Ainsdale Dunes - 31st May

A warm and sunny day and the first trip of the year to Ainsdale Dunes to see the flowers and butterflies. Compare to this time last year there seemed to be fewer Early Marsh and Northern Marsh Orchids in flower, perhaps a consequence of the very warm and dry weather in May. The first of the Bee Orchids were just beginning to flower and we also found a couple of Round-leaved Wintergreen which are a speciality of this area. There is also a fair amount of Asparagus dotted throughout the reserve and Sea Spurge. Also our first Dark Green Fritillaries of the year - as with all butterflies in 2020, an early sighting.

Round-leaved Wintergreen

Asparagus

Asparagus

Sea Spurge

Northern Marsh Orchid

Northern Marsh Orchid

Northern Marsh Orchid

Bee Orchid

Bee Orchid

Stockbury Hill Wood & Queendown Warren - 28th May

Thanks to the very friendly man I met at Yockletts Bank a couple of days ago who told me about the five Lesser Butterfly Orchids at Stockbury Hill Wood near Maidstone in Kent. They turned out to be quite easy to find, just off the main path, with a couple of spikes just about in perfect condition. There were also a few Lady Orchids still in flower although most were past their best.

Lesser Butterfly Orchid

Lesser Butterfly Orchid

Lesser Butterfly Orchid

Lesser Butterfly Orchid

Lesser Butterfly Orchid

Lesser Butterfly Orchid

Lady Orchid

Later in the morning I drove to nearby Queendown Warren NNR where the Adonis Blues were out in good numbers together with some Common Blues, 1 Grizzled Skipper and my first Large Skipper of the year. There were also a few Man Orchids dotted around the reserve and the Fragrant Orchids were just starting to come into bloom.

female Adonis Blue

Grizzled Skipper

male Adonis Blue

Man Orchid

Man Orchid

Horseshoe Plantation - 27th May

Horseshoe Plantation is starting to come alive with more butterflies emerging. The best area is currently at the bottom of the slope near the road where I found 2 Small Blues, 1 Grizzled Skipper and 1 Brown Argus. There are plenty of Dingy Skippers, Small Heaths and Common Blues and also the occasional Adonis Blue and Wall Brown. The ponies continue to graze keeping the vegetation short but the butterflies seem unaffected.

male Common Blue

Dingy Skipper

Grizzled Skipper

Small Blue

Small Blue

Small Blue

Small Blue

Brown Argus

Wye Down & Yockletts Bank & Park Gate Down - 26th May

I decided to go on an all day orchid hunt at three of the best places I know in Kent, namely Wye Down, Yockletts Bank and Park Gate Down. All three are on the North Downs chalk and are reasonably close to each other although getting from one to another involves driving down very narrow lanes and often having to reverse when meeting cars coming in the opposite direction!

My first surprise was that the Lady Orchids at Wye Down had almost finished flowering and so were at least a couple of weeks ahead of last year. At the bottom of the slope there were plenty of Twayblades, a few Man Orchids and some Common Spotted, Pyramidal and Fragrant Orchids just starting to flower. Since the Lady Orchids were ahead of schedule I wondered about the Late Spider Orchids and sure enough at the famous site with the cages there were three plants already in flower.

Common Spotted Orchid

Common Spotted Orchid

Lady Orchid

Late Spider Orchid

Late Spider Orchid

Late Spider Orchid

Late Spider Orchid

Man Orchid

Man Orchid

Pyramidal Orchid

Twayblade

Next stop Yockletts Bank where again the Lady Orchids were past their best. However the Fly Orchids here were in great shape, some being about 30 cm in height. On the right hand side of the reserve there were more Fly Orchids and also an impressive number of White Helleborines in flower together with 1 Greater Butterfly Orchid.

Fly Orchid

Fly Orchid

Greater Butterfly Orchid

Greater Butterfly Orchid

Greater Butterfly Orchid

White Helleborine

White Helleborine

White Helleborine

Finally on to Park Gate Down to see the Monkey Orchids which again were ahead of last year in terms of flowering. The best examples this year were in the middle of the three fields. Also some small Fly Orchids and the first of the Fragrant Orchids.

Fly Orchid

Fly Orchid

Fragrant Orchid

Fragrant Orchid

Monkey Orchid

Monkey Orchid

Monkey Orchid