Monday 11th July 2011

Just 30 minutes at lunchtime to take in Oaken Wood.  My first Gatekeepers of the year were on the wing, along with increasing numbers of Red Admiral, Comma and Skippers.

Unfortunately no White Admiral or Silver-washed Frits, but they'll be there somewhere!

A few other interesting bugs, with names to follow soon hopefully.

Goldenrod crab spider (Misumena vatia)?

Sunday 10th July 2011

Up to Cliffe like every other nature bod seems to have done over the last 2 weeks - with Southern Emerald Damselfly in my sights.  It was pretty overcast and there wasn't much on the wing.  A lone figure scouring the west side of the ditch turned out to be James Hunter who was after the same quarry.  Team Hunter called and James had to leave but not before giving some tips on how to locate the SED.  Ten minutes later I was in luck, only one individual but a showy one nevertheless.

Travelling back to Barming I decided to take a chance on the Lesser Emperors on Abbeymeads, New Hythe that had eluded me last week.  Barry Wright and Terry Laws were on the scene and promised me a sighting within two minutes.....I had to wait three minutes....then a Lesser Emperor buzzed past, then again, and again.  Brown Hawker, Emperor and Red-eyed Damselfly were also on show.

Nice to finish the day off with a Barn Owl just off patch along the River Medway at 22:00.

Tuesday 5th July 2011

A lunchtime sortie was down to Bradbourne House, East Malling was productive in turning up a small clump of Pyramidal Orchids (my first on site) and a long absent but very vocal Kingfisher.

Two Little Owls sat out in the rain by Kiln Barn Farm as I made my way home.

Monday 4th July 2011

About time I got back into it.  A few sightings from today with an update for end-May through June to follow.

Nice sunny cycle to work, what looked like a fleck of dust on top of an oak tree in Oaken Wood transpired to be a distant Purple Hairstreak.  Chiffchaff and Blackcap still calling and a couple of Little Owls in their usual location at Kiln Barn Farm.

News of a Lesser Emperor dragonfly or three saw me heading off patch at lunchtime.  John Clements was bundled in the car on news of 3x Med Gulls that were strutting and feeding behind his house (a private field on the East Malling Research site).

We arrived in New Hythe to be met by Phil Sharp fresh from a soiree in Suffolk, and Jill and John Brook collecting exuviae - the Lesser Emperors were less apparent, although a Odanata pursuing a Red Admiral butterfly was a 'possible'.

Back in East Malling some butterflies of note flitted across my path; a single Ringlet (first on the research land for me) for me kept a Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral and Peacock company in the afternoon heat.  Oaken Wood turned up a Comma and a White Admiral (seen to lay eggs).

Footage of White Admiral to follow.