Warm, isn’t it?

Being close to the sea, we were rather cooler than the record-breaking temperatures in the week, but it has still been pretty hot.  The best moths have been either side of the hot days, with a plethora of new species for the garden, 5 in a fortnight, including some fairly scarce migrants.

Butterflies have also been plentiful, but the birds remain pretty quiet: that should change over the next few weeks.

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Small Phoenix
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Stonechat
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Brussels Lace
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Brown Argus
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Ruddy Darter
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Hare
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Reed Warbler
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Black-tailed Skimmer
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Wasp Spider
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Peach Blossom
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Splendid Brocade
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Chalkhill Blue
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Dark Green Fritillary

 

Summer time…

… and the birding is rubbish.  Still, there’s lots of butterflies, and the mothing is slowly picking up.

A walk up the down yesterday found Dark-green and Silver-washed Fritillaries in Sompting, Hummingbird Hawkmoths and a good supporting cast of other insects.  Later we went to Knepp to find the Large Tortoiseshell that has taken up residence.  It didn’t look promising, but after a while it was found drinking sap from an oak tree: rare, but not much to look at with a dull underside in the dark.  Fortunately after about 20 minutes it flew out and sat in the sun at eye level close by.

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An Emperor laying on Sompting Brooks
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Broad-bodied Chaser
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Eyed Hawkmoth
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Family photo: Eyed, Privet, Elephant and Small Elephant Hawkmoths
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Green Woodpecker
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Essex Skipper, I think
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Swallow
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Painted Lady
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Six-spot Burnet
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Dark Green Fritillary
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Large Tortoiseshell
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Large Tortoiseshell
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Black-tailed Skimmer (immature male)
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Purple Hairstreak
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Purple Emperor