTS are one of the first of our summer visitors to leave our shores,most will be gone by mid August.

LITTLE EGRET at Rest Harrow Scrape Sandwich.

 This rather elegant SPOTTED REDSHANK was also seen at Rest Harrow Scrape.

 PIED FLYCATCHER One of two juveniles seen at Langdon Cliffs yesterday.

 BROWN ARGUS on MARJORAM.

 SHORT EARED OWLS have been seen this weekend at Sandwich Bay.

Finally this GOLDEN PLOVER was also seen there yesterday afternoon.
I  nearly forgot,no I did forget about a close encounter with a young stoat at Dungeness on Friday morning:-

ARNSIDE KNOTT

Last week was spent up north primarily at Arnside on the banks of the River Kent,but first the weekend was spent in Barrow in Furness to see Dovers opening game of this season.They took an early lead but eventually came second losing 2-1.
I had already booked four days in Arnside from the monday before the fixtures came out so Sunday was spent exploring the local area,Walney Island,Grange over Sands,Ulverston,Furness Abbey etc.

FURNESS ABBEY

 PIEL ISLAND from BARROW

BARROW LIFEBOAT.

 THE SOUTH WALNEY LIGHTHOUSE

 PIEL CASTLE FROM WALNEY

 RINGED PLOVER and CHICK-the chick was called to heel and snuggled under the adult for protection.

If you look closely you can just see the chicks legs.
On Monday morning the weather was even worse and en route to Arnside a visit was made to Ambleside in the Lake District,not a pleasant experience in the pouring rain,anyway eventually arrived at Arnside mid afternoon just as it brightened up, so I suggested a quick reccy of the Knott before going to the hotel, It paid dividends almost immediately when I saw my first ever Scotch Argus,but more of that later.
The trip here was to see, hopefully, two new butterflies,the first you know about the second the High Brown Fritillary would prove difficult and eventually hopeless but several Grayling were a small compensation .Four fritillaries were seen but not identified,so that one will have to wait until next year.Several shots of Scotch Argus now follow:-

There were lots of this northern butterfly here,one of its strongholds in England.
After this we went off to Morecambe to see Erics statue,it was very popular with the tourists of a certain age!

 MEADOW BROWN-I have never seen such irridecense on a meadow brown down south?

 GRAYLING-Very well camouflaged in the limestone scree.

GRAYLING

A visit to Meathop Moss and Foulshaw Moss later in the week gave up these BLACK DARTERS.

 FEMALE BLACK DARTER

 MALE BLACK DARTER

SUNDEW

CRANBERRIES

BRIMSTONE - AT MEATHOP MOSS

9 LITTLE EGRETS A GREAT WHITE EGRET AND A GREY HERON FROM BEDROOM WINDOW. Redshanks, curlews, lapwings,and oystercatchers were seen daily here and the Foulshaw Moss Osprey was seen from the bedroom one afternoon.

BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER KENT.
Meanwhile back at the knott the Scotch Argus were still performing nicely.

SCOTCH ARGUS

Some views from Arnside Knott

 A BRIGHT MORNING

AND A CALM EVENING IN ARNSIDE