May 12th 2025

 Pottering round the garden I found an Azure Damselfly resting near the pond. The Large Red-banded Clearwing lure had brought in a very early Red-banded Clearwing, well as far as I could see, there was no red on the wings and the palps were white. The moth trap this week held a nice selection although the numbers aren't high, except for Treble Lines. I've had White Ermine, Lobster, Lunar Thorn, Poplar and Eyed Hawkmoths among the usual species. 

A walk along the Tenterden Lawns was very quiet but I did see a couple of Buff/White-tailed and Early Bumblebees and a Common Pug flew out of the grass and landed on a tree trunk.

News came through of a Whiskered Tern on the reserve so I headed down there and was lucky to be diverted to HAnson Hide, where it was sitting on a post. It sat there for a while before flying off backtowards the reserve, it was re-located later in the evening from Dengemarsh Hide.

More activity round the pond with a minium of 4 Large Red Damselflies as well as a pair on Azure. In the water there seem to be at least a dozen Newts floating around and hiding in the waterlily leaves.

 A visit to Wittersham Road Station recorded Soprano and Common Pipstrelles, Noctule and views of a Badger crossing the line in the thermal camera.

Breeding birds Pt 1

 Finally made it for the first BBS and started unreasonable sunshine. Blackcap, Whitethroat and Wren before hearing a Cuckoo and hearing, and seeing, a high flying Skylark. Started raining as I walked through the hop garden, using the trees as shelter.

Samphire Ho!

 Following breakfast and a chat with guests we decided to visit Samphire Ho! First stop Joy’s Pond. 

During a walk around the pond we found Pied Shieldbug, bee, Dock Bug, Green-veined White, an Amara beetle, Common Lizards and a caterpillar sunning itself on a board. There was lots of Ground Ivy, Green Alkanet and White Dead Nettle, but no forget-me-not Shieldbug.

We moved on to Samphire Ho! having to travel along the A20 at 40 mph for no apparent reason. It was quite busy but we managed to find a parking spot, payed the parking fee and walked down to the overflow car park where there were several Early Spider Orchids near the gateway to the footpath. 

A walk along the path gave several more, but nowhere near the numbers from a few years ago. We also found some Bright-eyes, Bird’s-foot Trefoil and Wild Cabbage with Wall, Orange-tip and Small White butterflies along the edges. There are two goats installed on the Ho! which spent time grazing and lying around near the ponds.

On the return we called into the Lifeboat Station where we found Rock Soapwort, Rue-leaved saxifrage and Star of Bethlehem.

April 2025

 A nice few days with some good sightings. I saw my first Swallow during the week and then a few more over the weekend. Jacob found a Wryneck, which I managed to see the back end of as it flew over a bush. This was followed by a Blaxk-winged Stilt on the RSPB reserve, hayfield one and then a hoopoe on the Sunday, which I managed to see on the way to a short ‘do’ for Joey, Sean’s son. 

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.

March 14th

 Having put the actinic out for the first time on 16th Feb which brought 14 moths of 3 species, including 9 common Quaker and 4 small Quaker, I put it out a couple of times more but gave up when there was nothing in the trap. I started again on 11th March and have had it out most nights since. Last night I had the highest number of moths with 10 moths, of 4 species, the highest number of species so far was on the 12th with 6 moths of 6 species.

A decent day yesterday brought my first wheatears with two feeding on the turn area near the new lighthouse. There were a few Gannets and a Red-breasted Merganser flew up channel. A large flock of about 100 Brent, followed by a small group of 7 also went purposefully north. The sun brought out a small group of firebugs and a Red Admiral.