RAVEN MAD

Kevin Petersen is not the only proud father at the moment,the white cliff ravens have successfully fledged three more youngsters.They were all on display this morning standing on the cliff edge at Fan Bay with ma and pa standing guard.Ikept my distance so as not to disturb them but as I moved along towards the lighthouse,mrs raven came and had alook at me and told me to b****r off in her own inimitable way.Lets hope KP is in the mood and not jet lagged this afternoon.

GREENLAND OR SIBERIA

Tuesday was one of those days you wished you had stayed in bed,its orchid counting time at Samphire Hoe, not my favourite task at the best of times, but when the wind is blowing from the north east at 30 mph, it numbs the body as well as the mind.Someone compared the landscape there to Greenland recently well now it has the climate of Siberia as well.The early spider orchids are struggling against the weather too and are also being well nibbled by the burgeoning rabbit population.This one is slightly different to the norm in its colouring.Another creature found here is the bloody nosed beetle which when threatened exudes a red liquid which repels would be beetle eaters,its larvae can also be found at present, they are dark green and segmented and can curl up almost into a ball.

GOLDEN ORIOLE DAY

Sorry its not what you think,39 years ago today when I was still a young man I took an early morning walk to northfall meadow near Bleriots memorial and across the military parade ground(now Jubilee Way) shining like a beacon in the early morning sun was a glorious male golden oriole,I saw two more in the same area later that week and have never seen another one in England.I did go to the cliffs this afternoon but there was no repeat needless to say,however there were some good butterflies about.Dingy skippers,clouded yellows,small coppers,an orangetip a peacock and the star was a green hairstreak.A pair of dingy skippers even allowed me to photograph their coupling.A small white was taking nectar from apple blossom and one of the small coppers was feeding on wayfaring flower.

ORANGES AND LEMONS

The wonderful summer weather continues to chill but if you can find a sheltered sunny spot it is possible to find some of our most colourful creatures on the wing.On wednesday at the Hoe clouded yellow and orangetips were in evidence and on friday at the cliffs this single fresh small copper was found.

THE COLOUR PURPLE

Tuesday normally finds me at samphire hoe,but a swap for my namesake Derek left me free to have a look for the purple herons at Dunge.It was a cool brezy day with sunny spells,the sky was full of swifts and swallows,I had good views of two pairs of bearded tits and a cettis warbler from the viewing ramp and after a short wait one of the herons flew across dengemarsh towards the area near dengemarsh road where it had been seen earlier.Also seen on the water meadows were 6 dunlin 3 grey plover and 5 whimbrel.

From here Iwent to the patch where hundreds of common terns were feeding along with two eyecatching black terns.

RED TAILS ON THE WHITE CLIFFS

May bank holiday should be warm and sunny but of course it wasnt,instead we had a day long deluge  on sunday (43mm) and a freezing cold northerly gale on monday.Having been confined to the ark yesterday Idecided to brave the elements on the cliffs this morning,Isoon realised that my normal walk to St Margrets would be fruitless and sought the more sheltered lower tramway below the NTbuilding .I was immediately rewarded when this superb male redstart was found feeding in the scrub there, patience was needed to get these shots but there  is seldom any disturbance here,so it was fairly easy.There was also a blackcap in the area and I found my first dingy skipper of the year so an unpromising start was soon forgotten.

APRIL COME SHE WILL

The first cuckoos and hobby are now here and the woods are full of the nightingales marvellous song.This week I have been to Stodmarsh and Orelstone forest,a red rumped swallow turned up at Samphire Hoe on wednesday and an early lychnis moth made it to my trap.This male marsh harrier gave me the evil eye at stodmarsh,and this kestrel has taken up residence at the hoe.The Grizzled Skipper is a new species for me and was one of my targets for the year so I was very pleased to find this little beauty in Orlestone forest,where there were also lots of brimstones on the wing.Nightingales have the most haunting song of our summer visitors and can be found in abundance in the coppiced areas of Faggs wood there,with at least half a dozen in full voice.