Saturday 30th June 2007 Sandwich Bay
An afternoon visit to Sandwich Bay on 28/6 in unfortunately very gusty
conditions and becoming rather cloudy. The Restharrow Scrape held 30 male Red-veined
Darters plus two females in tandem ovipositing, along with several Black-tailed
Skimmers and Emperor Dragonflies. Elsewhere around the Estate
and away from water were perhaps 6 Common Darters in total. Good
numbers of Butterflies, mostly Small and Essex Skippers, Meadow Browns,
Marbled Whites and Small Coppers many busy on the impressive selection
of flowers on show. Good numbers of Southern Marsh Orchids in the
'Whitehouse' area with a few Marsh Helleborines amongst them. (F Solly)
Thursday 14th June 2007
Kingsgate
& North Foreland
Left work early to count Small Blues at Kingsgate following the
disastrous spraying of the rough - just 9 were found. Other than that 3-4 Large
Skippers, a few Small Skippers, Meadow Browns, Common
Blues, Red Admirals and Painted Ladies plus the first Marbled
White of the year. Around 10 Mother Shipton is a 'record' total
for the area. Lots of micros on the wing including: Grapholita
compositella, Aethes williana, Aethes
hartmanniana and several of the rather attractive Eucalybites
aurogutella associated with Perforate St. Johns Wort. At
least 65 Lizard Orchids and lots of Pyramidal Orchids in the
coastal grass at North Foreland. (F Solly)
Thursday 14th June 2007 North Foreland estate
There’s
a good selection of flora and fauna on the clifftop at North Foreland
estate at the moment – a dozen Lizard Orchids, over 50 Pyramidal
Orchids and the usual mix of medium-height grassland plants, with Common
Blues, Six-Spot Burnet and an influx of Silver Y moths.
(Steve Coates)
Wednesday 13th June 2007 Restharrow
Scrape SBBOT
Good
numbers of Red-veined Darters around the path leading to the hide
also observed were Black-tailed
Skimmers, Azure Damselflies and Broad-bodied Chaser, Butterflies
Red Admirals and Painted Lady.
(Gadget)
Wednesday 13th June 2007 Sandwich
Bay
Walked from
Obs across to sea road early this morning. Lizard orchids are at
their best and plenty of them. Marsh Orchids around the catching
area, with a good crop of Ragged Robin also in a dyke in St Georges
private area over hundred Bee orchids, two Lizards and some
more Marsh Orchids, other summer flowers are bugloss, evening
primrose and sea bindweed. Butterflies seen were Small Heath, Small
Skipper, Large Skipper, Painted Lady one Small
Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral and two Meadow Browns. By the
scrape the bank is covered in Poppies and Hedge Mustard and is
quite a sight. (Don Wilks)
Wednesday 13th June 2007 Western Undercliff
& Hoverport
A
lunchtime whizz along the Western Undercliff to the Hoverport produced a
male Red-veined Darter sitting along the cliff-top path and about
50 Painted Ladies - mostly on Red Valerian along the Western
Undercliff. As with last year, Holly Blues are again egg laying on
Lucerne at the Hoverport with at least 8 females very actively oviposting.
There is also an interesting claret coloured Scabious near the harbour - I
don't recognise it as a garden plant, a possible adventive with ferry
traffic?
(F Solly)
Wednesday 13th June 2007 Kingsgate
A brief
early look around the golf course at Kingsgate after emptying the moth
trap, a bit too damp from the overnight dew though, combined with the
spraying of the rough earlier in the year didn't produce a great deal. A
couple of Common Blues and the first Meadow Brown of the
year were the only residents on show. Good numbers of Painted Ladies
whizzing around and a scattering of Red Admirals. A reasonable
amount of Ivy Broomrape in flower along the seaward end of Convent
Road. (F Solly)
Saturday 9th June 2007 Sandwich Bay
A
brief afternoon visit to Sandwich Bay, primarily to look for Red-veined
Darters - there were 2 on the Restharrow Scrape along with a few Black-tailed
Skimmers, Azure Damselflies and a single Broad-bodied Chaser.
The 'Whitehouse' area had good numbers of Small Heaths and Common
Blues, a few Small Coppers, several Painted Ladies and
singles of Large and Small Skippers (early for the latter). Good
numbers of Grass Rivulets easily disturbed and 1 Mother Shipton.
(F Solly)
Thursday 7th June 2007 Pegwell Bay
Thanks
to Francis for the heads-up on the Bee Orchids on the hoverport.
There's not a lot of plants on my 'must see' list, but this was one of
them, and did not disappoint. A scruffy Painted Lady was
also seen, perhaps the same one. While in the grateful mood, thanks also
to Don and Dave last month for news of what's to see at Denge Wood, and to
Ray for good company when I was there and for information on the orchids
and Duke of Burgundy butterfly. (Steve Coates)
Monday 4th June 2007 Pegwell Bay
3/6/2006. Around a 100 Bee Orchids flowering on the old
Hoverport site at Pegwell together with 3 Southern Marsh and 2 Pyramidal
Orchids. Not a great deal in the way of Butterflies, small numbers of Common
Blues and 'mixed' Whites, a freshly emerged Small
Tortoiseshell whilst a worn Painted Lady was probably a new
arrival. (F Solly)
