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Silver Cloud trapped last night in Kent, following one in Suffolk last month, a presumed continental migrant

A few butterflies from Fackenden downs this morning: Dingy Skipper, Small Copper, Green Hairstreak and Small Heath.

Another visit to Fackenden downs, this time it was warmer and sunnier. Highlights included Broad-bodied Chaser, several Small Blues and a few Grizzled Skippers.

Very pleased to locate this Lady Orchid var alba today - absolutely stunning! Duke of Burgundys in cop provided a diversion, then the alba theme continued on the way home with Green-winged orchid var alba. Nice.

A family trip to Strawberry bank near Bredhurst produced Small Blue, Adonis Blue, Green Hairstreak and several Man orchids. A brief look at Brookland lakes, Dartford produced Downy Emerald and Red-eyed Damselflies.

Pleased to see my first Adonis Blues 📷 at Fackenden Downs this morning. Also good numbers of Small Blues and a Burnet Companion📷

A great day out in Kent yesterday - Temminck's stint, Cattle egret, Tree pipit, LSWP, Garden Warbler, Crossbill, Hobby, Bittern, Wood Sandpiper, 4 spotted chaser, Hairy DF, Variable damsels and Spotted Flycatchers.

A trip to the south coast yesterday was highly successful and included Sword-leaved helleborines, Bird's-nest orchid, Heath Spotted orchid var concolor, Marsh Fritillary, Hudsonian Godwit, Wood White, Grass wave, BB chaser and Wall Brown.

Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth on Salisbury Plain today; feeding on Kidney Vetch at present but in a few weeks they will switch to Viper's Bugloss

9 species of dragonfly seen this afternoon at New Hythe, Kent including Hairy Dragonfly, Downy Emerald, Scarce Chaser, Banded Demoseille and Four-spotted Chaser.

Swanscombe SSSI this afternoon: Man orchid, in bud Bee orchid and cracking views of Small Blues.

A tour of a few Kent sites produced Greenshank, Cuckoo, Nightingale, Red Kite, Hobby, Red-footed Falcon, Curlew Sandpiper, Garganey, Bittern, Cattle egret and Turtle dove.

Definitely a day of 2 halves yesterday - The morning spent admiring Burnt Tip and Military orchids, whilst the afternoon was a 5 hour war of attrition spent at Dungeness tracking down the Eastern Bonelli's warbler.

Just spent a few days at Sandwich Bay. Highlights included Lizard orchid, Bedstraw Broomrape, Common Broomrape (which parasitises Sea Holly here) and Dainty damselfly.

Visited East Blean wood on the way home from Sandwich - Heath Fritillary butterflies and caterpillars seen, as well as Dasycera olivella in good numbers.

Also en route home we visited Westbere. A good decision with superb views of Scarce Chaser, Norfolk Hawker and Broad-bodied Chaser.

A pleasant morning at Fackenden downs produced Man orchid📸, Lace Border📸, Marbled White, Small Blue, Small Skipper and White-legged Damselfly📸 amongst the highlights.

Heath Spotted orchid at it's only Kent site, Southern Marsh orchid on the Folkestone downs and a Late Spider orchid in habitat shot.

Some more Late Spider orchids from today showing variation / possible hybridisation (one photo only). All seen in the excellent company of Roger Harding . Lower numbers than recent years, maybe affected by the drought.

1/6/25 - For this week's #wildflowerhour #OrchidChallenge I'm going to choose one of our highlights from Mariposa Nature Tours's #Orchids of Kent tour that I co-led with Jon Dunn 🇺🇦 Pseudocopulation in action; a male Sand Wasp (Argogorytes) on a Fly #Orchid (Ophrys insectifera)