Saturday 25th. May 2013

Firstly , many thanks to Greg , again , for helping with an ID , this time the large black Weevil I

found up on the Downs , which  he has identified as Liparus coronatus . Very little information on the web for this species , so a very good job by Greg .
This morning , with sunny spells between the clouds , I did the full butterfly survey at High Elms LNR , and over the 2 hour transect I recorded just 10 butterflies of just two species . Dingy Skipper

provided 7 of the 10 , and I was glad to find a tubby female on Burnt Gorse , hopefully full of eggs to ensure the species on site next year . The other species recorded was the Large White , finding a female first , and having to wait for the sun to come out and encourage her to show the black

identifying spots on her upperwing , the second brood in Aug/Sept. will have even darker markings . Later at the bottom of Burnt Gorse , I found a male just going to roost high up on a Wayfarer tree , as

another cloud rolled over the sun . He has no dark spots on the upperwing , but does show a dark spot on the underwing . Apart from those , a quick look at the Garlic Mustard in the coppiced area didn't produce the hoped for Orange Tip , but I did find 13 eggs , easier to see now that the petals are

dropping off and the seed pods , which the caterpillars will feed on , are growing very quickly . In the

 same area , a single robust spike of Early Purple Orchid is all that seems to have emerged this year . Once I finished the butterfly transect , I set off to see what other orchids were showing . Not a sign of Birdsnest Orchid at the old site , but 4 very fresh specimens at the site Keith found a couple of years

ago . Then 30+ were found , about 15 last year , so hopefully they will be in for a good year this time . As can been seen from the photo , this species lacks chlorophyll , and even when fully in flower , are still far from able to be described as colourful , and is always found growing in leaf litter , particularly under Beech and Yew on chalk soils . In the same sort of conditions , I found 50+

specimens of White Helleborine , most still in their early stages , but a few were in flower bud . It looks like they could be in for a good year . Also found , unexpectedly , were a couple of fungi ,

being full of water , looking like miniature baths . I checked the books when I got home and think they are Peziza varia . On the Orchid Bank , the 3 Fly Orchids are now 7 , all with at least one

flower , and also found was a single Man Orchid , just starting to come into flower . The Common

Spotted Orchids won't be far behind , with several specimens sporting flower spikes . Whilst on the Bank a pair of Sparrowhawks were soaring overhead and calling , and a Common Buzzard drifted over high up .
Surprisingly , I did better this afternoon for butterflies when I had an hour up on the Common . 4 Brimstone ( + several caterpillars ) , 1 Orange Tip , 1 Holly Blue and 1 Large and 1 Small White were recorded . Other interest found included several specimens of Broad-leaved Helleborine , this

one pushing through alongside last year's flower spike , and a Common Lizard found sunning itself in

the heathland area .