Took myself out to Farndon today, to have a look at Cottage Lane nature reserve, and by golly I'm glad I did.
It's only a small reserve, about the size of a football pitch with three ponds and a couple of hides slash shelters, and at first glance when I arrived - it isn't too far away - I was disappointed. There didn't seem to be much going on, the pasture largely devoid of flowers apart from a few clumps of lady's smock.
However, closer inspection revealed a lot of male orange tips were fluttering about, and I decided to follow one, more in hope than expectation it would land anywhere, they are very restless butterflies after all. However, it did settle on some lady's smock, and I was able to get a not terribly good shot from distance.
It wouldn't let me get any closer.
After a walk round the boundary, and nearly back at the entrance, I noticed in the field some drooping purple wildflowers I did not recognise. Having a closer look, I was excited to see that they were snake's head fritillaries, a species I have never ever seen before.
What a pleasant surprise!
Si
All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 19.04.22
Fritillaries are beautiful aren't they. We tried to grow them in our garden but they prefer grassland.
ReplyDeleteSuch a treat to see anything blooming right now! We have been having a bit of snow and so our Spring hasn't sprung too much around here yet. My daffodils are blooming but we will have to wait until May to see more color around here.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing yours!
Lucky (and well) done you to spot those fritillaries and the cuckoo flower - I love them. Our fields used to be peppered with them but they gradually disappeared. When I was a child every field around us in Lincolnshire seemed to be full of them/
ReplyDeleteOrange tips are one of my favourite butterflies! And fritillaries are lovely, they've been planted recently in several of the cemeteries in Edinburgh
ReplyDeleteThank you, I was so surprised to see them
ReplyDelete