What a stunner of a day, and on a bank holiday too - how often does that happen!
This morning I visited my local bluebell wood, on the way there I saw plenty of orange tips and brimstones flying around the flower filled hedges and road sides. At the wood there was a large white and more brimstones, orange tips and green veined whites.
I drove home via Itchingfield and again there were all the usual whites and a holly blue. This was my second holly blue of the day as I had seen one earlier flying over the garden. I decided to call in at Five Oaks on the way but apart from more whites I didn't see anything unusual. The nightingale singing in the hedge was lovely though.
At home a female orange tip was showing interest in the cuckoo flower. She didn't lay though, and sat on some garlic mustard for a while and then on some columbine which enabled me to get the camera out. This was the first time I've been able to get a shot of a butterfly which hasn't been in a mad hurry this year.
After lunch I went to Denbies again. Again, there were plenty of whites flying, and also a peacock. I went to the spot where I hoped to find green hairstreak and my attention was caught by some rustling in the grass; it was an adder. The green hairstreaks were also showing well. I know there were grizzled skipper around as other people showed me their excellent photos of them but I didn't get to see any myself as I ran out of time but I did manage to see a speckled wood flying over.
All in all, not a bad day and a few more to add to my challenge total.
Butterfly challenge:
1. Red Admiral
2. Brimstone
3. Peacock
4. Small Tortoiseshell
5. Small White
6. Orange Tip
7. Comma
8. Holly blue
9. Large white
10. Green veined white
11. Green hairstreak
12. Speckled wood
Yesterday it was a morris dancing festival in Horsham, and it was great fun!
