Butterflies: May
Wednesday 21st Our first Large Skipper was in the Dragonfly Fields. Tuesday 20th There were 13 species on the Estate. Totals of 16 Common Blue, six Painted Lady, five Walls, and 15 Small Heaths were of note. Saturday 17th Good tallies of 11 Brown Argus and 60 Common Blue were on New Downs, with three each of Painted Lady and…
Dragonflies: May
Friday 23rd Another immature female Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly of the orange aurantica form was seen in the Dragonfly Pond Fields. Thursday 22nd There were good counts of 55 Azure and 27 Variable Damselflies on RSPB Worth marshes. Tuesday 20th A count of 12 Banded Demoiselles on RSPB Worth marshes was our highest count this year so far. Though this is…
Moths: May
Friday 23rd A very chilly night with lows of 3.1°C which certainly put the moths off with 22 moths of 11 species. It was still worthwhile though as its produced our first Lime Hawk-moth of the year and even better a pristine brunnea or brown-form which is scarcely seen at the Obs. A Small Yellow Underwing was seen around the Dragonfly…
Ringing: May
Wednesday 21st Still no sign of any rain here although apparently it did rain inland. Another catch up round with the nest boxes gave 33 more tit pulli. If they can get them to fledging it is turning into a great year for them. Friday 16th There might not be many but there are still surprises. A new, non-juvenile Cetti’s…
Birds: May
Thursday 22nd Three Curlew Sandpipers and two Little Stints were in Pegwell Bay today. A pair of Sandwich Terns zipped around Restharrow Scrape, two Red Kites flew over the Observatory, and three Sand Martins were on Prince’s Golf Course. At dusk a Nightjar was hawking around the Chequers/Greenacres area. Wednesday 21st Overcast and cool conditions in the morning gave us…
Dragonflies: April
Wednesday 30th Our first Azure Damselfly and Broad-bodied Chaser was on the Estate. Tuesday 29th New species come thick and fast in this good weather. Today’s new emergence was Blue-tailed Damselfly with three on RSPB Worth marshes. Two Variable, four Common Blue, and a three Hairy Dragonflies were also seen. Monday 28th Four Hairy Dragonflies, two Variable Damselflies, and one…
Moths: April
Wednesday 30th Similar conditions again and the catch dropped slightly to 39 moths of 16 species. A male Gem was our earliest record by a week of this migrant species. This added weight to my suspicion that the Turnips we are getting might also be migrants- there were five last night. Also new for the year were Large Yellow Underwing, Dark Spectacle,…
Ringing: April
Tuesday 29th A beautiful, calm, clear day. The clear sky overnight allowed a few sheltered bits to have a brief frost-certainly what was not forecast. We are ever hopeful that a few birds might overshoot from the continent but no sign yet. Five birds were caught- three Dunnocks, a Chiffchaff and a Blackbird. They all showed signs indicating they were…
Butterflies: April
Wednesday 30th The best day of the year so far. Seven Walls, five Orange-tips, three Large Whites, two Red Admirals, two Holly Blues, ten Green-veined Whites, one Small Heath, one Speckled Wood, two Small Coppers, one Common Blue, and six Peacocks on the Estate. Monday 28th Two Peacocks, three Red Admirals, four Speckled Woods, three Orange-tips, and seven Small Coppers…
Birds: April
Wednesday 30th At least five Red Kites flew north over the Estate with a Common Sandpiper on the beach and a Wheatear at Sandilands. Two Bar-tailed Godwits remained on Restharrow Scrape. Three Wood Sandpipers and our first Turtle Doves of the year were on RSPB Worth marshes. Tuesday 29th Another warm day despite the switch to a north-easterly. A Great…