essex buzzard

[essexbuzzard]

I always find it amazing how quickly nature responds to the weather. Ten days ago,we were in the grip of winter, with snow cover, and temperatures sub-zero both day and night. Yet here were are, with a week of mild weather, and the Crocuses have suddenly appeared from nowhere! Photographing these lovely flowers reminded me of my autumn trip to Greece last year . These were on a road verge in Ongar.

[David M]

The last few days sure have been transformative, Mark. Mind you, I have classed late February as spring for several years now because the bulbs are flowering by the second half of the month even when we have icy conditions at night-time.

I noticed yesterday my grape hyacinths were starting to emerge, even though, as you say, two weeks ago we had sleet and cold winds.

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks David. It’s always nice to see things moving in the right direction!

Welcome to the metrological spring, everyone! Sadly I missed out on all the butterflies everyone else was enjoying over the weekend, as I was working. But I was off today and, guess what? The clouds and cold has come back! But my time will come.

The myrobalan plum is now starting to bloom. Frequently confused with blackthorn, but flowering a month earlier, it is the first blossom to appear each year. After a mild winter, it can flower as early as February. But this year, it has delayed until March.

[essexbuzzard]

With higher temperatures and a bit of sunshine this week, things have at last got moving. On my daily exercise on Monday, several Peacocks and Commas were seen, as well as my first bee-flies of the year. The daffodils have finally opened, the myrobalan plum is at its glorious peak and, in the Park,the first cherry blossoms are out. Suddenly, colour is everywhere!

[essexbuzzard]

This is, I think, my first early-nesting bumblebee of the year.

[Wurzel]

Great to see the butterflies coming out your way Essex - it looks like going from the sublime to the ridiculous tomorrow Cracking Comma

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

With higher temperatures and a bit of sunshine this week, things have at last got moving. On my daily exercise on Monday, several Peacocks and Commas were seen, as well as my first bee-flies of the year. The daffodils have finally opened, the myrobalan plum is at its glorious peak and, in the Park,the first cherry blossoms are out. Suddenly, colour is everywhere!

Glad to see it's bounced into life round your way, Mark. I hope you are able to make the most of this warm blast right now. Seems everything is coming out en masse, which isn't surprising when we've seen temperatures into the 70s.

[essexbuzzard]

Butterflies have been hard to come by here so far. Cold weather and numerous April frosts have certainly slowed things down this year. However a couple of weeks ago, the anemones in the north Essex woods were in fine fettle. There is something wonderful about these simple, open flowers when seen in a spectacular carpet like this. Where else in the world could you see such a glorious sight?

Sometimes, a few pink ones can be found among the thousands of white flowers.

[essexbuzzard]

My first day trip of the year saw me heading down to Sussex on Monday. The quiet country lanes west of Billingshurst are bordered by verges rich with bluebells and cuckoo flowers, an attractive sight in their own right.

Wandering these lanes was pleasant enough, but on this cold morning, it was 11AM before the first butterfly appeared. But it was a beauty, and I was able to take my first Orange Tip picture of the year

Also on the verge was a lone Green-veined White.

[Wurzel]

That verge is a sight to behold Essex - it makes my local patch look ridiculously sparse (although only having a couple of clumps makes it easier to find the OTs ). Good to to see you got a cracking reward for the cold walk

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

That carpet of anemones is quite a sight, Mark....and the copious cuckoo-flower blooms along that bank isn't too shabby either!

No wonder you found Orange Tips.

[essexbuzzard]

Then on to Mill Hill for afternoon, where I was able to find my first spring Skippers of the year. Grizzled Skippers are one of my favourite spring butterflies, and I was able to find a few on this fabulous site. I hope to see a lot more of these before spring is over!

Dingy Skippers were also present in low numbers.

I was also able to find my first Green Hairstreak, Common Blue and Small Heath of the year.

Here is Mill Hill, for context.

[David M]

..I was also able to find my first Green Hairstreak, Common Blue and Small Heath of the year.

Common Blue is quite a surprise so early in this cold spring, Mark. By the look of your habitat image this would appear to be a warm site with protected microclimates allowing earlier emergences than elsewhere.

[essexbuzzard]

Yes David, Mill Hill is a warm site, and often produces the first sightings of several spring species.

With a cold April, and now a very wet and dull May, butterflies sightings have been few and far between. But the Essex bluebells have been glorious, and peaked this week. This compares to the third week of April last year!

[Benjamin]

Hi Mark - yes that’s about the difference I’m seeing for timings in Sussex woods. Beautiful photos.

[David M]

Absolutely beautiful scenes, Mark, and very much a British one.

I've noticed how the bluebells have rallied since May Day Bank Holiday following all the rain. Sadly, we need that to stop now because sunshine is currently the commodity in short supply.

Still, like you say, at least we have got them through May, unlike last year (and the year before) when they were all spent by the middle of the month.

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks guys. There’s nothing quite like the sight and scent of a British bluebell Wood, is there!

[essexbuzzard]

During a brief sunny spell earlier this week, several Orange Tips appeared, another sight of spring!

There was a female present, too, and she was quickly pumping out eggs, before the rain returned...

[trevor]

Lovely OT shots, Mark. The cool weather this Spring has made
them easier targets for us than usual, as they frequently stopped to bask.

Stay well,
Trevor.

[Neil Freeman]

Love the bluebell wood photos Mark and some cracking Orange-tip shots

Cheers,

Neil.