Bupleurum

 

Past its best and fruiting but this rare and miniature umbellifer - Small Hare's-ear Bupleurum baldense, was my target at Berry Head this morning. I'll have to go back and see it flowering next year. Thank you to Mike for the directions.

Cirl Bunting - a juvenile soaking up the morning sun on the South Fort ramparts.

English Stonecrop.

I wasn't expecting to see White Rock-rose still in flower. A very pleasant surprise!

Sulphur Beetle Cteniopus sulphureus.

Sulphur Pearl Sitochroa palealis - saw loads of these this morning.

 Greater Knapweed. White form - albiflora.

Scarlet Tiger.

Lots of Pyramidal Orchid still flowering on Berry Head.

Small Blue.

Ivy Broomrape - a nice pale yellowish form alongside the brown 'husks' of older flowers.

Six-belted Clearwing - one of several to a lure for Thrift Clearwing which Nick very kindly leant me. Thank you Nick!

Pale St John's Wort. A new one for me.

Lesser Centaury.

The Carrot Broomrape is well past it.

Thrift.

Small Restharrow with Lady's Bedstraw and Thyme.

Before and After Work Local

Small Red Damselfly.

An early morning look off the seafront produced 4 Common Terns (2 adults, 2 juveniles), 4 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Common Scoter, 1 Dunlin, 1 Sanderling and a handful of Sandwich Terns. I could hear the local Ring-necked Parakeets calling from the Maer.

Beautiful Demoiselle - female. Male below.

Golden-ringed Dragonfly - there seems to be a lot of these around at the moment.

Large Skipper.

Small Skipper.

Silver-washed Fritillary.

Lesser Skullcap.

Lunar Hornet Moth.

At least one of the Exmouth Broad-leaved Helleborines is in flower. It's so good to finally see this gorgeous orchid for the first time since last July.

Kent Black Arches.

Elecampane

Stuck a high-vis jacket on and said a little prayer to photograph this Elecampane on the side of a busy main road this afternoon.

Golden-ringed Dragonfly with bumblebee sp - probably buff-tailed.

Common Centaury.

Four-dotted Footman.

Small Heath.

Small Purple-barred.

Satin Wave.

Dodder.

Bicton Common

Silver-studded Blue - female on Bicton Common.

Yesterday evening a quick scan from the Imperial recreation ground revealed 1 Roseate Tern, 30+ Sandwich Terns, 22 Dunlin, 7+ Whimbrel and 3 adult Mediterranean Gulls.
This evening, after work I had a stroll round Bicton Common. A few bits and pieces seen including White Admiral, lots of Keeled Skimmers, Grayling and a few Small Heaths.

 Marsh Willowherb - growing in a bog on Bicton Common.

 Meadow Pipit.

Scarlet Tigers - mating pair.

Small Cudweed.

Roseate Terns

 

Two Roseate Terns on Cockle Sands. You'll have to take my word for it! With all my energy going into learning flowers I've been neglecting the birds. These were the first I've seen in Exmouth this year - viewed distantly from the Imperial recreation ground. Many thanks to Lee for the text to say this pair were around. I saw them around 1110 before they headed back towards the Warren, pausing to feed with Sandwich Terns in the river briefly. Beautiful birds. Additionally - 30+ Sandwich Terns and a Mediterranean Gull. Another couple of Mediterranean Gulls were off the seafront with a tight flock of 7 or 8 Common Scoters.