Monday, 14 July 2014

FROM LANGDON TO SAMPHIRE HOE

Monday and tuesday of last week were reasonable weatherwise ,the rest of the week was overcast windy and cool and my camera and I stayed indoors.
SECOND BROOD COMMON BLUE
 CHALK HILL BLUE

 SMALL COPPERS ARE REAPPEARING
 GATEKEEPER
 US NAVY 6th FLEET FLAG SHIP MOUNT WHITNEY IN THE CHANNEL LAST MONDAY.
 SKYLARK Still feeding young apparently
 MARBLED WHITE Nectaring on a thistle.
A Belgian ketch sailing by the Hoe.
Meanwhile at home the moth trap has been turning out some good catches.
 GREY DAGGER
 BUFF ERMINE
 PRIVET HAWKMOTH
 BUFF ARCHES
 CAMPION
 PEPPERED MOTH
 LOBSTER
LILAC BEAUTY
WHITE ERMINE
 MARBLED GREEN
 BARRED SALLOW
 ROSY FOOTMAN
 SCALLOPED OAK
 Lozotaeniodes formosana?
 EARLY THORN
A DOVER " SHARK"


Saturday, 5 July 2014

OF ADMIRALS , EMPERORS AND OTHER FLIGHTY THINGS

High summer and the attention falls on butterflies and dragonflies though birds are not forgotten completely.
Having now seen all of the resident Kent butterflies a few away days have to be planned to try and fill in the gaps,last week found me in Cambridgeshire to find the Black Hairstreak,of which I saw precisely one,the briefest of views so no chance of a photograph.  Next year an earlier visit will be necessary as I  was told by a local that their flight period is very short and should have been over.Whilst in the area and the weather just holding up a visit to Fermyn woods for the Purple Emperor seemed entirely reasonable,this proved more fruitful.


PURPLE EMPEROR
The short toed eagle that took up temporary residence in the Ashdown Forest in Sussex eventually proved too much to resist and was twitched by myself and many others.Silver Studded Blues are found nearby so  they were twitched as well.

 SHORT TOED EAGLE-ASHDOWN FOREST



SILVER STUDDED BLUE-ASHDOWN FOREST.

 ESSEX SKIPPER
 SILVER WASHED FRITILLARIES are plentiful this summer in HAM STREET WOODS



RINGLET
 MARBLED WHITES ON KNAPWEED

 ESSEX SKIPPER
 ESSEX SKIPPERS -Black tips to antennae.
SMALL SKIPPER -Orange antennae tips.
 COMMA
GATEKEEPER OR HEDGE BROWN the first of the year.
HUMMING BIRD HAWKMOTH-You may be lucky and see one of these welcome migrants buzzing around your garden.
Something you don`t want in your garden:-
ADDER AT SAMPHIRE HOE
On wednesday went to Lullingstone to see Dark Green Fritillaries


 DGF with incoming SMALL SKIPPER.

DARK GREEN FRITILLARY

Thursday-back to Ham Street woods and Orlestone forest
SILVER WASHED FRITILLARY
 SILVER WASHED FRITILLARY
 CLARENCE THE CROSS EYED SWF
 PURPLE HAIRSTREAK high up in an oak tree.
WHITE ADMIRAL.
Onwards to East Blean and Westbere-
 The diminutive HEATH FRITILLARY
 HEATH FRITILLARY

 NORFOLK HAWKERS AT WESTBERE


 RED EYED DAMSELFLY
BANDED DEMOISELLE
At Temple Ewell the first Chalk Hill Blues are on the wing


CHALK HILL BLUE
MARBLED WHITES

WHITE LETTER HAIRSTREAK AT TEMPLE EWELL.