Thanks Wurzel, Katrina and Trevor
This is the time of year that my garden often produces the same species that my local sites do albeit in smaller numbers.
Wednesday 3rd May.
I had a couple of errands to run this morning but once these were done I pottered about in the garden for a bit with my camera at hand in case any opportunities presented themselves. By now it was feeling quite pleasant with the sun shining from mostly clear blues skies with just a bit of wispy high level cloud about, although there was a cool breeze holding the temperature down a bit..
A couple of male Speckled Wood were sparring over the usual favourite spots and settling occasionally with their wings tightly closed in the bright sunlight.
After going in for a bit of lunch, I went back out into the garden just in time to see an Orange-tip settle on my Spanish bluebells and grabbing my camera I managed to get a couple of quick shots before it was off again.
![Coverdale 03.05.2023 0041 resize.JPG (503.24 KiB) Viewed 3256 times Orange-tip - Coverdale Road 03.05.2023](./files/thumb_10101_748a8a9eb0e810f337d0da097c13f579)
- Orange-tip - Coverdale Road 03.05.2023
I spent another hour in the garden and had return visits from a couple of Orange-tips and Holly Blues (or maybe the same ones on repeat circuits) but by now they weren’t stopping despite the still quite cool wind.
I then decided to have a wander down to my local spot by Wagon Lane to see if anything had changed since my last visit about a week ago. The first obvious difference was that the blackthorn blossom was nearly all over now with even the later flowering stands now browned off by the recent cold nights.
Despite fewer numbers than a week or so back, Small Tortoiseshells were still the most numerous species with around a dozen seen, including some engaged in courtship behaviour.
![Wagon Lane 03.05.2023 0031 resize.JPG (603.41 KiB) Viewed 3256 times Small Tortoiseshell - Wagon Lane 03.05.2023](./files/thumb_10101_74a7cb0fac90ba86d16fe3f1b5940bee)
- Small Tortoiseshell - Wagon Lane 03.05.2023
![Wagon Lane 03.05.2023 0241 resize.JPG (711.21 KiB) Viewed 3256 times Small Tortoiseshell pair - Wagon Lane 03.05.2023](./files/thumb_10101_dbe02cf282e496207e5c70c54c64d879)
- Small Tortoiseshell pair - Wagon Lane 03.05.2023
![Wagon Lane 03.05.2023 0311 resize.JPG (681.02 KiB) Viewed 3256 times Small Tortoiseshell pair - Wagon Lane 03.05.2023](./files/thumb_10101_49b12252552c00380ed27548b6941ea9)
- Small Tortoiseshell pair - Wagon Lane 03.05.2023
Just two Peacocks were seen, in the same spots as last time and quite possibly the same individuals that I had seen here before, just looking a bit more faded now.
![Wagon Lane 03.05.2023 0431 resize.JPG (889.85 KiB) Viewed 3256 times Peacock - Wagon Lane 03.05.2023](./files/thumb_10101_a09f0c2733e50e417dbf03aa3a7659f7)
- Peacock - Wagon Lane 03.05.2023
![Wagon Lane 03.05.2023 0701 resize.JPG (702.63 KiB) Viewed 3256 times Peacock - Wagon Lane 03.05.2023](./files/thumb_10101_12fa04b59c0f25ea6c022156ff38faf8)
- Peacock - Wagon Lane 03.05.2023
I was just thinking that I hadn’t seen a Comma here today when I spotted one basking on a bramble patch. This remained the only one seen here today.
![Wagon Lane 03.05.2023 0631 resize.JPG (695.36 KiB) Viewed 3256 times Comma - Wagon Lane 03.05.2023](./files/thumb_10101_0654c7e6d225cf457c0cc8fe9aa550e5)
- Comma - Wagon Lane 03.05.2023
There were more ‘whites’ about today with around a dozen seen although these were nearly all too far away and too active to confirm their IDS. The only one that I am sure of was a female Orange-tip that I spotted settled by the side of the path.
![Wagon Lane 03.05.2023 0511 resize.JPG (575.26 KiB) Viewed 3256 times Orange-tip female - Wagon Lane 03.05.2023](./files/thumb_10101_1b39f4d7423b2752a085008228d3da57)
- Orange-tip female - Wagon Lane 03.05.2023
I addition to these I reckon I saw half or dozen or so male Orange-tips but again they were too active to get close to.
Equally as active were the half dozen or so Holly Blues that I saw and although I saw a couple of these settle they were high up and out of reach of any decent shots. The photo below is a close crop of the only one that was close enough that I could be bothered to try and photograph.
![Wagon Lane 03.05.2023 0371 resize.JPG (554.11 KiB) Viewed 3256 times Holly blue - Wagon Lane 03.05.2023](./files/thumb_10101_3e44f48f31b90d229ba71f21ef4df2c1)
- Holly blue - Wagon Lane 03.05.2023
Back home again later in the afternoon I popped into the garden with a coffee and waited to see what came along. I soon spotted a fresh looking Speckled Wood that had joined the other two.
![Coverdale 03.05.2023 0081 resize.JPG (815.83 KiB) Viewed 3256 times Speckled Wood - Coverdale 03.05.2023](./files/thumb_10101_d2833595cb77427d0e95b585f42511c0)
- Speckled Wood - Coverdale 03.05.2023
With the sun now getting lower the Orange-tips began to slow down a bit and I was chuffed to see eventually see one settle on one on my white Spanish bluebells with his wings wide open.
![Coverdale 03.05.2023 0141 resize.JPG (479.55 KiB) Viewed 3256 times Orange-tip - Coverdale 03.05.2023](./files/thumb_10101_e6248ce00906fe8108cfda4b91d375b6)
- Orange-tip - Coverdale 03.05.2023
Bookended by an Orange-tip to start with and then one to finish with, it was another one of those days that turned out better than the early forecast had indicated. Lets hope a few more do that.
Bye for now and stay safe,
Neil.