Off to enjoy the beauty of the meadows this morning, and not disappointed, with a sea of blue turned towards the early sun by the Pale Flax.
In amongst the blue scatterings of pink as the Common Spotted Orchids are getting into their prime. The waxy bright yellow of Bulbous Buttercups contrasts with the paler yellow on Hay Rattle, with the dandelion-type flower of Rough Hawkbit adding another shade.
A superb Bee Orchid suddenly caught my eye – amazing how easy it is to miss such as striking plant! While at another extreme, the all green Twayblade is also blooming, just showing some of the huge variation in the orchid family.
The flash of a Common Blue butterfly as it settled onto the orangy-yellow flowers of a Bird’s-foot Trefoil brought my attention to the insects, with the silvery-blue Small Blue spotted clinging to the stems of the Crested Dog’s Tail.
One of my favourite butterflies the Large Skipper was posing for me on the leaf of the Hogweed, the markings on its wings dark against the orange wings. A few Lulworth Skippers and Dingy Skippers also seen as the sun rose higher.
The bright green body of the Thick-kneed Flower Beetle was in the centre of the yellow Smooth Sow-Thistle, this beetle probably more accurately called fat thighed, is a wonderful looking creature.
Overhead the song of a Skylark filled the air, while a Bullfinch sat flashing its pink chest in the Hawthorn.
A male Pheasant was looking spectacular as the sun was reflecting on his feathers, the colours most intense.
My patrol was let down by the disgusting amount of dog poo left along one track coming in from the old quarry area at the north of the site – I picked up 32 piles of poo – can’t understand how dog walkers can not do this themselves, it is as much a part of owning a dog as feeding it.