Just found at home in Sittingbourne

The June Stones Farm CP wildlife survey was hot but windy. Karen found the highlight, the sites first Shrill Carder. A pair of House Martins around were also good. Marbled White & Ringlet were confirmed but plenty of Skippers to ID. 2 Sp of Longhorn Beetle noted. Barn Swallows around the paddock.

A hot & humid brief visit to the @kentwildlife.bsky.social Hothfield Common Triangle. Enchanters Nightshade, Scarlet Pimpernel & Rosebay Willowherb are now in flower. Few birds calling, only Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Blackbirds & Wren. A couple of Whites flew past without stopping & 2 Meadow Browns.

A hot lunchtime visit to @kentwildlife.bsky.social Cromers Wood. Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Blackcap & Blackbird heard & a Magpie seen. A few female Darters about & Hawkers at the intersection. The Red Admirals were feisty, circling close a few times. 2 Silver-washed Fritillaries tussled along a ride

Sought the comparative shelter of @kentwildlife.bsky.social Ashford Warren & Hoades Wood. The wood was muggy as the previous day’s rain evaporated. 3 each of Chiffchaff, Blackcap heard. Wood Sage, Hedge Woundwort in flower. A few hoverflies & a couple of Common Wasps on bramble flowers.

Following the early morning thunderstorms, my lunchtime visit to the heathland plot was in high humidity. First House Martin’s were heard but unseen, Linnet & Greenfinch amongst the Gorse. A Pantaloon Bee was a year tick, as is the robberfly. Marbled & Green-veined Whites & Meadow Brown noted.

An evening walk at Mintching & Kingsdown Wood, Milstead. A Sweet Chestnut wood being coppiced, at least 4 Song Thrush in song. 3 Blackcap & Blackbird, Blue Tit & Wren also heard. A Hummingbird Hawk-moth (yt) fed on Marsh Thistle. One coppiced ride had 100’s of flowering Foxgloves & Marsh Thistles

A multi-coloured lunchtime walk @kentwildlife.bsky.social Cromers Wood. A Silver-washed Fritillary, White & Red Admirals, Meadow Browns & Green-veined Whites all seen along with Scarlet Pimpernel. Blackbird, Blackcap & Green Woodpecker all heard. At the path intersection, hawkers tirelessly circled.

A pair of Med Gulls drifting over were the avian highlight although a male Linnet is a handsome sight. The brambles that were sheltered from the strong wind were busy with insects. Majority of bumblebees were Buff-tailed. Found a pair of Wool Carder (lifer). Quite a few butterfly species also seen.

A brief visit to Queenbrough on the way to the beach hut this afternoon The Medway was re flooding the Swale, pushing the BHG, Shelduck, Curlew & Oystercatchers slowly towards us. 4 Little Terns constantly flew along the tide line, diving into the shallows. Peacock & Red Admiral along the sea wall.

A hot morning for the June Milton Creek wildlife survey. At least 38 Marbled White seen on the route, first Ringlet’s of the year. A calling Lesser Whitethroat, the avain highlight. Matt brought a pheromone lure & we recorded 3 6-belt Clearwing. Karen caught a Shrill Carder. 5 dragonfly sp also

The last Milton Creek bird survey of the year tonight. On a warm evening, the highlight was a briefly heard Turtle Dove in the same area as previous surveys. A flock of c15 Swift high overhead. The Prymidal orchids are in flower but no sign of Bee Orchid. A Lesser Stag Beetle is a yt.

Did the @shepherdneame.bsky.social St. Margaret’s walk this morning. Bright sunshine then the mist rolled in. Thunderstorm on the French side on the way back. Good numbers of Skylark, a Corn Bunting (yt) heard at South Foreland Lighthouse. Peregrine (yt) took off from the cliffs. Marbled White yt.

A hot lunchtime walk around @kentwildlife.bsky.social Cromers Wood before the rain came in. A butterfly day with good, close extended views of Silver-washed Fritillary & White Admiral. Meadows Browns & a couple of Whites on the wing. The cross path section had a few darters flying above head height

A warm but windy visit to @kentwildlife.bsky.social Cromers Wood. Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Blackbird & Wren all heard. A few butterflies species seen with Meadow Brown the most numerous. Duelling Speckled Wood, a Red Admiral & a Painted Lady also noted. A Harvestman to ID later.

A hot, sunny lunchtime visit to the heathland plot at Eureka Park, Ashford. With the Gorse & Broom now gone to seed. the brambles are the main pollen source. Blackbird, Song Thrush & Chiffchaff constantly calling. A Linnet called from within a Gorse stand. A calling Coal Tit was the highlight

A fantastic weekend away at Moat Farm, Shadoxhurst. A Willow Warbler heard calling for 2 days was the highlight. Garden Warbler, Blackcap & Chiffchaff regularly heard along with a Stock Dove by the shepherd’s hut. The bramble and nettle patches had a lot of insects so will take time to work through

An early afternoon visit to @kentwildlife.bsky.social Hothfield Common. At least 2 Yellowhammer were heard along with 5 Song Thrushes around the reserve. Few insects about although a male Broad-bodied Chaser showed well at the main bog where there were c30 Heath Spotted Orchids. in flower.

A wildflower meadow walk at Moat Farm, Shadoxhurst was fascinating. At least 200 Common Spotted Orchids seen along with a few potential botanical lifers. Surprised to find Cow-Wheat. A Sliver-washed Fritillary & White Admiral were year ticks. Majority of butterflies were Meadow Browns.

An unexpected bonus on a visit to Tenterden. 29 active House Martin nests under the eaves of a row of shops. A further nest was across the road. #kentnature #kentbirding

A visit to @kentwildlife.bsky.social Cromer Wood this morning. A calling Song Thrush was heard around the reserve. Quite a few Southern Cuckoo bumblebees seen, almost the most numerous bumblebee seen. C10 Common Spotted Orchids (yt) found. A lot of invertebrates photographed that need ID’ing

The last, and earliest starting, bird survey at Milton Creek CP this morning. A distant Cuckoo heard, at least 4 Song Thrushes heard around the park, previously an uncommon bird. Blackcap, Chiffchaff & Whitethroat still calling. No Nightingale heard, hopefully a sign of breeding, or Turtle Dove.

As I was passing visited Dartford Marshes for the first time. In bright but windy conditions, the first birds seen were House Martins & Swifts. Reed Warbler & Whitethroat the most numerous birds heard. The tide was out so the River Darent only had Mallard & Redshank. First Large Skippers of the year

A sunny but breezy afternoon visit to @kentwildlife.bsky.social Oare Marshes on a rising tide. At least 150+ Black-tailed Godwits in various degrees of summer plumage. Cattle Egret, Bearded Reedling & a Sandwich Tern over the Swale were year ticks. A possible lifer in a Smooth Carrion Beetle.

An afternoon 5m walk around Shipbourne, including Dene Park. Odonata were the highlight with yt’s in Beautiful Demoiselle, White-legged Damsel & Broad-bodied Chaser. Always nice to see House Martin’s with 5+ feeding close a hedge. Dene Park was quiet butterfly wise but did get Meadow Brown nearby.

A quick visit to @kentwildlife.bsky.social Cromers Wood before watching my son play a cricket match. A Grey Heron was disturbed from the pond, where an Emperor (yt) patrolled over blue damselflies ovipositing. A couple of Blackcap & Chiffchaff calling. Chicken of the Wood have appeared.

A brief walk around the Triangle @kentwildlife.bsky.social Hothfield Common, Ashford. In hot and humid conditions fewer birds were heard, although the Goldcrest in the Fir at the car park entrance is stilling calling. A recently fledged Great Tit flew across the path. A Heath Spotted Orchid found.

Hopefully a lifer in the form of a Toadflax Brocade feeding on Honeysuckle

Lunchetime @kentwildlife.bsky.social Cromers Wood. A Sweet Chestnut dominant wood, less bird song than Oak rich Ashford Warren. 4 Chiffchaff & 2 Blackcap. More bumblebees seen with 3 sp. Also, Painted Ladies (2), Speckled Wood (4) & a Common Blue. Found a coupled Large Red Damselflies. Lifer beetle

Hopefully a Nigma puella, Bleeding Heart Spider, found on Honeysuckle in Sittingbourne. #kentnature @britishspiders.bsky.social

Another hot day so headed back to @kentwildlife.bsky.social Ashford Warren & Hoades Wood. Similar birds to those recorded yesterday but 2 possible Stock Doves were flying through the wood. A fleeting glimpse suggested a Spotted Flycatcher but I didn’t see the bird again.

First pug of the year found at home. Hopefully correctly ID’d as a Freyer’s.

Sought out of the shade @kentwildlife.bsky.social Ashford Warren this lunchtime. Song Thrush, Stock Dove, Blue, Great & Long-tailed Tit amongst the birds heard. A male Banded Demoiselle (yt) evaded a photo. A fungus beetle is a lifer. The bracken will soon blanket the majority of the woodland floor

It was 16c at 4:30am when we started the latest Milton Creek CP bird survey. Highlights were a Turtle Dove purring, 2 Cuckoo chasing each other and singles of Hobby & Garden Warbler (h). 39 species recorded, taking no Nightingales being heard as a good sign. Plenty of Marsh Frogs heard.

Driving back from a family get together at a local pub this evening, saw a silhouetted Little Owl on top of a telephone pole. #kentbirding

As I’m starting to record Arachnids, might as well start close to home. An Eratigena so. possibly duellica (Giant House Spider) & a Pseudeuophrys, possibly lanigera (House Jumping Spider). #kentnature @britishspiders.bsky.social

A 5m walk around Bredhurst this morning & early afternoon. Plenty of bird song with double digit numbers for Blackbird, Blackcap, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Robin & Wren. A few Whites & Blues that didn’t land but i did record 7 Small Heath, Peacock & Speckled Wood. Didn’t make it to Strawberry Bank.

An afternoon walk at a hot & humid Sharsted Wood. The calls of 2 Song Thrushes were the dominant calls around the wood. Blackbird, Blackcap, Chaffinch & Chiffchaff also heard around the wood. In the beech section, a Coal Tit called. 2 sp of woodpecker also heard. Orange-tip & Speckled Wood also seen

An afternoon in Thanet allowed a walk along Grenham & Epple Bays, Birchington. On a receding tide, we had 21 Herring Gull, 3 Starling on the seaweed, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Little Egret, 1 GBBG and an Oystercatcher. #kentbirding #kentnature

It was the May Milton Creek CP wildlife survey. Swifts over the church were a yt, Nightingale & Cuckoo heard. I saw 3 male Orange-tip & a Green Hairstreak. Buff-tailed, Garden, Early & Common Carder were the bumblebee species recorded. Lackey & Jersey Tiger caterpillars found. Lots of photos!

An hour spent @kentwildlife.bsky.social Chilston Pines, Lenham, this afternoon. Under grey clouds, with some showers, the Sheep Sorrel created patches of red. Few birds seen, most heard, nothing add to the year list. Azure Damselfly was new however with a possibly arachnid lifer (cricket-bat spider)

An evening walk around Highsted Wood. Sittingbourne. The temperature dropped out of the sunlight. The wood is in transition as the Bluebell & Ramsons go over. At least 4 Blackbird & 2 Song Thrush heard amongst the 16 sp noted. The chicks in the woodpecker hole constantly calling.

We arrived @kentwildlife.bsky.social Cromers Wood in bright sunshine following a brief heavy shower. The highlight was a Garden Warbler calling from the lower northern boundary, an uncommon bird. 3 Chiff’s & 2 Blackcaps also heard, along with GSW, Robin, Blue Tit. 3 Speckled Woods, hoverfly yt also.

Visited the low lying plot at Eureka Park, Ashford. Blackbird. Blackcap & Robin constantly calling along with LTT, Chiffchaff & Wren. A lot invertebrates about. A lifer sawfly, 4 sp of Ladybird. Red & Black Froghopper yt. A lot of small micro moths flying around. A possible Lesser Trefoil

An evening visit to @kentwildlife.bsky.social Queensdown Warren. The dusk chorus was beginning with Blackbird & Song Trush singing along with Robin, Blackcap & Wren calling. Great Spot & Green Woodpecker also heard. Carline Thistle is new for the year. I need to see which species the Milkwort is.

A cold & windy visit to @kentwildlife.bsky.social Cromers Wood this afternoon. At least 3 Blackcaps heard along with a Jay. Drake Mallard on the pond. Seemed a quiet visit until I looked closer. Wasp Beetle(yt), Green Hairstreak, a couple of spider sp’s to ID, 2 Longhorn moths & a Harvestman (yt)

A walk around the Blue Bell Hill area today. Sunny but windy, lots of gradients! A lifer in a Grizzled Skipper briefly seen at Coty Kits House. Year ticks in Painted Lady, Common Broomrape, Click-beetle & possibly a Firecrest calling (to be checked at home). Lots of Robin & Blackcap calling.

As I was passing, stopped @kentwildlife.bsky.social Hothfield Common triangle. A natural symphony of bird song. Blackbird, Blackcap, Song Thrush, Wren, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff & Garden Warbler all constantly singing. A few invertebrates to ID but a potential Longhorn Beetle lifer unfortunately dead.

An overcast visit to the heathland lot this lunchtime. The Gorse has finished flowering. the Broom has taken on the baton. 10 bird species recorded, nothing new. A lifer in the form of a Common Quaker, a Sawfly year tick. A few micro moths flying about. A spider actually allowed a photo or 10.

A lunchtime walk @kentwildlife.bsky.social Ashford Warren. A possible Greenfinch was heard, an unusual bird on this route but other than that same bird species recorded. A new micro moth found and possibly a mining bee for me. Year ticks from a hoverfly and an early Speckled bush-cricket.