THE CLIFFS ARE ALIVE

Migrant birds have been hard to find these last few days but the early appearance of many butterfly species has been a huge bonus.Today the first wall browns and dingy skipper were seen and over the weekend green hairstreak and another clouded yellow were spotted.

 GREEN HAIRSTREAK

 CLOUDED YELLOW -This one has a slightly deformed upper wing,but it was flying ok.

 WALL BROWN Warming itself on the cliff edge.

DINGY SKIPPER
On Saturday morning more Orangetips were on the wing

 ORANGETIP

PEACOCK on a WAYFARING BUSH BLOSSOM.

As far as birds go the odd blackcap ,willow warbler and chiff chaff have  been seen or heard and the two ring ouzels were in the hole again this morning.Linnets seem to be present in good numbers at present with several males singing and nest building going on.

I FOLLOWED ON WIV ME OLD-COCK LINNET

'THE DISTINGUISHED JACKDAW'
Meanwhile at home we are being serenaded each morning by this beautiful blackbird.

BLACKBIRD -BYE, BYE.

ONE SWALLOW AND ALL THAT

My first swallows of the year were seen on Sunday morning arriving from the channel,the advance guard of what will soon be thousands,willow warblers,more ring ouzels and wheatears,blackcaps and chiff chaffs were also seen through the week.
The Early Spider Orchids are blooming well at Samphire Hoe,they are in fact early this year.
Last year my first butterfly sighting was on April16th,this spring even clouded yellows must have survived the mild winter, with one probably two on the cliffs and one at the Hoe today.

 WILLOW WARBLER- THE SWEETEST SONG OF SPRINGTIME.

 WILLOW WARBLER IN BLACKTHORN BLOSSOM.

 RING OUZELS 2 males have been hanging around Langdon hole since Sunday possibly en route to the Welsh mountains or the Lake District?

 GREAT TIT

 STONECHAT

 WHEATEAR

 GREEN VEINED WHITE

 CLOUDED YELLOW-It is possible that these adults are the offspring of last years influx and have overwintered as pupae.

EARLY SPIDER ORCHIDS

 FOX AT THE HOE

 MALE KESTREL hunting at the cliffs,by hovering and looking for small mammals,they always face into the wind when hovering

to maintain position.

 LITTLE GREBE aka DABCHICK feeds on small fish in small lakes-best seen locally at Bushy Ruff

 FEMALE BRIMSTONE A much paler shade of yellow than the male.

SPECKLED WOOD Freshly emerged from the chryssalis.

BRAUNTON was with us again on Wednesday- Pete Wells will have a video on his blog soon of the train going through Martin Mill.
UPDATE

Martin Collins tells me this is a USAF AIRCRAFT - CV22B OSPREY used by special forces.

OUZEL IN THE MIST

I left home in bright sunshine this morning but the dreaded sea fret was on the cliffs reducing visibility somewhat,however I made my way to Langdon Hole seeing a goldcrest and a black redstart on the way.In the new sheep field a bird was ferreting around on the ground and through the mist it was a male ring ouzel,my first of the year.

 MALE RING OUZEL-A pair of magpies then chased it away into a hawthorn where it sat quitly for several minutes before flying down into the Hole.

That was the birding highlight but a small copper and an orangetip brightened up the morning as the fog lifted.

 ORANGETIP

 ORANGETIP

 SMALL COPPER

SMALL COPPER

SMALL WHITE
Earlier in the week a circuit of Stodmarsh was made and from the marsh hide several garganey could be seen,unfortunately Mr Ashtons good fortune eluded me and they stayed distant,but here are some record shots.

 With a Mallard for comparison of size.

 I counted at least 4 males and 2 females but when they flew off there were at least 10 birds.

GARGANEY TAKING FLIGHT.

 This strange looking aircraft flew over Samphire Hoe on Tuesday.

 HMS LANCASTER

DISCOVERY at the Dover cruise terminal.

34046 BRAUNTON Steaming through Chilham last Saturday.