Bee-eater

 As I arrived at DBO I could see DE and JS sitting in the bench. I went in, turned the kettle on and then went out to see what was happening. JS came over the moat to tell me about a bee-eater that had been found by DW and had been floating around but had now disappeared. A few minutes later they both heard a call and it was re-found heading back.  It hawked around with a gathering group of hirundines before heading off again. It was see over Kerton Road but then re-appeared, flew high and lost again. A phone call from DB alerted us to it sitting on the wires behind his house.

Italian Wall Lizards and Samphire Ho

As there was little bird activity and it was a pleasant afternoon we decided to show Jacques the Italian Wall Lizards at Little Switzerland. 

Denge Wood

The walk into Denge was very pleasant with sunshine making the greens sparkle. There were a number of Common Spotted orchids along the track and once inside the reserve they were everywhere. The Lady orchids were mostly in their prime but numbers of these seemed down. Being a bit later than usual the Greater Butterflies were perfect and there did seem to be more this year.
At the end of the reserve a search of the primroses found one Duke of Burgundy looking quite fresh.
A took a slight diversion on the way home where we found 2 Man orchids but little else.
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Dungeness Point

A short walk out to the edge of the trapping area to do some botnising. On the way we found a fresh Brown Argus as well as some Common Blues.

We were looking for Broomrapes and found several Common Broorapes, some just coming up and some well up. As we walked we were kicking up xylostellas with nearly every step, especially through the grassy and brambly areas. As well as Gorse Shieldbug clambouring through a grasshead.

The bean plant is growing well within it's bramble shelter. It should produce a few beans.

The main purpose was to see this broorape, which, despite it's size and colour, is probably just a common one.

One of the thigs about Dungeness is the variety of species that can be found. One family that seems to thrive is the vetches, a couple of are pictures below.

The willow bushes of the trapping area are absolutely dripping with cuckoo spit. Standing inside a bush is a recipe for getting wet, with the sound of drips falling on the bramble leavews echoing round the area.

Some of the plants are so small that you have to get down on your knees to really appreciate their beauty.

April

I am not a diary keeper but having looked back I thought I might try again as it is nice to keep track of what I do and see.
Walking round Park Wood  has been a real pleasure the last two weeks. The sun was shining and birds were singing albeit common woodland species, it was still a spirit lifter to here the tits and wrens belting it out. This week we heard Chiffchaffs singing for the first time, there were at least 5 proclaiming their presence, a real affirmation of the arrival of spring. It is often the car park area that has the most activiity and it is quiet in many parts of the wood but this morning Nuthatches, Wrens, and Blue and Great tits were evident in all parts the wood and there were even 3 Coal Tits feeding in the slowly bursting buds.
Taking part in a small project looking at the phenology of woodland trees and plants makes me look around me in a slightly different way and it is interesting how trees of the same type break into leaf earlier than others. Quite a few of the oaks have green leaves showing but my oak is still bud bound although they are swelling and the Silver Birch is just showing a hint of green wheras many of the other birches are a greeny haze.

Betwixt and between

The drive across the marsh today really illustrated how betwixt the seasons we are just now. The Bewick's Swans have gone and there were far fewer Blackbirds flitting along the hedgerows but a few Song Thrushes. I found no Fieldfares but there was still a sizeable flock of House and Tree Sparrows on the feeders at Baynham Farm along with Greenfinch, Chaffinch and a few tits. On the shingle between the road and the sea there was at least one Wheatear and a Black Redstart and the Scaup remained on Scotney pit. From the Dengemarsh road there were 2 or 3 Marsh Harriers hunting in the reeds, a pair of Great Crested Grebes were displaying and a Great White Egret was stalking fish along the margins.
We returned along the front a spent a bit of time watching the rubicola Stonechat before checking out the gull roost where the interesting bird was a Yellow-legged gull before returning to the Obs for a welcome cup of tea. On the drive back I was pleased to see a Barn Owl near Chapel Bank.


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Spring is here

Returning from a 5 day trip to Iceland where it was very snowy and still in the grip of winter, it was interesting to see how quickly things change once the temperature rises. Along the roads were frothy Blackthorn bushes, in the garden there were clumps of daffs and crocuses, the Camellia is smothered in red flowers, the Hellebore bed is full of nodding heads and the first Fritillaries were showing their droopy heads.




Across the marsh the Bewick's had gone and the first Wheatears had arrived on the point.
The heather bushes in the front are covered in bees and at least 2 Small Tortoiseshells have been feeding on the flowers.

Unfortunately we seem to have lost our frogs over the last few years and there's no sign of frogspawn.


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