Sunday 6 June 2021

Butterflies

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary - lots of these on Newbridge Hill - a failed attempt to see Lesser Butterfly Orchid but a beautiful place to wander around.

I met up with Nick to look for Red-veined Darter at last year's site, this morning, but we drew a blank. Probably a tiny bit too early. I then drove down to Newbridge Hill, near Poundsgate, to look for Lesser Butterfly Orchid, but no luck there either. On the way home I stopped off in Chudleigh to look at the Greater Butterfly Orchids.

Tree Pipit.

A splash of white on the hillside got my hopes up - turns out it was just a white Bluebell, but lovely to see.



I didn't count them but there were masses of Greater Butterfly Orchids in flower, and lots more about to flower, in Chudleigh. Great, as always, to bump into Dave Smallshire, who first showed me this site, almost a year ago.






I really like Common Twayblade but they can be a devil to locate in vegetation. I was quite pleased to find good numbers once I'd got my eye in.




Common Spotted Orchids are a way off their best but they're still lovely.

2 comments:

  1. It's years since I last saw a Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary- great shot. Nice orchids too. Did see some local Common Spotted today.

    Red-veined Darters seem to be arriving now. There've been 2 records in the London area this week after a blank year last year. Hopefully will be a good year for them like the bumper year of 2019.

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  2. Hi Neil - good to hear from you. We're very fortunate down here that Small Pearl-bordered Frits are locally quite common. We've got lots on the Pebbled Heaths but, as you know, everything's a bit late this year, so I've not yet seen them up there. Will try for the RVDs again soon. Have got fingers crossed for a repeat of last year. All the best. Matt

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