Twice out of Kent.
It's been a while since I updated my diary. To be honest it has been fairly quiet and good wildlife days have been few. We have had one or two really sunny and warm days but in the whole it has been cold with a biting North or North East wind. One notably feature has been the lack of rain with plants suffering bad. In particular the early Orchids. On the odd good day we have seen butterflies with all the expected early ones seen in reasonable numbers.
Small Coppers at Dungeness in particular seem to have done well. They seem to especially like Hoary Cress and on one day last week we counted 23 on a patch about a metre square. We have yet to catch up with Green Hairstreak but will look once the weather turns for the better.
This must sound odd for all those on the West Coast and Scotland who have had some glorious days (18-20 degrees), but believe me temperatures of 9 degrees, and a biting wind making it feel more like 5 degrees, is disappointing in late April, early May.
So why the title, Twice out of Kent. Well the first was a quick dash down to Eastbourne on the 6th April for the once in a lifetime opportunity to see the migrant bird, Blue Rock Thrush. Sounding a bit like an advert for a flash sale, it was available for one day only. Found mid morning by Beachy Head lighthouse it stayed and showed well to all comers. Photos have proved it to be the one that wintered at Stow on the Wold. One or two have muttered that this bird could be an escaped cage bird, but most accept that its credentials look good for the real thing. Even more so when it moved to migation hot spot of Beachy Head for one day only, presuambly on its way back to the Continent.
The other outing was to finally catch up with Spring Speedwell at a well known location in the Breckland. Talk about a plant that is small. Hands and knees job, and with a magnifying glass. 3 or 4 plants were in flower but at a height of only about 20mm, or one inch in old money, this plant is almost impossible to find without help of local knowledge and we had that help. Thanks to a friend who knew where to look this Nationally rare plant was found reasonably quickly allowing more time to ensure the delights of Breckland. On the way we called in at Therfield (near Royston) to catch up with this years wonderful display of Pasque Flowers. Literally hundreds were in full flower. Magnificent site and public too.
I will not list all the things we have seen, just a few highlights. Dungeness has had two White-marked moths this year and we managed to catch up with one. A very rare moth for the South East and most likely a migrant (4th April). Alpine Swift around Sandwich on the 16th April, Cattle Egret at Stodmarsh, also the 16th April. Lesser Yellowlegs at Dungeness 22nd April. Hundreds of green Winged Orchids in flower at Marden Meadow. Crane and Short Eared Owl Dungeness on the 4th May.
I am aware that the Duke of Burgundy have emerged at Bonsai Bank. Something to look forward day on the next suitable day. Also yet to catch up with Pearl Bordered and Dingy Skipper.
![Whimbrel.jpg (654.55 KiB) Viewed 4176 times Whimbrel adjacent to the RSPB approach track at Dungeness.](./files/thumb_3567_439ee18342c3f277203f7a8acceee9cc)
- Whimbrel adjacent to the RSPB approach track at Dungeness.
![Early Purple Orchid.JPG (615.91 KiB) Viewed 4176 times Early Purple Orchid near Canterbury](./files/thumb_3567_8899b0392488254a0a317fce13836779)
- Early Purple Orchid near Canterbury
![Small Copper.jpg (628.41 KiB) Viewed 4176 times One of many Small Coppers at Dungeness](./files/thumb_3567_3301e22261c30575c68ece85b829ef05)
- One of many Small Coppers at Dungeness
![Blue Rock Thrush3.jpg (641.66 KiB) Viewed 4176 times Blue Rock Thrush Beachy Head Lighthouse](./files/thumb_3567_59407692e3501dec7055673e39369d37)
- Blue Rock Thrush Beachy Head Lighthouse
![Blue Rock Thrush2.jpg (637.14 KiB) Viewed 4176 times Blue Rock Thrush Beachy Head Lighthouse](./files/thumb_3567_5a2e47e6376d0d011ae3f6f23c349e68)
- Blue Rock Thrush Beachy Head Lighthouse
![Blue Rock Thrush.jpg (634.7 KiB) Viewed 4176 times Blue Rock Thrush Beachy Head Lighthouse](./files/thumb_3567_b1682644200fb4b2783bd50c1270ff5c)
- Blue Rock Thrush Beachy Head Lighthouse