Mendip Hills 24th May - Red Kite, Orchids & Skippers

A sunny blue sky trek took us from Burrington on the Mendips to Charterhouse, Velvet Bottom, Long Wood and back across the fields to Beacon Batch. A mixture of woodland, Heath and field with a good variety of flora and fauna. The woodland areas are now full of Ramsons where the Bluebells have gone over. However there are still good areas of Bluebells in the open field areas their smell intoxicating! The wooded Ramson areas were stunning creating snow like avenues where we walked. Early Purple Orchids are now starting to fade but we still managed to find some good copies here and there.

The surprise of the day had to be seeing a Red Kite as we were walking in Velvet Bottom.  We watched the Kite for some time as it flew overhead and then landed in a field and onto a post to devour its meal.  Never expected that!

 A stunning 7 mile hike that saw 15 species of birds including Skylarks, Redstart, Buzzard, Treecreeper and Linnets and 12 species of butterflies including Peacock, Red Admiral, Lge White, Green V White, Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Common Blue, Sml Heath, Brimstone, Speckled Wood, Green Hairstreak and Orange Tip. 

    Red Kite

      

               

                   Eating its meal of possible rabbit

   

                

                   Pulling its meal apart - look at those talons and beak!

               

                   Distinctive forked tail

               

                   Good red colour in the sun

   Early purple Orchids on mass at Ubley Warren

                

    Looking across the Mendips from Ubley Warren

               

   Early Purple Orchid

               

                  Dingy Skipper

   Grizzled Skipper

                

                   Ramson lined path, Long Wood

               

                   Turner prize?!!

   Ramson flower - beautiful 

               

                    Bluebells still going strong in some areas

   

Sand Bay & Crook Peak - Butterflies, wild flowers and a Cuckoo

A beautiful sunny day and a chance to catch up with some butterflies at Sand Point near Weston Super Mare. A short climb to the top of the peninsula then off onto the butterfly paths around the cliff edge. As we approached the first grassy area it was alive with Common Blues and Brown Argus - wow!  So many wild flowers covering the area as well from the yellow Trefoil and Rock Roses to the beautiful 'moon' daisies and Valerian etc - paradise! 

Whitethroats were busy singing from many areas and all of a sudden a Cuckoo started calling and we had a great view of it. Such a surprise to see a Cuckoo here when we are so use to seeing one on the Somerset Levels. The Whitethroats were clearly not happy with the Cuckoo and it was great to observe the Whitethroats chase and mob the Cuckoo out to sea only to return to a different area. The Whitethroats looked tiny against the Cuckoo! Sand Point is a stunning little area well worth a visit for flora, fauna and scenery. We shall return in a couple of weeks in search of Orchids.

From Sand Bay we journeyed inland only about 10 miles to the lower slopes of Crook Peak. It was really hot here in butterfly alley and the butterflies did not disappoint! Fantastic views of Grizzled and Dingy Skippers as well as Brown Argus and Common Blues.

From both sites we saw a total of 13 species of butterfly today - I just hope that the weather can now settle down and be in the butterflies favour!

'Moon' daisies - a great host for insects and looking splendid at Sand Point

               

                   Sea Campion and hosts - great muscles on these beetles!

   Faded Common Blue - not surprising with the horrendous May weather we have had

               

                   Thrift - a typical coastal plant

   Common Blue - female

                

                   Common Blue - male

   Small Copper

               

                   View to the Point and onto Flat Holm

    Wall - typical pose on stone 

               

                    Brown Argus 

   Cuckoo - our closest view of one yet but just out of reach of a decent shot

               

                   Cuckoo calling from the Hawthorn 

    Grizzled Skipper - good numbers at Crook Peak

               

                   Brown Argus pair

   Dingy Skipper typical pose

               

                   Dingy Skipper - a different view

   Dingy Skipper

               

                   Grizzled Skipper- great underwing colours and markings

   Smalll Heath - a typical pose usually in the grass!

Mendips - Butterflies, Bluebells and Orchids - 11/5/15

Another breezy but sunny days walk on the Mendips. Starting at Charterhouse and through the small wood to Ubley Warren. Plenty of Willow Warblers singing and the small wood was full of bird song but no sign of the Spotted Flycatcher.

As we walked across Ubley Warren we scrutinised every gorse bush in hope of finding a Green Hairstreak, in fact no butterflies were seen I guess it was just too windy. Ubley was however covered in Early Purple Orchids in selected areas - a nice surprise!

Onwards to Velvet Bottom and both a Peacock and Orange Tip were seen on some bluebells. The Spring scene through Velvet Bottom is wonderful at the moment. Just before going into Long wood we reached a sunny glade and bank. It was in this area we saw Peacock, Green Veined White, Dingy Skipper, Orange Tip, Common Blue and Green Hairstreak butterflies all in the space of 15 minutes! A magical butterfly glade and at last we got to see a Green Hairstreak!

Into Long Wood and you just can't help being overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of the bluebells and Ramsons carpeting the woodland floor. Here and there Campion, Orchids and Yellow Archangel added more colour to the carpet. Truly stunning!

A superb walk with nature at its best!

    Willow Warbler - it's song a true reminder of summer!

               

                  Unknown caterpillar on wild Forget Me Not

    Early Purple Orchids at Ubley Warren

               

                    Speckled Yellow moth

   Peacock on Orchid

                                                        

                                                           Common Blue - first of the year

                                                                                       

  Common Blue

               

                   Dingy Skipper

   Green Hairstreak

               

                   Blue carpet - Long Wood

    Heaven! 

               

                  As long as my path leads through nature my heart and soul are happy!

   Breathtaking and intoxicating both sight and smell

                                                                           

                                                                               Hunting Spider