Mostly Flowers

Note: This is a certified Butterfly free Post. :)

A collection of images taken during my recent woodland walks.

Dog Rose

Corn Daisy

Red Clover/ Buttercups

Long-tailed Tit

Speed Well 

Birdsfoot trefoil 

Male Reed Bunting

Harebell

A form of Hoverfly I think. Possibly the Pellucid Fly ( Volucella pellucens )

It tends to hover in one spot for several seconds before changing position.

1/4000 at f4.  300mm.  ISO1600.  - 0.3ev

Meadow Vetchling

Ruddy Darter

Harebell

Horse Daisy

Vetch

Hazel Nut

Marsh Orcid

Female Darter (Common?)

Buttercup

Purple loosestrife

I was able to take a couple of shots of this House Martin at a Farm Building where I had parked the car. 

Unfortunately I didn't have the time to hang around any longer for the parent to return.

Hopefully you can just see two little heads of young House Martins below.

Musk Malllow

Tree Mallow

Meadowsweet

Musk Mallow

Musk Mallow

Buttercup

Musk Mallow

White Admiral Sails Again

The White Admiral Butterfly

From my observations so far this year there appears to be a good number on the wing and quite early.

An encore by His Imperial Majesty

Can lightning strike in the same place twice. (Well almost)

Six days ago as reported in this blog, I was fortunate to photograph my first Purple Emperor butterfly in the Woodland that I walk quite regularly. Yesterday in the same Woodland, but not in the same area another male Purple Emperor descended from the sky and landed near me on a track.

What had attracted it this time was animal waste on the hard bare ground. This provides minerals for it to feed on. It remained there for some 15 minutes and then flew along the track pitching occasionally. It allowed me to catch it every time it stopped. This went on for some 100 metres and then I lost it. On return to the original spot on the track I found it again. Eventually it even flew up and pitched in a low branch of a bush and I could take a few more shots.

Resident and non Resident

Two species today, one resident (the Small Tortoiseshell) and one non resident ( the Red Admiral).

The Small Tortoiseshell.

This one I shot here having regard to its condition, is likely to be a first summer brood which would have emerged recently, 

The Red Admiral

Having said that this Red Admiral is a non resident there is some evidence more recently that some of this species after migrating in from the Continent or Africa may have been able to overwinter.

This one is not in great condition and has been around for a while.

In Praise of the Dandelion

The Dandelion. (Taraxacum - family Asteraceae)

The two main species exist in Eurasia and North America 

I know, yes its a weed. 

Gardeners and Green Keepers and anyone managing land hate the site of it. 

It is perennial and tap rooted and difficult to eradicate.

It exists just about everywhere on cultivated or natural unspoilt areas.

On the good side (if there is one, I hear you say) it provides much needed early spring nectar sources for various pollinators. It also provides a nice splash of colour throughout the year.

You can also eat it and even make wine from it. 

It has also been used for medicinal and herbal purposes.

Seeded flower heads with lots of little parachute seeds ready to be blown in the wind.