Dragonflies: April
Tuesday 28th Despite the windy and cold conditions we discovered our first Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly of the year. The immature male in the Dragonfly Pond Fields was (unsurprisingly) our earliest ever record. Monday 27th Another nine Large Red Damselflies were on RSPB Worth Marshes, plus two Variable and seven Common Blue Damselflies, and a Hairy Dragonfly. A Broad-bodied Chaser was…
Ringing: April
Wednesday 29th A check of the nest boxes in the shelter of the Elms was positive with all the occupied nests from the last visit still active and a couple more now with sitting birds. We only detected hatched chicks in one box. The Robins in the Observatory tower have fledged. Another amazing Motus record has surfaced. This time it…
Moths: April
Tuesday 28th It was a rare cloudy night and while the wind had picked up, the trap saw a bump in numbers to 18 moths of 13 species. Buff-tip and Clouded Border were new for the year, however most excitement came in the form of a gynandromorphic Shuttle-shaped Dart. Only the second time in recent memory of this amazing circumstance following a…
Butterflies: April
Thursday 30th Wall was the most numerous butterfly on the Estate (again) with at least 12 seen. It’s quite an amazing turnaround after how perilous the population looked five years or so back. Monday 27th Ten species on the Estate today with one Large White, two Small Whites, two Green-veined Whites, two Orange-tips, four Small Coppers, one Holly Blue, three…
Birds: April
Thursday 30th Four Greenshanks and a Redshank were on Restharrow Scrape first thing. Later, a few Swifts and a Sand Martin passed through. A Reed Warbler at Sandilands was an odd record, three Whimbrels were in Restharrow Dunes, and a Grey Plover flew inland over the Estate. The (presumed lingering) Nightingale was singing near the white bridge on the Green…
Ringing: March
Sunday 29th A clear night ensured migrants are keeping going and not stopping here. The four new birds were all passing through- singles of Siskin, Redwing, Chiffchaff and Chaffinch. Saturday 28th Some interesting bits from Thursday. First was the finding of a Robin’s nest, with four eggs, along Sandown Road. The other bits involve information on colour ring sightings. The…
Butterflies: March
Sunday 23rd An early Speckled Wood was in the Dragonfly Pond fields. Thursday 19th Two Brimstones and two Commas were on the Estate. Wednesday 18th A Brimstone and a Small Tortoiseshell were on the Estate and there was another scattering of Peacocks. Sunday 15th Whilst Peacocks continue to be seen most days our first Small Tortoiseshell was on RSPB Worth…
Moths: March
Sunday 29th It was a clear and very cold night but three traps were set – The car park MV, an actinic in Middle Field and a DIY UVLED not far from the actinic for trials. Interestingly the UVLED performed best, attracting four Hebrew Characters, two Clouded Drabs and a Common Quaker. The car park and actinic had six of…
Birds: March
Tuesday 31st Just over 50 Meadow Pipits headed north and two Greylag Geese came in off the sea. Six Swallows and two House Martins were on RSPB Worth Marshes whilst there were still a few Redwings and Fieldfares knocking around the Estate. Nine Avocets and two Sandwich Terns were the best in Pegwell Bay. Monday 30th A Tree Sparrow in…
Butterflies: February
Wednesday 25th It is not often we get a three species day in February but there was Red Admiral and Peacock around the Observatory and a male Brimstone in the Whitehouse paddock. Tuesday 24th Our second Red Admiral of the year was seen by the Observatory. Thursday 12th Hurrah! Our first butterfly of the year. A Red Admiral was seen…