Tuesday 31st August 2010

With so much dropping in across the county I was expecting to find something on the paddocks in Ditton/East Malling as I cycled into work. Nothing - apart from 17 Swallows on the wires by over the Sweets Lane Paddocks, 9x House Martins over the Paris Farm Paddocks and 6x Pied Wags on the Kiln Barn Farm fields. I cycled back to Oaken Woods at lunchtime to see if any butterflies were on the 'snake track' just east of Oaken Wood that was bordered by Buddeleias in full flower. Only a single Red Admiral, not sure where everything else was? Cycling back past Gallagher's Gallop and Kiln Barn Farm I was pleased to see my first Wheatear of the autumn perched on one of the fence posts - must have dropped in mid-morning, It certainly wasn't there first thing! It was still feeding happily as I cycled home at 18:00.

Monday 13th July

Good numbers of butterflies on the wing in Barming Woods at lunchtime with 3x White Admiral, 6x Peacock and a Red Admiral sipping up nectar from the racemes of the newly opened Buddelia flowers.

At home in South Street, Barming this evening I was pleased to see the Spotted Flycatcher in action again, looping around the speckled shade of the trees at the back of the garden. Every garden should have one, those neglected nooks, shaded by big trees, that become the dumping ground for old wood, general refuse and compost heaps have got to be some of the 'nature reserves' in the country!

A Goldcrest made a long awaited return, flitting furtively around the branches of the same trees.