Little Stint with gammy leg on the reserve at Dungeness this afternoon and Wood Sandpiper on ARC (viewed from path to water tower) this evening, also Whimbrel, Greenshank, half a dozen Green Sandpipers and quite a few Yellow Wagtails about. Lots of Painted Lady butterflies too.

We retuned from a week away yesterday noting a certain Long-tailed Shrike (Tracey’s #400, again) and a couple of ‘almost over’ Violet Helleborines en route. A hybrid was unfortunately more than just past its best! 3 Grey Wagtails and a Firecrest were a good start before work today.

A casual 58 species by 8:30am this morning at two local sites including a couple of Turtle Doves, Hobby, Kingfishers, Bullfinches, Common Sand’ and stuff.

Trustee meetings can be quite good. Striped Hawk-moth @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social

I was pleased to find six Broad-leaved Helleborines (mostly gone over, one just way past its best) nr Pembury water works before work this week but was more surprised to find two frazzled plants in Dunorlan’ this morning. They may have looked better two weeks ago! @ianbeavis.bsky.social #orchids

An enjoyable weekend. An unseasonal Meadow Pipit the best from Tonbridge station on Saturday. The land and wildlife at Balfour Winery is well respected - quite impressed. I failed to resist a little shrike spotting yesterday afternoon with plenty of other wildlife - more great farmland.

A casual day started with a walk around Rye Harbour NR where Whimbrel, two Greenshank & Little Terns obliged. A tearoom in Rye next for old times sake before we headed to Dungeness. A few bits noted there: female Garganey, Red-veined Darter and several Lesser Emperors the best.

Dungeness next stop for the moth day @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social This is just a small selection of a large number of moths seen. Hopefully not too many errors in the ALT 🤷🏻‍♂️

My first ever garden moth trap last weekend thanks to @davidnorgate.bsky.social Nothing too unusual but good all the same! Although I’m not sure most people would agree Box Moths are good round here. #TunbridgeWells

Friday evening: I had a distant (half a mile away) view of the Western Reef Heron on the beach near Conwy. Saturday: I casually started by walking to the Aber Falls before heading to the Conwy Estuary for much better views of the heron. Whixall Moss: several Large Heath and a single Black Darter.

Final post, phew. Some more fauna at Braunton Burrows at the weekend.

I’m not very good at my non-orchid fauna so it was great to have someone pointing bits out… ... I have an awful lot to learn. @rogercharding.bsky.social

A few other critters and the views aren’t too shabby from Braunton Burrows either. @rogercharding.bsky.social

A few Bee Orchids, Ophrys apifera, at Braunton Burrows. A couple certainly looked as if they were tending towards var. belgarum with the amount of yellow although the lips are all quite rounded @rogercharding.bsky.social @kirstyevans.bsky.social @lizlouise.bsky.social

Various shades of Southern Marsh Orchid, Dactylorhiza praetermissa, at Braunton Burrows last weekend. Thank you to @rogercharding.bsky.social

I need a five minute break so here are a few random photo’s from Kent taken over the last couple of weeks. Oh, no Welsh heron photo - mainly as I haven’t left Kent… …yet.

Not quite up to the standards of @marcheath.bsky.social but I think you can tell I’ve seen Red-veined Darter. Despite there being little sunshine half a dozen or so noted, my first in Kent. 33 species around #DunorlanPark, #TunbridgeWells this morning including a few more Common Spotted Orchids.

and now for some other #orchids… There seem to be less Lady Orchids this year and most are frying, same with Fly Orchids perhaps but lots of Greater Butterfly Orchids and one of last years ‘magenta type’ Fly Orchids was a great contrast to last weekends green Fly Orchids. #wildflowerhour

Here are some more Late Spider #Orchids at the same place - or are they? If anyone looks I’d love some thoughts on my comments in the ALT even if just to say I’m barking mad! 2 of 2 #wildflowerhour

We only visited one Late Spider #Orchid site today but had at least 40 including some interesting individuals… 1 of 2 #wildflowerhour

An unseasonably early Black-headed Gull at Dunorlan’ this morning presumably means that autumn is coming 🤷🏻‍♂️🤔😲 My first Common Spotted #Orchid of the year in the park too.

I started with Ophrys at 6:15am this morning with about 18 Bee Orchids (about 20% compared to last year). I went on to see about 40 Late Spider Orchids over a few sites - numbers seem to be down. I’m still getting confused with these however! Correction and guidance most welcome. #Orchids

I visited a few sites today and saw 12 species of #orchids by 2 O’clock. I didn’t see any more species after this but did see 75% of my meagre total of Fly Orchids for the day after this - 67% of those were rather green - yes that’s 50% of the Fly Orchids I saw today! Here they are. #KentNature

A great start to the weekend at Whetsted GP’s with purring Turtle Dove, Nightingales, Cuckoo, Garden Warbler and so much more. A few other bits and the local year list is now up to #113 I’ve notched up just three species of orchid since we got back from The Gargano (where we had almost 50).

Best bird from my short walks around Dunorlan Park, #TunbridgeWells so far this month was the Cuckoo heard singing about 6:15am today - my first here for four years. Whitethroat, Common Terns and Firecrests also noted this week.

I couldn’t sleep before reporting the result of our brilliant trip to The Gargarno: 3 species of Odonata, including a pair of Leates macrostigma (the last bit of action we had before downing the optics), A whole load of birds and a decent haul of other wildlife including a mega haul of 49 #orchids

A jaunt across the border into East Sussex got my days warbler list up to ten with a vocal but very showy Garden Warbler. Hobby was also my first in 2026. I finished at the tip / sewage works, why do I keep going there? A good day though with 64 species noted despite a fair bit sitting at my desk.

52 species of bird around Whetsted GP’s and the walk from/to Sherenden Farm this morning including Greenshank, Cuckoo, half a dozen Nightingale, Sedge, Reed & Willow Warblers and a couple of Lesser Whitethroat. A single drake Mandarin flew east, the drake Wood Duck still looks lost.

Common Crane was an unexpected bonus while on a house hunting mission up Norf’ at the weekend thanks to @applewildlife.bsky.social

Firecrest singing its heart out again this morning - such brilliant birds. A frosty walk round Dunorlan Park: 32 species noted but nothing too noteworthy. Skylarks doing their thing and common stuff like Green Woodpecker always a pleasure. #TunbridgeWells #KentBirding