16th - 21st May.

16th May and a female broad bodied chaser showed sunning itself in the garden, first of the year.

The starlings continue feeding, the young coming to the entrance begging for food when the parents call to tell them they are coming.

18th May find my first common blue butterfly in a warm south west facing field rich in wild flowers including bird's foot trefoil, a favourite food plant.

Mid-day and the temperature is rising  many birds enjoying the little pond including this goldfinch.

19th and the young starlings are very close to fledging. Later walked to look for more common blue butterflies and find a female egg laying on bird's foot trefoil and another female chaser turned up in the garden. On the 20th spent a couple of hours in the heat on Grangelands, Pulpit Hill. Noticed a few white helleborines  growing under the trees along the side of the path, out on the Grangelands just a few small heath, common and holly blues and one dusky skipper seen.

21st May, azure blue damselflies both male and female around the pond at home with the common reds flying around in tandem and egg laying.

Stewart

Images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.