Thursday 31st July 2008 Kingsgate, Pegwell &
Lydden
A brief look on the Golf Course at Kingsgate after
doing the moff trap to check for wandering Dragonflies only produced 2
Common Darters and 2 Black-tailed Skimmers, Plenty of
Gatekeepers and smaller numbers of Meadow Browns nectaring on
Knapweeds and Purple Hairstreaks showing well on a low Oak. A single
Hummingbird Hawk is notable this year, I also checked the Hoverport
after the Pegwell trap and had 6 Painted Ladies, a few Peacocks
and Red Admirals, the usual Browns, Whites and Common Blues.
A couple of hours at Lydden this afternoon in sauna like conditions. A field
near the entrance contained Round-leaved Fluellen and Corn Mint - both
tricky to see these days, thanks to the 'custodians' of the countryside and
their excessive use of herbicides. Lots of Brown Argus were also
present in that field, As you would expect at this time of year, lots of
Chalk-hill Blues on the reserve, Common Blues, more Brown
Argus and plenty of Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns. Marbled
Whites and Small Skippers were in rather short supply. A single
Wall Brown, a couple of Brimstones and Silver-spotted
Skipper just starting. (F Solly)
Tuesday 29th July 2008 Monkton NR Thanet
A brief afternoon visit to the pond area of Monkton
Nature Reserve in cloudy and windy conditions, didn't, as expected produce a
great deal. Ruddy Darters and singles of Common Darter and
Common Emerald Damselfly were the only Dragonflies. A couple of
Common Lizards on a log and small numbers of the usual Butterflies -
Browns, Skippers, Common Blues etc (F Solly)
Tuesday 29th July 2008 Kingsgate Thanet Late News
Kingsgate 26th July
Purple Hairstreaks (4 in view at once) on their favourite Turkish Oak,
Speckled Woods, Marbled Whites and the usual grassland stuff. No
Small Blues so far, but we live in hope! (Jeremy Scarlett)
Monday 28th July 2008 -
Dumpton garden
Nothing much to report on the birding & moth front,
although I have brought the 250w MV into service recently, hoping that there
will be a few migrants this year! Butterflies over the weekend have been
rather good, although this is in some part due to the garden containing five
large Buddleia bushes. Large & (2 rather tatty)
Small White, Comma, Gatekeeper,
Peacock, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown,
2nd gen. Holly Blue and Painted Lady all
recorded in the glorious sunshine. (Dylan)
Monday 21st July 2008 East Blean
Passed through East Blean mid afternoon and spent 1/2
hour in the small glade by the sharp bend in the road, where I probably saw
more than had I walked around. The usual Butterflies were all present;
Ringlets, Meadow Browns, Small Skippers, Heath Fritillaries, Peacock, Red
Admiral, Purple Hairstreaks, the Whites and 2 White Admirals. A few
Moths, most notably 10 of the aptly named Drab Looper - the first
time that I have seen any 2nd generation specimens and more than a single on
a visit. Others included a day flying female Oak Eggar, Vapourer, Common
White Wave and Small Phoenix. Dragonflies were also a feature with Brown and
Southern Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Common and
Ruddy Darter. (F Solly)
Monday 14th July2008 Garden Minster Thanet
Late News
First Hummingbird hawk moth of the year seen in
afternoon (about 4pm) feeding on geranium flowers in a hanging basket, as I
grabbed my camera it took off into next doors garden and was not seen again.
(Don Wilks)
Wednesday 16th July 2008 East Blean
Late News
Went to East Blean to look for White Admirals on
Sunday 13th July, I'd never seen this species before and took my young
daughter and two of her friends "to look for the big black and white
butterfly"! After ducking and dodging the swarms of tatty Heath
Fritillaries we saw two White Admirals: one tatty male and a much
smarter looking female. Woohoo! A successful twitch! (Jeremy Scarlett)
Saturday 12th
July 2008 Kingsgate Area
A brief look on the golf course at Kingsgate after the
moth trap, Lots of Marbled Whites - having a very good year locally
but numbers of Meadow Browns and Small Skippers were very poor
and just 2 Gatekeepers, Other than that a single Emperor Dragonfly.
(F Solly)
Sunday 6th July 2008 Dumpton Thanet
The Wood Mice were very active out the garden
this afternoon with at least 5 young ones playing, then late afternoon a
Fox came out of the cornfield at the back of my house, (Gadget)
Friday 4th July 2008 Lydden KWT
A look over at Lydden KWT was a bit disappointing for
day flying moths and Butterflies possibly a bit early, how ever I did find
Great Green Bush-crickets in the long grass. (Gadget)
Friday 4th July 2008 Newland's Farm
My early morning wanderings allowed me to stumble
across a Fox's earth. The first one I've found around
Dumpton, although I have seen plenty of foxes. Four Cubs were enjoying the
early morning sunshine. I took a few pics before heading home. A Red
Admiral was sunning itself on a patch of brambles, but I failed to
relocate the "possible" Map butterfly that I had seen on my way to work
yesterday. (Dylan)
Tuesday 1st July 2008 Sandwich Bay & East Blean
1/7/2008. A brief visit to Sandwich Bay in nice sunny
weather - how unusual is that? A lot more Butterflies than of late although
nothing in particularly good numbers. Small Skippers and Meadow
Browns were widespread as were Small Coppers and 2nd generation
Small and Large Whites. A scattering of Marbled Whites and of
note these days were 8 Small Tortoiseshells nectaring on Creeping
Thistle. After last month's Scarce Chaser, a colony has since been
found along the North Stream - at least 20 today, mostly mature males. An
even briefer visit to East Blean in now very hot conditions produced 3
White Admirals, 12 Ringlets, 20 Heath Fritillaries and a
single Purple Hairstreak. A single Southern Hawker was the
only dragonfly. (F Solly)
