Iberian Chiffchaff

 A nice sunny day on Dungeness with the feel of spring in the air. The morning had started with an influx of Black Redstarts dotted around the area which we spent time looking at.

A radio call alerted us to the presence of an Iberian Chiffchaff in DB’s garden. We drove round and parked up, walked round the back of the house and there was a small group who showed us where to look. The bird was very active and spent most of it’s time flitting in and out off the trees and especially the euphorbia gleaning insects and giving some really good views.

Large Tortoiseshell and other ButterfIies

 With a few warmer days and some sunshine there were a few butterflies on the wing. In the garden there have been Comma, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock while news came of Large Tortoiseshells emerging in Burchet Wood, near Hamstreet. An afternoon trip up from Dungeness had us parking on the roadside and walking along the ride into the wood. A king man pointed us in the right direction and we were soon watching a lovely Large Tortoishell sunning on a tree trunk. It flew around and settled a few times before flying off through the trees. There were more sightings further down the ride and we met up with Jonathan and friends from Sandwich. 

A couple of buzzards flew over and there was a shallow flooded area that was alive with frogs before we walked back to the car. Driving back we took a back road past an old orchard and managed views of two Little Owls.