July

2008

Much better for butterflies this month, with meadow browns peaking at 139 on the transect later in the month and good numbers of gatekeepers & ringlets. Blues were still thin on the ground until later in the month and in fact weren't recorded on the transect. Purple hairstreaks were present in good numbers, but white-letters were less obvious. A good emergence of peacocks later in the month. A few marbled whites were recorded on the transect, a less than annual event; and there was a white admiral on the 14th, only the 3rd reserve record & the first since 1992.

Highlight of the month moth-wise was the 1st reserve record of a tree-lichen beauty, formally a very rare migrant, but becoming more regular in the SE. Also notable was an olive, the 1st record since 1991, and a specimen of dingy footman var stramineola - an all-over pale orange moth, quite unlike the nominate dull grey thing. There was the usual collection of Nb regulars, including starwort, festoon, Kent black arches & dotted fanfoot + a selection of "local" species, including lunar-spotted pinion, small rufous, rosy footman & various wainscots.

Good numbers of small red-eyed damselflies have emerged from the ditches at Northward Hill & scarce emeralds have also been widely observed. Impressive numbers of (mainly) common darters also on the wing.

2006

The hot weather has been much better for butterflies, with good numbers of browns & blues. A peak of over 40 red admirals on the butterfly transect on 12th. Painted lady's have also been present regularly. White-letter & purple hairstreaks have been easy to find in the wood.

Large numbers of black-tailed skimmers have been present around the reserves water bodies. The first migrant hawkers had emerged by the end of the month. A single banded demoiselle along the Heron Trail on 14th was only the 3rd reserve record. Small red-eyed damselflies continue to be seen in the ditch crossed by the Heron Trail.

Moths also responded to the warmer conditions - 2 new species for the reserve were recorded: a small elephant hawk on 1st and a migrant bordered straw  on 30th. A series of notable records included the RDB3 rest harrow for the 2nd year in a row; Nb (nationally scarce) species Kent black arches, mocha, festoon, white colon, reed dagger, Webb's wainscot & cream-bordered green pea. Local species caught included lesser-spotted pinion, dingy shears, coronet, oak nycteoline & twin-spotted wainscot. A number of migrant moths recorded included several small mottled willow in the trap & large numbers of silver Y moths around the reserve.

A family of stoats have been regularly seen around the buildings at Bromhey Farm, often clambering about in the ivy outside the office!

2005

Hay-making out on the marshes has made brown hares easier to see, mainly in the early morning & evening. Fox cubs are leaving their earths and young badgers can be encountered out in the scrub around the Marshland trail well before dark.

Lestes damselflies are on the wing - the Scarce emerald (L. dryas) can be found in densely vegetated ditches & rills. The hotter days are seeing larger numbers of Odonata around, although Small red-eyed damsels are still quite hard to see due to the lack of floating weed (7 on 13th).

Many more brown butterflies active - meadow brown the most numerous all over the reserve, with ringlet & gatekeeper more restricted to the woodland. Also in the wood, small numbers of white-letter hairstreaks are still on the wing (11th) and purple hairstreaks are present in good numbers in areas of mature oaks. Large skippers are abundant in areas of long grass, with smaller numbers of small & Essex skippers.

Moth trapping continues to produce interesting records and some quite impressive species lists - the night of 10-11th saw over 50spp in the trap. Highlights have included a run of the nationally scarce (Nb) Kent black arches; and other Nb species have been a festoon (10-11th), crescent striped (7-8th) and another white colon (3rd-4th). Another two new species have been added to the reserve list - blackneck & small rufous. A number of localised species have also been recorded eg least carpet  (in numbers I've not previously seen here), crescent & fen wainscot. More reed daggers have turned up in the trap and an early Webb's wainscot was a surprise on the night of 15-16th. The 1st reserve record of dark spectacle was taken on 21st-22nd, as well as an individual of the local twin-spotted wainscot. 23rd-24th was another 50+ spp night, with 2 more Webb's wainscots, a southern wainscot & 2 dog's tooth the highlights.

The following night (24-25th), another new record for the reserve turned up in the shape of a dingy footman and there was a single of the Nb species waved black. Another Nb species, maple prominent was taken on 27-28th.