A Woodland Walk

One of my favourite local places to visit from a Nature Photography point of view is the woodland and hillside of Cerne Abbas, Dorset, which is only a few miles from where I live.

The 14th Century Kettle Bridge which is a Listed Building, which provides access to the woodland and the Hillside. 

As a lad from Somerset I have always liked to see Apple Blossom.

A flower that can be found throughout Dorset fields and roadways.

Red Campion.

My first chance this year to observe and photograph the Orange Tip butterfly.

Unfortunately I didn't have the correct lens with me and had to make the best of a bad job.

The butterfly is pitched on a Herb Robert flower.

Common Bluebell.

Cowslip

A sound heard quite regularly now is the Chiffchaff. 

This one was directly above me and was playing Hide and seek.

A female Brimstone butterfly below was observed laying her eggs at various locations.

The Evergreen Fern

I could hear this Wren along a pathway and eventually caught sight of it for a moment.

This Speckled Wood butterfly looked like it had just emerged and was warming up in the sunshine.

Two habitat images of the relevant Orange Tip. 

The Oxlip was a little worn and was starting to look old.

Primrose

Speedwell (Bird's eye)

Portland Area Visit

I have not been around the Portland nature areas for a while now. Things are looking more Springlike.

The lovely Thrift or Sea Pink small flowers (Armeria maritima) are blooming on the pebble areas of the Chesil Beach at Ferry Bridge.

So on that area I went looking for Wheatears, but equally fortunately, I found Linnets.

Mostly males, they were feeding on the green shoots growing low to the ground.

In Penn Wood I did find there were Small White Butterflies on the wing. 

From their appearance they had survived overwinter.

This one below was searching for nectar in a 'Herb Robert' flower.

Another Lodmoor Reserve Visit

A two hour walk around Lodmoor Nature Reserve Weymouth produced images of a flock of 24 Black-tailed Godwits. Many of them still had some of their breeding plumage showing. The only problem again with these birds was like the last time a smaller flock was observed. They remained at some distance from the pathway. So a 600mm equivilant lens with a 1.4 converter attached was needed.

It is always good to find a plant of Lady's Smock (Cuckoo Flower) in bloom.

The Common Dandelion appears everywhere now. 

The first Speckled Wood Butterfly I have observed this Spring. 

This one would have emerged from hibernation recently.

The resourceful Wood Pigeon finds a variety of food throughout the year. 

Here it is tucking into some grass.

Blossom from a small Wild Apple tree.

It is a bit ragged and not the lovely cultivated Apple Tree blossom.

More scenes from around the Reserve.