JULY FLYS BY

July is normally fairly quiet on the birding front waiting patiently for the autumn migration to begin,the first signs are usually seen at the end of the month with the first Wheatears and Willow Warblers turning up at Samphire Hoe and returning waders at the usual wadery hot spots.However July is a good month for Butterflies.

I went to Oare early in the month to see the Bonapartes Gull again for the thirteenth time evidently.

It was feeding reasonably close in east of the slipway,I think my best ever views.

 A single Cattle Egret was seen with the cows and the Water Rail was seen at Dans Dock.

CATTLE EGRET RIDING BARE BACK.

JUVENILE YELLOW WAGTAIL AT DANS DOCK

BROWN ARGUS NEAR UPLEES COPSE.

A few from the Hoe

EMPEROR DRAGONFLY

RED VEINED DARTER

BLACK TAILED SKIMMER

BT SKIMMER

EMPEROR DRAGONFLY OVIPOSTING

LUMINESCENT CLOUDS OVER THE CHANNEL

GOLDFINCH HAVING A DRINK

MY FIRST CHALKHILL BLUE OF THE YEAR AT TEMPLE EWELL

CHALKHILL BLUE U\S

LARGE WHITE

YELLOWHAMMER STILL SINGING AT LANGDON CLIFFS

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A DAY OUT IN ORLESTONE FOREST WITH PAUL HOLT.

PURPLE HAIRSTREAK

PURPLE HAIRSTREAK

PURPLE HAIRSTREAK

PURPLE HAIRSTREAK

WHITE ADMIRAL

WHITE ADMIRAL U\S

WHITE ADMIRAL

BRIMSTONE

BRIMSTONE

LARGE WHITE

As we were leaving the car park we saw Dave Brown, he said there had been a Purple Emperor coming to an Oak sap run near the gate, so we parked up and sure enough this arrived soon after.

PURPLE EMPEROR

NOT IN ITS PRIME BUT A FIRST FOR ME IN EAST KENT.

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GATEKEEPER.

SILVER WASHED FRITILLARY.

PAINTED LADY

WALL BROWN

HUMMING BIRD HAWKMOTH

GATEKEEPER(MALE)

WOOD SANDPIPERS DUNGENESS

COMMON TERN DUNGENESS

BROWN ARGUS DUNGENESS.

JUV WHITETHROAT SAMPHIRE HOE

COSCO VIRGO

COMMON HEATH MOTH

SMALL COPPER

BROWN ARGUS TEMPLE EWELL

COCK LINNET FEEDING ON VIPERS BUGLOSS 

GOLDFINCH SAMPHIRE HOE

GOLDFINCH SAM HOE

GATEKEEPER (FEMALE) 

RED ADMIRAL

SMALL HEATH  SECOND GENERATION NOW ON THE WING

SMALL HEATH TEMPLE EWELL.

TTFN.

JUNE MIDSUMMER BUT NO MURDERS

 June is usually a quiet time birdwise so our attention turns to other things.

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER -GODMERSHAM CHURCH

SMALL BLUE

DRINKER MOTH -SAMPHIRE HOE

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BORDERED SALLOW -SAMPHIRE HOE

SMALL SKIPPER

HEATH  FRITILLARIES- BLEAN WOODS

SILVER WASHED FRITILLARY- BLEAN WOODS

SILVER WASHED FRITILLARY -BLEAN WOODS

MARBLED WHITE -LANGDON CLIFFS

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LARGE SKIPPER ON VIPERS BUGLOSS

GREEN WOODPECKER -LANGDON HOLE

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BROAD BODIED CHASER

DISTANT CHOUGHS FROM FOXHILL DOWN.

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CARNIVAL MIRACLE

YELLOWHAMMER STILL SINGING

LITTLE BIT OF BREAD AND NO CHEESE.

CLOUDED YELLOW AT SAMPHIRE HOE

COMMA

BROAD BODIED CHASER

MEADOW BROWN

ESSEX SKIPPER -TEMPLE EWELL

HOLLY BLUE

A few days in Norfolk to see family.

HEAVILY CROPPED STONE CURLEWS

AT WEETING HEATH NEAR THE SUFFOLK/NORFOLK BORDER

WE SAW AT LEAST 3 

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RINGLET.

SMALL SKIPPER ON SCABIOUS

SCARCE CHASER -STRUMPSHAW FEN

SOUTHERN HAWKER {IMM} STRUMPSHAW

SOUTHERN MARSH ORCHID STRUMPSHAW 

Unfortunately the Swallowtails proved elusive so heres a few from several years ago at the same place.

We are now half way through the year I wonder what surprises await us -time will tell no doubt.