archangel time

yellow archangel making a sunny appearance

everyone's doing it 2

a chiffchaff (based definitively on its monotonous song!). I think this one is local and has spent the winter here rather than around the mediterranean (bad choice in my mind). The lane is now suddenly full of speckled wood butterflies. There are two male varieties apparently, a docile type with 4 spots on the hindwing, which sits around sunbathing, and this type with three wing spots on the hindwing, which spends all its time chasing off rivals up and down the lane .

everyone is doing it

sparrow and mistle thrush sing while mad midges dance in the evening sun

early starters

Bluebells normally flower in April and May around here so it is surprising to find this solitary specimen in flower. It looks like the spanish variety that is slowly spreading and hybridising with its less vigorous cousin our native bluebell. There are hundreds of plants developing nearby but none are anywhere near flowering.

And a peacock basking in the unfamiliar warmth of the March sun, staying still long enough to be captured on camera

more loud singing

 greenfinch

the air is full of birdsong because every male bird seems to be shouting at the top of his voice. At this time of year just before the leaves appear  they are much easier to spot.

chaffinch

sea side flowers

Sea campion is a close relative of  red campion and has the same pattern of five deeply divided petals.

Dogviolets are hardy plants that will grow almost anywhere.

Thrift is a sea side specialist and loves these barren rocky and salty places.