Dungeness RSPB Friday 16th July

I've been away for a few days this week and didn't get back until wednesday evening. Before I went I heard the news that the famous White-tailed Plover had pitched up at Dungeness after it's grand tour of England and Wales. This bird has had a habit of turning up somewhere, staying a couple of days at most and then moving on, so I thought my chances of seeing it at Dungeness when I got back were slim. I was wrong.

There was still a strong wind blowing when I arrived at the ARC car park which was to wear me down by the end of the day. I quickly walked along to the viewing screen with everything crossed but my legs, hoping that it hadn't moved on since the latest report from yesterday afternoon. Of course it hadn't and I soon located it in the distance hunkering down from the wind behind the Purple Loosestrife growing on a slender gravel island. Too far to see much detail but I had at least seen it. My plan was to return after a circuit of the main reserve when I was sure it would be closer and would no doubt be up for a photograph. It's on it's holidays after all.

I'd like to say the birds were on the wing, but that's absurd because the wings are on the bird! (anon). Sorry, couldn't help a small (mis)quote. Anyway they weren't and who could blame them with that horrid wind. I tried to take a few bird shots but they didn't come out too well. The Great Crested Grebe below was helpful though and seemed to be enjoying the waves.

GREAT CRESTED GREBE

So again I've had to resort to other winged creatures and if you've had your fill of butterflies I suggest you look away now!

SMALL COPPER

RED ADMIRAL

GATEKEEPER

By the time I reached Christmas Dell birds noted included Oystercatchers, lots of small groups of Linnets flying past, given away by their twittering flight call, four Little Egrets, Pied Wagtails working harder than usual to catch their prey in the wind and a single Kestrel still hovering effortlessly. As I came out of the hide I saw a family group of three Sedge Warblers, an adult and two youngsters in the Gorse to the right, but the only Hirundines seen were Sand Martins which were pretty abundant all over the site today. A little further on I found this striking damselfly resting on the brambles. In my previous post I said that i'd learnt a lesson with green damselflies but I guess it's back to the drawing board.........any ideas?

Thanks to Greenie for confirming ID as Emerald Damselfly. Click on the link to visit his blog.

EMERALD DAMSELFLY

On the way to Denge marsh hide I looked up and was pleased to see a Hobby above me. It didn't stay long but it was good to see another one here as the last two visits drew a blank on this species. Once inside the hide I soon added Common Tern, adults and fledglings. A few Pochard and the usual Geese species also made the list as did a dozen or so Swifts. But star billings had to go to a Purple Heron and a Great White Egret, both seen over and into the reed beds on the far side of the lake.

The dragonflies pictured below are I believe Ruddy Darters, they were sheltering from the wind on the lee side of the brambles along with some other small darters which were a lighter colour and were probably immature specimens or females.

RUDDY DARTER

RUDDY DARTER

I've posted the picture of the Burnet below because this one does seem to be a six spotter, unlike the other ones i've snapped which all appeared to be five spotters. This was the only one of these I saw today.

SIX SPOT BURNET

Peacocks seem to be back on the wing again and this one below was as fresh as a daisy. The colours, which shone in the warm sunshine were absolutely spectacular.

PEACOCK

Still on the subject of butterflies, here's a picture of a couple of Meadow Browns enjoying a little Al Fresco session in the warm sun sheltered from the wind and prying eyes, well apart from mine of course.

MEADOW BROWNS

So, Dungeness produced the goods again for me. Only a somewhat measly 39 species of birds recorded today but that includes White-tailed Plover, Purple Heron and Great White Egret. Faaaantastic! By the way when I got back to the ARC viewpoint the WT Plover was still in exactly the same spot as it was first thing. It obviously doesn't like the wind and neither do I.

And finally.......... This young Moorhen below was mopping up the spillages under the feeders in the visitor centre car park. Bird brain he ain't.

MOORHEN

New Hythe Lakes 12th July

Because the weather was wet and i'm a wimp I didn't go out until 13.30 this afternoon. It was still warm and the air around the lakes was heavy with the smell of rain on dry grass and parched earth, lovely!
A flock of at least 100 Woodpigeons were in the air as I looked towards the North Downs in the distance. I thought they might have been put up by a bird of prey but a scan through the binoculars found the culprits to be a couple of black labradors bounding across the farm fields over the river.
Once again the tide was at it's highest and not much was to be seen on the river. I decided that this would be another butterfly day and despite the lack of sun there were plenty to be seen.

GATEKEEPER

Gatekeeper numbers seemed to be up since my last visit and I was soon able to get a picture as I walked through the damp undergrowth.

SMALL WHITE

I always find it more difficult to pin down a large or small White for some reason, they just keep on flying through. So I was pleased to finally get what I believe is the small version in my sights at last.

I made my way along the southern end of Brooklands lake past the small group of Common Spotted Orchids, now finished flowering, which I found a few weeks ago. They are the only Orchids I recall seeing on this part of the site although I expect there were others. A Kingfisher called loudly here but I was unable to see it unfortunately.

MEADOW BROWN

Now here's a thing. I know it's Gatekeepers which have the two small white dots in each eye, but this one was bigger and surely is a Meadow Brown. Isn't it?

RINGLET

Still good numbers of Ringlets but I've only found them along the path between Brooklands and Abbey Mead and the start of the railway path, which is where I found this one. Also along this path were a family of at least four Wrens which I would have loved to get a picture of but Mum would have none of it.

ERISTALIS ARBUSTORUM

The little hover fly above caught my eye, I think it's a male Eristalis arbustorum. I don't like it when it doesn't have a common name, or maybe it does.

RED ADMIRAL

I realise you wouldn't forgive me if I didn't include a Red Admiral in the line up today, so here it is. Not a very good picture, it just wouldn't open it's wings for a full monty shot but hey, sometimes less is more!

And finally...........

I stood on the Divers' footbridge desperately looking for an Emerald damselfly as seen and photographed by Terry Laws last week. I thought i'd found it, I was so excited to be probably only the second one to see it, but it turned out to be a female Banded Demoiselle. Lesson learnt!

FEMALE BANDED DEMOISELLE

New Hythe lakes and an Elephant in the room!

In the absence of much excitement from our feathered friends, just a Common Tern on Brooklands lake and five Shelduck chicks on the river, my visit to New Hythe turned into a bit of a butterfly fest. With at least nine species on the wing, including a couple of new ticks for the year there was plenty to keep me occupied for a couple of hours. My only regret was my decision to wear my shorts today. In hindsight I should have known that firstly, the paths, as i've said before are somewhat overgrown. And secondly, I should have known that the butterflies would be on the wing and that they don't stick to the footpaths. Consequently my legs are scratched to pieces from the brambles and even now are still stinging from the nettles. Bring on the Dock leaves!
I'm going to label the pictures below, even if i'm a bit unsure of a couple of them. So apologies if i'm on the wrong track and feel free to put me firmly back on the straight and narrow if you wish.

GREEN VEINED WHITE

GREEN VEINED WHITE

The next three pictures are my first ever of Purple Hairstreaks. I've seen them at New Hythe before way up in the Oak trees but never been able to get a picture which is why i'm indulging myself with these. Aren't they great little critters!

PURPLE HAIRSTREAK

I think the two Skippers below are of the small variety. I thought i'd mastered the subtle differences between these and their Large cousins but now i'm a bit indecisive, at least I think I am............

SMALL SKIPPER

SMALL SKIPPER

Next up is another first for me at New Hythe, it's a Ringlet and I probably saw a dozen of them today.

RINGLET

A bit of a conundrum next. On the other side it's a Meadow Brown complete with eye spot but on this side it doesn't have one. I'm not surprised I get confused!

MEADOW BROWN

No mistaking this one. One of my favourites, even with their wings shut they look great.

RED ADMIRAL

RED ADMIRAL

Below is another first of the year for me at New Hythe in the shape of a Gatekeeper. I only saw the one, thankfully the sun was behind the clouds and he didn't seem inclined to fly.

GATEKEEPER

GATEKEEPER

Other species seen but not photographed (or photographed badly) were Large White and Comma. Still not many dragonflies about today but the one that got away was a nice Four Spotted Chaser which I think just wanted to be chased.

And finally. We were enjoying a very pleasant evening with some friends on Saturday when we were gatecrashed by a large creature the size of a small bat. It flew in through the open patio doors and caused brief pandemonium while we chased it around to capture, identify and eject. It was of course a Hawk moth and a quick rummage in the moth book confirmed it as the Elephant variety. I know what you're thinking, it doesn't look at all like an Elephant and you're right. But it does as a caterpillar when it sports a trunk like snout formed by it's head and thorax. This is waved around menacingly when alarmed to scare off predators..............honestly.

ELEPHANT HAWKMOTH