In the Garden mid September

Posted on 13th September 2016 by Richard

It’s supposed to be Autumn but with a temperature of 32.5 degrees centigrade today, it felt like mid Summer in the Med.
With the heat in mind I thought I’d just sit under the Laural Tree and see what comes along.

As always, nothing disappoints, there’s always something that catches your eye and hopefully makes for a decent photo.
First in line was the Juvenile Blackbird, she’s been around for a few weeks now and doesn’t seem to mind coming pretty close if there’s food involved. However, the food she seemed to fancy was a tad mission impossibly !

A little later I saw the first Harlequin Ladybird I’ve seen this Summer, there’s quite a few Seven Spotteds still here, mainly around the Holly Bushes, so nice to see this one. Change is as good as a rest and hopefully shows the Garden is attracting wildlife of any type.

This was followed with a Darter who certainly seemed to take a fancy to me.

Around 6pm I went inside the Shed and got that feeling something’s watching you. Sure enough there was the Fox who I’ve been feeding up after seeing the poor creature looking worse for wear a few weeks ago, sitting patiently watching the back door in wait for the evening sachet of Tesco’s Cat Food !

A quick stroll down the Lane to the field produced a Yellowhammer flitting around the Hedgerow. Lots of noise from what sounded like Long Tailed Tits and plenty of Swallows flying over.

Upon returning home I heard the distinctive call of a Chiffchaff in the front Garden which immediately brought back memories of Spring when one perched on the tree above my Shed giving it’s repetative call from dawn til dusk.

Busy times ahead !

Hothfield Heathland

Posted on 16th August 2016 by Richard

Sad to say, but in the 29 years I’ve lived in Ashford Kent I have never visited Hothfield Heathlands just 4 miles away from where I live.
I’ve missed something !!

Owned by the Kent Wildlife Trust, the area covers acres upon acres of Heathland, Grass, Bogs, Woods and Fields each in turn making ideal habitats for many species of wildlife.
It is only one of four remaining lowland valley bogs in Kent (years of housing developments being put up without much thought).

The Woodland feel and right Hebridean Sheep

Although I visited on a hot sunny day and we’ve had no rain for three weeks, the bog land still had a few marshy pools where many Dragon Flies live and breed.
Highlight are the Keeled Skimmers, the only place in Kent you will find them.

In the more meadow parts herds of Hebridean and Herdwick Sheep are kept. The Hebrideans tend to stick together in large numbers whereas the Herdwicks are more spread out and the only words to describe them is laid back.

Keeled Skimmers Mating

The wooded areas form a barrier between the Heathland and Fields and it’s here you will find, at the right time of the day, Barn and Tawny Owls, something for an early evening visit next time.
The woodland is kept maintained but ‘wild’ and gives a real feeling of how nature should be. It’s not designer wildlife habitat.

Many species of birds are attracted to this area; Yellowhammers, Treecreepers and of course Buzzards, Kestrels and Sparrowhawks. Hobby’s are also seen here occasionally.

The Heathland is found about 3 miles from Junction 10 of the M20 on the A20 where the Junction goes off to Hothfield and Pluckley.

Butterflies at Conningbrook Lakes

Posted on 3rd August 2016 by Richard

A walk around Conningbrook Lakes this morning didn’t produce many birds but the meadow grass and plants alongside the Eco Lake didn’t disappoint as far as Butterflies go.

Comma

Luckily I timed things just right, it started off quite dull and overcast but by about 11am the sun came through to give a wonderful colour to all you could see.

Meadow Brown – Gatekeeper – Small White

Bird wise there was the usual Heron on Eco Lake, a few Martins darting around by Main Lake, the Juvenile Pied Wagtails still dancing around the Bridge, Moorhens, Coots and that was about it.
In fact I think it’s the first time I haven’t seen a Swan on any of the Lakes.
These were amply replaced by huge numbers of Gulls though.

Meadow Brown – Speckled Wood – Peacock

Once again there were quite a few Dragons about but mainly active in flight. I was lucky enough to find the Red one sunning itself on the stone pathway.
I didn’t take my small Camera so every shot I took had to be from about 4 meters away, always annoying when you get home and some of them have that annoying thin piece of grass going right through the picture.

However, once again you have to say that you will always find something somewhere going on at Conningbrook.

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Conningbrook Lakes – Late July

Posted on 26th July 2016 by Richard

I went to Conningbrook Lakes this afternoon for two reasons 1. Hoping to see the reported Turtle Dove and 2. some Snakes.
I saw neither of course, but as always, something will take your fancy.

Being School Summer Holidays and what I thought was a perfect day for getting out and about after the heatwave, I was surprised that in my two hour stroll, I saw no one else at all!
Maybe they’re all queuing up at Dover Docks!

Although very common birds, the highlight was sitting on a Bench just by the bridge separating the main lake and watching a dozen or so juvenile Pied Wagtails darting around in a frenzy as if life depended on it. Saying that, to a bird, life does depend on it!

Gatekeeper – Marbled White – Speckled Wood

Damselfly – Banded – Heron in the Trees beside Eco Lake

Progressing around to the Eco and North Lakes I could hear many birds, mainly Long Tailed Tits, what I believe were juvenile Chaffinches and a couple of Green Woodpeckers.
As hard as I tried to get a photo, their darting between the leafy smaller trees beat me.
In the fields on the other side of the River there were intermittent groups of Skylarks.

The Wild Plants and Flowers alongside the Great Stour looked splendid. Now in their full glory you can see that much food supply will be there for Autumn and Winter, plus of course, many Butterflies, Bees and Dragon Flies enjoying them as they are now.

Now in it’s second year of opening much is happening at Conningbrook and I’m sure that many Nature lovers will be enjoying a very special last half of 2016 and next year to boot.

As for the Turtle Dove and Bees, I need to get myself out of bed at silly o’clock I think !!

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Hobby, Dragon Flies and more at Dungeness

Posted on 27th May 2016 by Richard

26th. May 2016

Todays outing RSPB Dungeness and the Beach there produced some great sights, even if they were all quite common such as Hobbies, Buntings, Gulls and Dragon Flies.

I noticed quite a few Birders around and it came to light that a Laughing Gull had been seen to the west of the Power Station. I looked at the walk it entailed and to be honest, although a chance to get a rarer bird, decided I’d already walked far enough.
As it happened I was told it flew away about half an hour before I found out, so it saved me a route march!

The Hobby

There were two reasons for going today; 1. A Hobby and 2. A Bittern, I didn’t see or hear the latter.
As always with searches for something you want, it wasn’t until I’d walked around for about an hour before I spotted it and what a sight that it, about the size of a Kestrel but seemingly more agile in it’s flight.
It didn’t perch but I managed a passing Shot.

Side view of the Hobby – Male Reed Bunting – Dungeness Old Lighthouse

Red Hot Poker – Whitethroat – Tree Sparrow

A male and a female Reed Bunting gave me a pretty good pose along by Denge Marsh plus a Whitethroat kindly took off just as I clicked.

The Stream from Denge back to Boulderwall Farm was littered with Marsh Frogs but as hard as I tried all I got was that plop noise as they heard me and dived for cover!
I did see a nice Four Spotted Chaser though and this shone quite well in the midday sun.

At Boulderwall Farm the Tree Sparrows were in full song and busying themselves around the Bird Feeders in the front Garden. Not many about now, so good to see they’re well looked after there.

After a cup of Coffee in the back of the Van at the ARC Car Park I popped along the Beach. Nothing much about but saw a rather splendid wild Red Hot Poker growing all on it’s own halfway down the Beach.

A pleasant day

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