Avoiding The Crowds

I'm not totally anti-social, but having said that, I really don't like going anywhere where there will be lots of people and  with today being a sunny Sunday on a bank holiday weekend that really excludes most places! I decided to go along the coast path and cliff tops to the east of Seaton and into parts of The Undercliffs NNR. The footpath is impassable at Culverhole at the moment and the route to Lyme Regis closed which means there were very few people around. There were very few bird around too! Just a few Yellowhammers, Linnets, Common Whitethroats, Swallows and a Kestrel, but also plenty of singing Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps. I was on the look out for butterflies and flowers though and there were plenty of these to see.

 A few Early Purple Orchids still hanging on although most had gone over.

 Like so.

Look closely...this one's got a surprise in store for any visitors!

One Common Twayblade was flowering early.

Wild Columbine

A few more common wildflowers, some of which I've never 'noticed' before. I've heard of them but hadn't knowingly seen them.

The very common Field Speedwell, always been one of my favourites, as kids we knew it as Bird's Eye.

Charlock or Field Mustard

 

 Common Vetch

Cowslip

I've never tried separating the Cranesbills before. This one's Dove's Foot Cranesbill. 

It's exceptionally hairy!

 

 Early Winter Cress

Hairy Tare

A new flower for me. It's fairly common but pretty inconspicuous, the flowers seen here are just 2-3mm long.

 Salad Burnet

Male flowers

Yellow Archangel 

 Dingy Skipper

My first Wall of the season

Seen here on a step along the footpath.

It was lovely to see my first Common Blues of the year too.

Seen here on Germander Speedwell

 ...And here on Mouse-ear Hawkweed

They so deserve a better name than 'Common Blue'