I popped back to Lullingstone and Fackenden today to show a
friend around and basically conducted a rerun of yesterday’s outing. The weather was cooler, greyer and windier
but we did ok.
The damselflies at Lullingstone down on the Darent were slow
to get up and I just could not find a White-legged today at all but at least
there were still a couple of Dark-green Fritillaries gliding around the top
fields in the company of the same spread of species as yesterday although there
were definitely more Small Heaths and Brown Argus on the wing.
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| Banded Demoiselle |
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| Dark Green Fritillary |
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| Gatekeeper |
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| Gatekeeper |
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| Small Heath |
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| Small Copper |
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| Small Copper |
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| Nemophora scabiosella |
My failure to find Andrena hattorfiana yesterday was
corrected today with a single of this large specialised bee on the Scabious. Dasysyrphus albostriatus, Cheilosia illustrata,
Syrphus ribesii, Episyrphus balteatus and Eristalis tenax, pertinax and
arbustorum were seen on the Hogweed amongst the Red Soldier Beetles. The first Migrant Hawker of the season was patrolling the side of a small copse.
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| Andrena hattorfiana |
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| Dasysyrphus albostriatus |
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| Cheilosia illustrata |
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| Syrphus sp |
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| Graphomya maculata |
A rumbling Merlin engine told us of an impending Spitfire arrival and the Lavender fields were still intoxicating as we looped back to the car. A quick look at the Green-flowered Helleborines and then off to Fackenden Down where the Chalk-hill Blues dazzled despite the windy conditions. A couple of Small Blue and many Brown Argus were noted and there were some sulphurous male Brimstones now on the wing as well as two more Dark Green Frits.
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| Chalk-hill Blue |
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| Chalk-hill Blue |
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| Chalk-hill Blue |
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| Chalk-hill Blue |
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| Chalk-hill Blue |
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| Chalk-hill Blues |
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| Common Blue |
I managed to locate Stripe-winged Grasshopper again and a
smart but worn little pied micro moth that I think is Pyrausta nigrata along
with the more familiar Pyrausta aurata.
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| Stripe-winged Grasshopper |
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| Meadow Grasshopper - male |
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| Meadow Grasshopper - female |
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| Pyrausta nigrata |
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| Pyrausta aurata |
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| Oncocera semirubella |
Eyebright was new to the plant tally and invisibly kronking
Ravens eventually gave us a family of four tumbling overhead while Hobby,
Buzzard and Kestrel were also seen.
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| Eyebright |
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| Hobby |
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| Ravens |
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| Ravens |
The Adders were not on their pile when we arrived but at
least two were watching us as we returned and were, as yesterday a fine way to
end our visit.
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| Adder |
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