Monday 26th.April 2010

Firstly , something to be thinking about . A wild flower I found growing along the lane , not far 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 .

Only got out for a very short time yesterday , and that was to try and find a Cuckoo , that a friend had seen up on the Common , but needless to say , I was unsuccessful . I had another look this morning first thing , but still no luck . I did however have an interesting few minutes in one 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 . Relax Dean , I've done some more digging , and I think it might be Pyrausta nigrata . What do you think ?

On the way back to the car , House Sparrows were in good numbers around the cottages , and 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 !

And finally , the question posed at the start of this post .

The plant is Greater Celandine-Chelidonium majus , a member of the Poppy family , and no way related to Lesser Celandine-Ranunculus ficaria , a member of the Buttercup family , and one of the earliest to come into flower .