This morning I took Rex for a nice long walkies along Axe Cliff into the Undercliff and eventually down into Culverhole. I wanted to have another look in Culverhole because I knew that there was a chance that I would be able to see
Marsh Helleborine. It's about two weeks too early for them according to my books, but I couldn't wait! Besides that 'lots of things' seem to be emerging/flowering early this year. So I was optimistic. The weather was lovely and warm and so I was also hoping to see some butterflies and dragonflies too, and you never know even a bird or two!
I took loads of photos today so I'll just recount my walk in photos, like this:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQHStOb9cQJCZpdDhAndvaQkJa_2p1pSOtIYCpacJzYq2yzvb0INUpRwlK4BMguTSdKJqo38nxWn17dcCUdhSMnvJSv5vyVjPWuBEknNaXzO9nCugb7svYq3I404CbqBwIzdHHNngCn0/s400/bbc.jpg)
There were a surprising amount of dragonflies on Axe Cliff itself, including this female
Broad-bodied Chaser. ![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8ABnEc4-BV5bsPxNYZAwKcXTWuW5wF4WYE4TIWBBDxUoRYw6WxsHXqsPNocZjpmUdW_ywT8byU8btyCLVRN4Qnpmps6uy56vr91iqHy05J37myTJLkL6gtEmSa7nXndEb1D5YRXPIGU/s400/grd.jpg)
Also a couple of these.
Golden-ringed Dragonfly.
I also saw a male
BB Chaser, an
Emperor and a female
Black-tailed Skimmer.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_UNUfmEtGf_mqueQMtYg2AWQypKpU3wfFZd3gMFZO1v7_sKiqPJJBmBZ_Y_ClC8DgniVMHOg3EQF1m2Y5w_x5FLBzP4woyhsMBVb68XlwlhPOlsP-tEnviOgVGdpQvMWKBwkgvcTQw4/s400/axe+cliff+flowers.jpg)
At my favourite corner of Axe Cliff there is a small area of wildflower rich grass, I always come here to look for butterflies, I visited on numerous occasions last year but never saw any
Pyramidal Orchids, this year there are hundreds of them!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLvn3jr8Ov9FrSY19i1uCC4O3E6Z8dvZxAP4J6xi6EYAGU-IixxpE99czYgqtiSGnwQ9tyKiiBI0aynEoQuyCwdTFjxWxptVj9LKh8nYjm4hXs2JgpNaUpQb1NQJXr_xBZOYujRl0aGs/s400/mw.jpg)
It was here that I saw this: My first
Marbled White of the year.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQq7DgEZ2z5w32UezC1rNbcVsMK3XSKZ9G8teUdQoJ2SNdiZ0gVQ0fCBwWyiFAkepxFNJKxRMho8GiMZezTY7atNwsvHoHQd6RiVHICJLCMn7j1XwGRvHIP8qMRJCif640uHDzfOlxCQ/s400/cinnabar.jpg)
Also this
Cinnabar Moth (you can see loads of these at Weeting Heath in Norfolk, it'll cost you £2.50 mind ;-) )
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7k3D98zTZXdh61_7s0hrcl3tZDBq-OV9g6gmAqdDhYvs_i690LA_PvSHtwOZqKDME4ghjDMV027IeisCMTEQ3WV8CpXiM3Rg_ewq95hThYs1NI4Uw_LQssdP9ehaFqzO0pe_h9iKQoDA/s400/juv+wt.jpg)
I didn't spot the juvenile
Stonechats today but I did see a Buddleia bush full of lovely 'brand new'
Common Whitethroats, like this one. :-)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7ZzRaItICyDkdXgtIzKbxVVUFZKodfK0iQ2aUdQj7tJ9LVYtefXNRFlx6jrNcAnKMrmWlMVyswToJbORzhjWnnOXdMaRJL-TKXuWUllnFj7CIZRUC1_USLPBBYmLzMaF9sGBEczzklo/s400/culverhole.jpg)
The view from the footpath on The Undercliff down to Culverhole. The orchid I was after was down there somewhere.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLU_YE4cEPk9-ZVAdrxad3NxESChcwnpGWPfYvOjpCwQD1XfZwGtxF5tNx20o_bJR11CV-dANaNVOHSfU5JbGgDDVFfWSuGmdws9LJQ8sZtFEE1tY4fgPQZxa9JXUGmODn6Ww1jevblWc/s400/wood+white.jpg)
Once down in Culverhole I got my first ever photo of a
Wood White. Also on the wing were
Dingy Skipper, Common Blue and
Large Skipper.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr0fNh9VjUMaw5yyBpH8J6ZfQTKWu4RktmKsFXASI2Jqor5ueuowyyRTveGECTHezmrE21Uohg7NawsJRQZzICashkng1Wh6V_NXdh81W0qjO_BZCHD2BlsSXRaTdo6LoPDU9qw1tEmts/s400/mhells.jpg)
After much clambering about and sinking in another bog I eventually spotted some small clumps of
Marsh Helleborine, They don't look much from a distance.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0E7iTQsYrzgc5MfT9fdehhUc4oVu-Su2Ts45Um0m6NmCUpDJKKEh_VCGRtx1yAQN0DR9eytSKPQumr0ZCmTU_ChDmsMdG69ToH_pp_EWT6JS1rCUrUrvFExManGSl7eazOOs-HoOPYU/s400/rex.jpg)
They're behind you!
I was quite exited to find them but Rex just looked at me as if to say, "So what! I don't care if you've just found 'The Lost Treasure of The Sierra Madre' - I could do with a bit of shade here!"
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9W1hfQfzQVPSvNBJi6R_wh9XAAoPdN4Bj1oZs0Dqy9Z2ANWWBEYLz1O0epUfNIhFH3QQVfbCFu79u52DH7sdgHd6VAOYfHQds-L3eqjgaHaaQ3PQY_lsLgJVly-f6-V_K3Zy5If4EOAI/s400/marsh+hellaborine.jpg)
They are really stunning close up though...Look!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrzwDrR1Xy7_hAaufMCZiiQaM9-HXG32U077yJSCMPk_OsM6Fh0gZ1lCDRbg1DD3db-wQeaXp_ZK9S1drIhyphenhyphenll1vF2DwgJHqxqGIYwe953JgTykDJIpHlDbj96sYLCeHoYiGOi_lcSmCg/s400/mh2.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ZU6KP7ZFQ2wbrYW7gWJN95ZEtFSYJObLzIUazbQiSMaaN7HrUs0CVLqvB12RQZS65bdXzygrwKjpznPlRo6u0k04YSPkxN8ZLCMntz9fIHAeqyE6BFgC6-abFEbtReW8HTnXVBV6s5w/s400/mhclose.jpg)
Wow!
I also stumbled upon this...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5U6P95sLFQL_a-P0tT09pKuGA7V1haA8krcCOxx8aF9rMUghnvIgffummJrmX1i1hZoyQKpt5VYgfTpssGeJlX1dxVFWKenFoRZP0fXa-h6dtEeUQbxCMLlQjG6WCphgSC6Hv6kiJgVU/s400/bee.jpg)
A
Bee Orchid.Just the one - but it's on patch!
After lunch I made a quick visit to Lower Bruckland Ponds, hoping to get a photo of the male Scarce Chaser I saw on my last visit, and here he is...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYq9YFN6mTyv6XbMbbiKGcfC59V5s8yH74CqgRhH62ku9SNKDqf0bgBcIvfUgXu_cRYpWZCU6uQi35hcO7migifdYsMs3w6tFItWV_39LJEv1ZpRMqLhXnoOG3Te8lWOdZcFZJLIprWG8/s400/scarce+chaser.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiii6y2fiB64CqhMvQ1VNKANGFHRd4kDjq0ZMi9UdLd5WBiajg9H_juWoSu9Qb3W-HRs0BzBaPsmglHWl8E4EN_cRvIw9EzJvSeGAkmUxXrFCO0y7_Rwg2Ztzw18hQT6fxMWMxF1JALRt0/s400/6+spot+burnet.jpg)
There were lots of
Six-spot Burnet Moths here too, I took a few snaps including this one and the
'artistic' one below.
1 comment:
Excellent set of photos, Karen. Brill stuff.
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