back , and it has extremely scaly legs and toes . Today , whilst getting ready to go out , I managed to get a shot of the bird .Later in the day , I am hosting fellow blogger Steve/Kingsdowner , on my patch , so I thought I had better get out and make sure everything was standing to attention . Steve said he was interested to see Toothwort and also Bog Bean , neither to be found in his own area , an area he refers to as the 'drylands' .
I knew Toothwort wouldn't be a problem , but wanted to make sure Bog Bean was in flower , so headed to High Elms to check . Just in from the car park , the large area of Butterbur has
finished flowering now , and the large , leathery leaves are developing , which just seem to get bigger and bigger . Close by , amongst the Cowslips and other greenery , Lungwort-Pulmonaria 
officinalis , with it's spotted leaves and blue and pink flowers was found . Around the dipping pond , I was pleased to find the Bog Bean just coming into flower , and the bonus of a well advanced flower spike for Steve to photograph , right on the bankside . The male Mallard 
seemed quite excited with my find as well . Actually , he was in the middle of his ablutions . The cloud cover meant that I didn't see a single butterfly there . Plenty of the usual birdsong , but I was stumped by one song , a Willow Warbler type descending scale , but in a bass tone . I searched for some time amongst the conifers that surround the pond , before finally getting the songster in the binoculars , a male Blackcap ! Very strange indeed , I just hope he's still singing when I go back with Steve .On the way back home , I called in at the Common . The open areas were cool , with the wind whipping across , but in a sheltered corner of the heathland area , I did disturb a very smart
looking Peacock butterfly , my only sighting today . Out in the middle of the heathland , two male Chiffchaffs were singing , about 25 metres apart . One on the dead Silver Birch , near where I know the pair have built their nest , the other on a dead Oak . I waited a while , and eventually
the female landed in the tree , carrying nesting material , whilst the male sang overhead . Great , two nesting pairs , let's hope they both succeed . The coolness meant no sign of 
Brimstone caterpillars , but the evidence on the Buckthorn leaves says that some at least , have hatched out . Just before crossing the road back to the car park , a very common plant , Herb 
Robert-Geranium robertianum , caught my eye .Footnote : Best laid plans -it transpired that Steve's early finish did not materialise , and by late afternoon , given the weather conditions , still completely overcast and windy , we unfortunately had to call the meet off .
much hope on arrival . But I was wrong , as after just a few minutes of searching , I found the first of 7 Dingy Skippers . Well named , and looking more like a moth than a butterfly , and with the typical Skipper clubbed antennae . The wingspan of this species is only about 30mm. , so with the drab colour and it's size , it is not easy to follow them in flight . A flash of orange had me
thinking of an early Small Heath , but when it settled , it turned out to be the day flying moth Burnet Companion , so named as it is usually found in the same habitat as Burnet moths . I had sightings of Peacock , Orange Tip and Holly Blue , but no sign of Grizzled Skipper . Right down at 
the bottom of the slope , I found a mating pair of Bee-flies-Bombylius major , although the one on the right seems to have touched down , all wings are still working hard . It was soon after that
another movement led me to the first of 2 Grizzled Skippers recorded today . This species has a wingspan of about 26mm. , so are even harder to find or follow in flight . Things were quiet around the Wayfarer bush at the top of the slope , just 2 Green Hairstreaks recorded , but it 
appears that a cafe has opened on this prime real estate , now that the flowers are opening . Leaving Burnt Gorse , I headed to check on the Bird's nest Orchids , but still , no sign , but I did 
find a very freshly emerged Speckled Wood nearby . The Orchid bank was my last visit , and it looks as if it will be a good year for Common Spotted Orchids , with good numbers already showing in leaf . Another member of the Orchid family , the Twayblade , are just getting their 
flower spikes , unfortunately , they get no more colourful than this usually . But , today , I did 
find an unusual variegated specimen , the like of which I have never seen before .
after , a juvenile , which got under some plants , and stayed there , motionless .
from the Farm Lake today , but , what is it . A clue , we have posted the second part of the name many times already this year .
corner of one of the glades . Whilst photographing this Chiffchaff , and with a male Blackcap in full song within 10 metres , something caught my eye , disappearing into some scrub to one side . I kept still and waited , and after a short time , this Common Whitethroat , popped up , but didn't 
sing , and I had only mentioned yesterday to Steve/Kingsdowner , that I hadn't seen one yet . Not bad , three Warblers in one small area , in just a couple of minutes . Giving up on the Cuckoo , again , I headed off for another check on the Early Purple Orchids near Green Street 
Green . Along the lanes , Greater Stitchwort has exploded from the banks in drifts . This will be followed in about a month , by the smaller flowered Lesser Stitchwort . As I drove slowly along 
the lane to park , the call of a Yellowhammer had me stopping early and grabbing a shot . Parking up , I set off hoping for some butterflies in the sheltered areas , but with overcast skies and a cool wind , I was hoping for too much . Just before reaching the Orchid area , I came 
across my first Yellow Archangel-Lamiastrum galeobdolon , in flower , another member of the large Labiate family , and as can be sen , square stemmed as are the other members . The Early 
Purple Orchids didn't let me down this time , but , as I mentioned after my first visit , they are very few and far between this year . I can only think that they exhausted themselves with last years showing . I only found this colour today , whereas last year , pink , mauve , violet and white flowers were seen . Whilst in the woodland looking at the Orchids , once again , Common Buzzard , at least two , were heard , but not seen . As I was leaving the woodland , a rare sunny spell had me changing my plan , and heading for a small , south-facing , chalk grassland reserve , managed by LB Bromley , close by . Another Yellowhammer was in full song when I arrived , but didn't stay for a photo . Once again , no butterflies were recorded , but there were good numbers
of two species of tiny , day flying moths on the wing . This I think is Pyrausta purpuralis , but I 
am having trouble identifying the second one , which looks as if it should be in the same family . Over to you I think Dean . 
this pair were busy , nest-building in the eaves under the hip of the roof . Well , she was , I think he was still mulling over who will go down from the Premiership this season . Just before the 
car , Honesty-Lunaria annua , a member of the Cabbage family , was growing in the bottom of the hedge . As I passed Christmas Tree Farm , in Downe , it sounded as if WW3 had broken out in the picnic area , alongside the lane . It turned out to be 4 Guinea Fowl , arguing the toss of a
bit of thrown away sandwich . I had to take a shot of one of them , although , certain people would have 'ticked' them as well !
spotted a plant amongst the Cowslips and Primroses , that was neither one or the other . The flowers said Primrose , but the multi flowered stems said Cowslip . The Primrose produces it's flowers , one per stalk , and the Cowslip produces flowers that are much smaller , and never open as fully as the Primrose . This was an Oxlip-Primula elatior , the first that I have recorded on the site . The butterflies were slow coming , but the odd Orange Tip and Brimstone was recorded . Getting to Burnt Gorse , I was hoping again for Dingy or Grizzled Skipper , and again left disappointed , but an aerial battle around the Wayfarer tree , that seems to be prime real estate , alerted me to a pair of male Green Hairstreaks , deciding who owned it . Following these 
small butterflies is really difficult , so , I was glad when the winner took his place on the rostrum , to survey all he owned , whilst I got a shot of him . Nothing else earth-shattering was recorded , and I finished up with Peacock (5) , Small White (1) ,Orange Tip (6-all male) ,Brimstone (3) , Green Hairstreak (5) and Comma (1) . Not a lot I know , but better than the big fat 0 recorded on my first transect .
tender young leaves of the Buckthorn , first meal waiting for the caterpillars when they hatch out . as I walked back to the car , it got me thinking about the Purple Hairstreak eggs , that were laid on Oak buds , back last Summer . Some will have survived predation and all the Winter 
threw at them , and now that the Oak buds are just about to burst , will hatch out shortly , eat the fresh leaves , and hopefully appear on this blog in July/August , to start the whole cycle all 
over again . In the car park itself , Common Comfrey is coming into flower , but I couldn't work out what the yellow substance was on the leaf . I thought at first it might be eggs , but under an eye glass , it didn't seem so , more like a mould of some sort . The warmer days has also brought
into flower Jack by the Hedge or Garlic Mustard-Alliaria petiolata , which is used as a foodplant , along with Cuckoo Flower , by the Orange Tip butterfly .
not quite . The second Speckled Wood is just above the Holly leaf .
back bedroom window , to get a shot of them . To lots of people , a male and female House Sparrow may be commonplace , but , in the 20 years that we have lived here , I could count on one hand having a single House Sparrow in the garden , never mind a pair . The day was off to a good start .
by the Blackcap that I have posted a couple of times , has paid off , as I saw him and a female , looking as if she was nest building , in the same area as the Chiffchaffs and the LTTits . The temperature was very agreeable by now , and Brimstones were making the most of it . In one 
glade , I found 4 males refuelling on Dandelion , and in the area where Buckthorn grows , the 
females were laying their eggs in this , their foodplant .
shade , allowing just one shot as one of them hopped into sunlight . A Grey Heron was on the floating platform , but no sign again of the female Mallard and her brood . A Little Grebe was 
diving some way out , but no sign of it's mate , possibly on eggs . Amongst the perfect yellow of 
the Cowslips , an interloper . Probably the result of cross pollination with a garden plant . In the lake margins , Bog Bean-Menyanthes trifoliate is just coming into flower , with the most 
exquisite bloom . As I was leaving , a Moorhen seemed to get just a bit too close to the two Coot chicks , and the male Coot sent it packing . The Moorhen showing it's defiance by flashing it's 
white undertail .
Slow Worm , but when I came across three , perhaps four Adders , including one female , I thought that this could be interesting , and so it turned out . On my first visit to the trio/quartet , all was reasonably calm , which quite surprised me , given the gender mix and the time of year . I left them to do their thing , and searched other areas with very little reward . I made way back to the group , and just saw the end , a matter of seconds of the famous 'Dancing Adder' display . Before I could get the camera out , the two males had disappeared into the thick Heather . Disappointed , I set the camera up on the tripod , and waited . After a good while , a male returned and settled down with the female , and all was quiet . All I could think was , 'why didn't I return sooner ?' I thought , I'll give it ten minutes , then move on . About half way through that time , I spotted movement in the Heather , then the off white and black colouration of a male in breeding colours . The new arrival , gave a wide berth to the incumbent male and his prize , then darted straight in towards them from almost in front of me . The incumbent male then charged out from his passionate embrace , and second 'Dance of the Adders' started , about 3 metres in front of me . The Heather mad it very difficult to see the two males , and the speed of their movement made photography very trying . I checked that the camera was on program 'P' , to enable continuous shooting , and the shutter speed , which in the sunshine was showing 1/500
stand 'toe to toe' , or should it be 'nose to nose' , with him . They came together like two trains on a single track line , neither one prepared to give way . Without actually touching each other , the intruder turned tail , and was seen off , again , by the incumbent . The brown female can be seen directly behind the incumbent male on the right . I waited a while longer , but everything went quiet , so I left them to it .
hadn't . On the track to Burnt Gorse however , I did find my first Red Admiral of the year . No way of telling if this specimen overwintered successfully , as many failed to do because of the long , cold Winter , or this was a migrant from the Continent . On Burnt Gorse four species of 
butterfly were recorded , Orange Tip ( 3M,1F) , Brimstone (1M) , Peacock (4) , and , down in the
sheltered bottom of the slope , a beautiful tawny Comma .
a poor shot , due to the wind blowing the leaf . Identified as a male , by the small amount of dark colour on the leading edge of the 
