essex buzzard

[essexbuzzard]

Well,it's been a cold week, with frost,sleet and hail. The picture below is how May started yesterday. But I saw my first Orange Tip today at work, and with the first warm spell at last on the cards,we will see a big emergence of Spring species this week and I,for one,can't wait!

[essexbuzzard]

What a difference a week makes! This week it was the perfect weather to enjoy one of the greatest things about living in Britain- a walk amongst the bluebells. Hill house wood, near Colchester, is the finest bluebell wood I have visited. Here,the nightingale sings, and Orange Tips and Green-veined Whites fly over the glorious purple haze. The scent,too, is something to savour. If only I could bottle it all up,instead I will make do with pictures. My first Holly Blue was also here. In the damp areas of the wood, another scent takes over,with a wild garlic carpet here. Several hours were spent here,trying to savour this wonderful moment. pictures to follow.

[essexbuzzard]

Pictures as promised

[essexbuzzard]

Wild garlic

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Mark

Great images of the bluebells and wild garlic, I can almost almost smell the scent

Cheers,

Neil.

[essexbuzzard]

Actually,I thought of you yesterday,when I saw this in my garden before I went to work,my first of the year:

[essexbuzzard]

Isn't it great to have the Orange Tips back. I saw my first on the 2 May. By the end of this month they will have finished. They epitomise the beauty of this time of year,as well as the hope we all have about the months to come. Orange Tips flying upc and down the hedges,and along the woodland edges,are one of the classic visions of Spring for the nature lover.

Yesterday,after work,I visited my local bluebell wood. Another beautiful carpet awaited,and along the sunny edges, lots of Orange Tips,Green-veined White, Peacocks,Small Torts and one each of Large White and Comma were active. The Peacocks were males,flying up at any rivals and Small Torts that passed,climbing high into the sky,then breaking away again. A pleasure just to watch the spectacle. Whites passing by were ignored. The reed bunting was singing, swallows were flying over the fields and,nearby,a hobby was seen. All in all,a most enjoyable evening.

[Goldie M]

Lovely views of the Woods and Blue Bells and the Green Veined White shot is great Goldie

[Wurzel]

Stunning 'sea of blue' Essex and some great OTs too!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks Goldie and Wurzel,glad you like the pictures.

The Poets Narcissi ,also known as the Pheasant-eye (Narcissus poeticus recurvus), is the last daffodil to flower,in May. Flowering so late,it extends the season. But I also grow it because it reminds me of Spring trips to Europe. In Provence and,especially to the Cevennes, in France,one of the lovely sights in May is of alpine meadows,white with Poets Narcissi, flowering by the thousand. I wonder if Guy has them in the meadows near him? They are a delight in the garden,but even more so in nature,turning the meadows white.

[essexbuzzard]

KENT

May is my busiest month of the year. So much to see and do,too little time. But yesterday (Thursday) I had a free day so it was time for a trip to Kent. First up was Saphire Hoe. This area of reclaimed land is where the soil from the channel tunnel was dumped. Now a nature reserve, it was quickly colonised by wild plants including the early spider orchid in thousands. It's been several years since I saw them last, so it was a pleasure to visit again.

Then onto Denge Wood. I visit most years,for here is a colony of Duke of Burgundy. Quite a few territorial males were in the lower pit of bonsai bank. Another Duke was behaving differently,crawling over the primrose leaves. She was a duchess, laying eggs. Never seen this before. Many other butterflies were present,including lots of Brimstones. Early purple orchids were in flower and the rare and splendid lady orchids were starting,they will peak in a week or two.

[essexbuzzard]

Then onto Trosley Country Park. Here,lots of Dingy And a few Grizzled Skippers were seen. Plenty of Brimstones and Peacocks,and several Holly Blues,these seem to be having a good Spring again. Small Torts were near the hedges,as were only one or two Orange Tips,sadly,these lovely Spring butterflies seem very few this year,what do others think? Still a very nice day out.

[essexbuzzard]

On my day off this week I decided to visit a couple of my local parks,to soak up the sights and scents,including the splendour of hawthorn blossom, the magnificent horse chestnut,the buttercups and the birdsong. A few butterflies were seen,though only one Orange Tip,I expect to see more here. Also saw Small Torts and a couple of caterpillar batches. Small Tortoiseshells have been at most sites I've visited this spring,certainly I've seen far more this year so far than I saw late summer and autumn last year, suggesting there could be something in my theory last year that some first brood adults went straight into hibernation rather than produce a second generation.

[Wurzel]

Lovely set of shots Essex I've done alright for OTs this year but that could be because I've found a 'good' site for them? I started reading through from the top of this page and what a contrast - from ice to butterflies! Really sums up this topsy turvy spring.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

After lunch,of to Bison Hill, Whipsnade. About an hour from home. Here the Duke of Burgundy flies,and many were seen. This place has a great support cast in the form of Dingy and Grizzed Skippers and Brimstones in number,and a single Orange Tip. Unfortunately, no Green Hairstreak this time. A lovely willow warbler was singing,and buzzards and kites overhead.

[essexbuzzard]

Cheers Wurzel,a contrast indeed! I have only found Orange Tips in number at one site,everywhere else they seem decidedly scarce,though perhaps it's my imagination and I've been unlucky-what do others think. They have only been out for about three weeks,I certainly hope they are not dissapearing already?

[essexbuzzard]

THURSDAY 36 MAY

Despite a few minor disappointments,this was a super day. Warm sunny weather,and splendid hawthorn blossom everywhere!
At Langdon,saw my first Common Blues of the year,plus Small Heath but,sadly,no Grizzled Skipper. They have been recorded by others,though.
Then Grays,where man orchids were putting on a fine show. Brimstones were everywhere,including three spiralling in the air,see picture, and several Green Hairstreaks, saw one laying eggs. Holly and Common Blues,Speckled Woods, whites,an Orange Tip and a Red Admiral also seen.
A nearby recreational ground had thousands of green wing orchids.

[essexbuzzard]

By now it was early afternoon,so we opted for Mill Hill, Sussex,not only for Adonis Blues,but I was hoping for a nice yellow carpet of horseshoe vetch. Driving along the The A27,I noticed large patches of vetch on the verges,a good sign. Sure enough,Mill Hill was yellow with the stuff! Plenty of fresh Adonis Blues on site,including females and two mating pairs. Dingy and Grizzled skippers present too,still some fresh ones. Two Green Hairstreaks were feeding on the vetch, as were several Common Blues. Speckled Wood,Red Admiral and Small Heath seen,and a Cinnabar moth. By 7pm,had to drag myself away from the lovely horseshoe vetch and the views,it was too good to leave. Driving back,again enjoyed the glorious flowering hawthorn on the verges.

[Wurzel]

Beautiful set of shots Essex, especially the male Adonis, in typical upside down pose

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

Just back from our early summer holiday. First we visited the Isle of Wight, arriving 9am. Unfortunately,it was rather grey and cold at the beginning of June. So we headed for the Needles for some walking,and also to see the multi-colour sands at Alum Bay. After lunch,we went on the lovely Isle of Wight steam railway. In the evening,we visited Bembridge windmill, the only surviving one on the island.

Not quite what we came for,but a nice day never the less.