Whooper Swan, West Rise Marsh

 My giddy aunt! Patch tick #123.

Odonata!, Hill Road

 My first of the year. Large Red Damselfly. 

A male.

Missing-sector Orb Weaver. A new species for me!

A female.

Another Woodpecker hole, Jevington Plantation

 

Whimbrel, Birling Gap

 A glorious evening and the newly repaired stairway, down to Birling Gap.

Then 7 Whimbrel flew in off the sea.

Jackdaws and Fulmar on the cliffs

Juvenile Dunnock, Hill Road

 

Wildflower Lawn 2026

 After  three week pause, some more flowers have emerged.

#20 Salad Burnett 

#21 Aquilegia 

#22 Yellow Rattle 

#23 Buttercup

#24 Weedy Hawkweed 

Early-flowering Burnt-tip Orchid, The Caburn

 A few years ago I heard about large numbers of this Orchid growing at the Caburn. The changing climate has made predicting when they will flower difficult. Last year we probably looked too late, so an earlier search was undertaken this year. However, like last year, only one spike could be found.

Part of the large herd of Exmoor Ponies grazing the Caburn.

Spring Sedge

Milkwort 

Meadow Ant mound, presumably attacked by Badgers.

Germander Speedwell 

Buzzard

Wall Brown. There were several on the top.

Small Copper. Several in Deep Dean.

Skylark

Corn Bunting