First for Year Dragons and Butterflies

 For a birthday treat I took myself off to the quiet reserve of Watts/Monks Wood in Lincolnshire yesterday.  I was fortunate with the weather which was by and large cloudless and 22C.  I headed straight to the regular spot for broad bodied chasers but apart from a couple of four spotted chasers none were in evidence.  The pink water lily in the pond, though was looking magnificent.  I was pleased to see new for the year butterflies: meadow brown, ringlet and large skipper.  I was suprised to find ringlet as they usually appear after the other two but maybe things are well behind on my regular Horsefield patch. Also unlike the Horsefield, there were plenty of common blues but all very worn so they have obviously been out for some time.

On the large pond there were large numbers of bright turquoise emperor dragonflies but they were constantly moving and gave no chance for photography.  I think that they must have been perching up in the cover of surrounding undergrowth.  As I was leaving the Co-op pond I heard and then had good views of a juvenile greater spotted woodpecker.

Back at the smaller pond I was delighted to find broad bodied chaser and, as usual were a delight to photograph.  Having secured some images I moved on to Beatles Pond where there were more 4 spots and a retiring male banded demoiselle damselfly as well as a white water lily.  From here I headed back to the car via the Watts Wood path, picked up my lunch and returned to the broad body pond for a last session.  Just as I was preparing to leave another pair of males appeared and a three way territorial dog fight took place.  An amazing sight.

Altogether an excellent day topped off with a BBQ in the evening.

To view large, please click on an image.

Broad Bodied Chaser

Broad Bodied Chaser

Broad Bodied Chaser

Broad Bodied Chaser

Broad Bodied Chaser

Broad Bodied Chaser

Broad Bodied Chaser

Broad Bodied Chaser

Common Blue

Dog Rose

Four Spotted Chaser

Four Spotted Chaser

Four Spotted Chaser

Four Spotted Chaser

Four Spotted Chaser

Four Spotted Chaser

Juvenile Greater Spotted Woodpecker

Large Skipper

Large Skipper

Large Skipper

Large Skipper

Meadow Brown

Meadow Brown

Ringlet

Water Lily

Water Lily

Newly emerged butterflies

 After yesterdays biblical downpour - 25mm of rain - it was good to be able to walk around the Horsefield.  Warm, today but overcast and with a cool wind from the north.  Everything is much more grown up now.  There are still not many butterflies on the wing but there were freshly minted, newly emerged small tortoiseshells and red admirals.

• Small tortoishells 15
• small white  3
• Red Admiral  3
• Small Heath 2
• Mother Shipton's  2 
• Yellow Shell moth 2

To view large, please click on an image.

Red Admiral

Small Heath

Yellow Shell Moth

A Morning at the Seaside

 It was wonderful today down at Cleethorpes.  The saltmarsh was fresh and green and the beach golden with the sea sparkling in the sun behind.  I had gone hoping for butterflies and also to check ot the orchids.  The dunes were a blaze of colour: yellows of swathers of buttercups and bird's-foot trefoil studded with the pinkish purple orchids.  The orchids here are hybrids of common spotted and southern marsh orchids, both relatively small plants.  The hybrids, though, benefit from hybrid vigour and are tall and robust and in a variety of shades and with and without spotted leaves.  They have been hybridising here for many years and I couldn't find much evidence of the pure species apart from on clump of possibly pure(ish) common spotted.  Butterflies, however, were notable from their lack.  I only found 1 common blue, 3 small white and 1 male orange tip.  Where are all the butterflies this year?  Is it down to the very poor April and May?

The first image is of common spotted, the remainder are hybrids.

To view large, please click on an image.

A Trip Out to Scallows

 The little owl sat on the gate post as I drove along the lane to Scallows.  Turning round in a gateway a couple of hundred yards firther on and preparing the camera, I drove slowly back, wondering if I dare block the road.  In the event the owl was having none of of it and headed for the horizon.  I was keen to get out to scallows to check the front meadow for butterflies as John had cleared the sheep out and it was growing up nicely.  It was a pleasure to be back again.  Inside the wood it was cathedral like but lit with a green light.  As I parked up I spotted a pair of speckled woods dancing in a patch of sunlight and managed to secure a photograph.  The wild garlic which had been so luxurient a few weeks ago has now died back completely.  The meadow is looking really good and I saw 4 male and 2 female common blues which is the best I have done for a while.  Apart from the speckled woods, a single small heath and a small white there was nothing else on the wing.  I did find 11 mother Shipton's moths though.

To view large, please click on an image.

Femael common blue

Male common blue

Male common blue

Mother Shipton's

Speckled Wood

A Mass of Birdsfoot Trefoil on the Horsefield

 Another Clear Sunny day, although at 20C and a fresh breeze, slightly cooler. Dog Rose and field bindweed are now in flower as well as goat's beard.  I found a clump of Japanese knotweed in the middle hedge; good job it's not in the garden.  On the plant front, though, the highlight is the mass of bird's-foot trefoil growing in large patches where the horses have grazed last year.  This, of course, begs the question where are all the common blues as this is the larval food plant.

• Small white 15
• Small Tortoiseshell 3
• Small Heath 6
• Mother shipton's 1
• Common blue 1
• Painted lady 1
• Red Admiral 1
• Common blue damselfly.

To view large, please click on an image.

Bird's-foot trefoil

Dog Rose

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

Common Blue Damselfly

Small Heath

Small Heath

Small White