Dave Brown

[dave brown]

I have not updated my Personal Diary for 3 years. Because of the Covid situation we reduced our activities considerably but still managed to see some great nature sightings once the Stay at Home instruction was lifted. I did however decide to reduce the time spent on paperwork and my diary. Hopefully this year I will put some effort into the diary but it will be on a reduced scale to previous years. A good start to the butterfly year already with sightings of Brimstones, Commas, Red Admirals, Small Tortiseshell but best of all was the Large Tortiseshell, also seen by fellow member Allan W, in the Orlestone Forest Complex (Kent). We have already seen our first Swallow but birdwise it has been fairly quiet for us so far in 2024.
Dave

[David M]

Good to see you back, Dave.

I'll look forward to further updates.

[dave brown]

I will try and back date to the start of the year when time allows, in the meantime I post a few items seen since the start of May. The 1st is not a Butterfly but the mind blowing experience of Friday nights Aurora. To be seen so far South as Kent is almost unheard of, so to witness this over about an hour was certainly an event to admire not having see it before. It first started about 23.00 hours but was at its best from 23.30 hours. I almost went to bed and missed it but a friend on Thanet alerted me to its presence via twitter. He started using the words insane so I had to go outside to see, and there it was, the dancing sky in reds and greens. An unforgetable lifetime expierence. I am sure it must have been fantastic in Northern England/ Scotland.
Back down to earth Butterflies have been difficult to come by but we have seen most of the Southern spring Butterflies including Duke of Burgundy, Green Hairstreak (Denge Wood area) and Grizzled Skipper (Dungeness). We have also had success with the Emperor moth. A common enough moth further North but still quite scarce in Kent. We saw several at Oare Marshes and at Stodmarsh, including one on the ground that I presume was salting just like some butterflies.
Dragonflies started early then seemed to stall. We saw 4 Downy Emeralds at Kennardington (Kent), our first at this site. Good numbers of Hairy Dragonflies, Large Red Damselflies and Variable Damselflies but only one Four Spotted Chaser so far.
Orchids so far include Early Purple in their hundreds, Green Winged Orchids, Man Orchid and a Southern Marsh Orchid. Common Twayblades are very early this year and everywhere.
I have yet to leave Kent so far in 2024 for any goodies, but there is still time.
Dave

[dave brown]

BONSAI BANK (KENT)
Excellent day out today before the cloud and drizzle arrived. At least 12 Duke of Burgundy, 3 Dingy Skipper, 3 Green Hairstreak, usual Brimstones, Red Admiral, Orange Tip and Small Whites. Also saw at least 6 White-spotted Sable Moths, many Lady Orchids , Greater Butterfly Orchids and Fly Orchids. Lots of White Helleborines only a few days from flowering. 2 Small Purple-barred Moths.
This particular site appears to be at its best at the moment although a few of the Lady Orchids are going over and the Early Purple Orchids have finished.

There appears to be a big arrival of Silver Y moths going on. We counted 79 in a small patch of Denge Wood today. The other day we counted well over 200 at Dungeness Point and surrounding area on a day that the Assistant Warden counted over 400.
Dave

[dave brown]

2024 Catch Up 1st January to 20th February 2024.

As you would imagine this period was not the most productive for Butterflies, but I have chosen these dates as it does include our first butterfly sightings of the year. Birdwise it was fairly quiet compared to previous years but we did see the following,
Oare Marshes. 2 Great White Egrets, Spoonbill, Bittern.

Dungeness & Walland area. 12 Cattle Egrets, 2 Great Northern Divers, 1 Black Throated Diver, 2 Great White Egret, Ringtail Hen Harrier, 4 Glossy Ibis, 4 Whooper Swans, 58 Bewick Swans, 2 Bean Geese, Raven, 10 plus Tree Sparrows, 11 Pink Footed Geese, 5 Goldeneye.

Godmersham. Little Bunting. This bird was well twitched by Kent birders as many needed it for their Kent List. Luckily it stayed for over a week.
Challock (Kent). Several Crossbills, both male and female.

This is the first year that no Smew were present on Dungeness during the winter. Perhaps because of the milder wetter weather.

Now to the Butterflies. On a very warm 15th February we saw 2 male Brimstones in a wood near Sheldwich (Kent) and 4 male Brimstones together with a Comma in a wood near Challock (Kent).

[dave brown]

18th to 27th May 2024.
I personally have found seeing butterflies lately rather hard work. Numbers of many species appear to be down here in the locations that I visit in Kent. The same regards numbers of moths, and to some extent migrant birds, although Lesser Whitethroat appears to be having a good year.
We have enjoyed some good days of weather but a few wet and cold days.
A few goodies during this period includes our 1st of the year Painted Lady at Parkgate Down (Kent) 23/05, several Brown Argus, 2 Wall Browns, Green Veined Whites, many Brimstones. The best of the birds was a Woodchat Shrike at Dungeness on the 19th although it stayed mostly distant. Lastly a mega of a moth, infact two. Totally unexpected but a message from a friend saying he had trapped a Willowherb Hawkmoth at Folkestone sent us hurrying to see this beauty. A 4th for the UK and much appreciated by a number of admirers. Followed the next day by the 5th for the UK trapped at Littlestone (Kent) and available to view. Not often you get two much wanted moths in one weekend.
We have seen all the usual Kent Orchids during the period under review including the scarce, for Kent, Lesser Butterfly Orchid.
Hope you enjoy the photos.