THE GREAT WHAT KNOT

Last Saturday(2nd July) I was whisked off to Norfolk at 4.30 am to see the Great Knot at Titchwell,in the company of Martin Collins,Paul Holt and Malcom Mcvale,arriving about 8 the car park was already pretty full and after the preliminaries were done we set off for the freshwater marsh,we did quickly locate the bird in amongst the knot flock but it was at the back and only showed well sporadically,but at least we had good scope views.

SPOT THE KNOT.

 KNOT FLYING OFF TO THE BEACH

AVOCET

SOUTHERN MARSH ORCHID
After leaving Titchwell we went to Weeting Heath to catch the Stone Curlews again we had reasonable scope views of a family group of three.No such luck with wood lark or tree pipit.

 STONE CURLEW

 CURLEW AND STONE CURLEW

 GREEN VEINED WHITE

SMALL TORTOISHELL

RINGLET

Back in Kent meanwhile I gave into temptation and went to Allhallows on the Isle of Grain for the male Red Backed Shrike which was seen easily enough but never came close.

 RED BACKED SHRIKE

IS THAT CAPTAIN BIRDS EYE?

 SMALL SKIPPERS

 RINGLET

 SILVER WASHED FRITILLARY

 GOATS RUE Anew plant for Samphire Hoe.

 SMALL SKIPPER

 WHITE ADMIRAL

 FEMALE PEREGRINE KEEPING AN EYE ON JUVENILE BELOW.

 MARVELLOUS MARBLED WHITES

PYRAMIDAL ORCHIDS Having a good year.
A selection of butterflies from Temple Ewell KWT Reserve.

 COMMA

 WHITE LETTER HAIRSTREAK

 MARBLED WHITE

 SMALL SKIPPER ON SELF HEAL

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER-What a sunset.

THATS ALL FOLKS..

MIDSUMMER,THE NIGHTS ARE DRAWING IN....

Another gloomy June is over,have had to make the most of the small windows of sunshine to find butterflies on the wing.Mothing at home in the garden has picked up after a very slow start.

 CUMULO NIMBUS OVER THE CHANNEL

 A PROFUSION OF FRAGRANT ORCHIDS TEMPLE EWELL

 SOME SMALL HEATHS CAN BE QUITE LARGE.

 JUVENILE ROCK PIPIT SAMPHIRE HOE

 PYRAMIDAL ORCHIDS SAMPHIRE HOE

 MIDSUMMERS EVENING AT BLEAN RSPB TO SEE WOODCOCK AND NIGHTJAR

 RIGHT HAND DOWN A BIT

 AT LAST A RODING WOODCOCK

SADLY NO SIGN OF NIGHTJAR IN THE USUAL PLACES.

A FEW MOTHS FROM THE TRAP

 BUFF ARCHES

 GREEN SILVER LINES

 FLAME SHOULDER

BUFF ERMINE

 MARBLED WHITES - 17 COUNTED ON LOWER TRAMWAY LAST WEEKEND

 LARGE SKIPPER

 EAST BLEAN WOODS FOR ONE OF KENTS RARITIES THE HEATH FRITILLARY.

 RINGLETS TOO ARE NOW ON THE WING.

 Samphire Hoe has had quite a breeding season this year with Ravens and Little Grebes successfully raising young for the first time.Stonechats Black Redstarts Rock Pipits,Meadow Pipits and Linnets have all fledged young as have Mallards and Moorhenson the ponds,unfortunately the two broods of 20 ducklings didn`t last very long.

 AT LEAST 3 OF THE 5 LITTLE GREBE CHICKS HAVE SURVIVED SO FAR

 4 MOORHEN YOUNGSTERS AND 2 OF THE GREBES WITH AN ADULT IN THE FRAME.

 WREN USING THE AVALANCHE FENCE AS A SONG POST

 RED SAIL IN THE MORNING.

 THE FIRST SMALL SKIPPERS ON THE TRANSECT AT THE HOE ON TUESDAY

 REMEMBER LOOK FOR THE ORANGE ANTENNAE TIPS.

ADONIS BLUE.

LET SUMMER BEGIN!PLEASE.