Oaken Wood Walk

On one of the hottest days of the year, we set off to Oaken Wood, traffic problems left several people late, but we had a bonus at the start a Wood White was fluttering around the entrance to Botany Bay Wood.

I managed to get a few in flight pictures.
Later on a Dark Green Fritillary was seen up in a Hazel Bush.

other butterflies seen were Silver Washed Fritillary, White Admiral, Ringlet, Marbled White, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma.

It was a very good day out, but a bit too hot.

Mitcham, Ashtead & Bookham Commons, Wetlands Centre.

Here are a few pictures from recent walks and visits.
First was Mitcham Common, not much seen but a Small Tortoiseshell
did pose for a few pictures.

a large hoverfly was also feeding on bramble flowers.

A few late flying Grizzled Skippers were seen at Featherbed Lane Verge and Hutchinsons Bank.

Ashtead walk was in dull weather and the only butterflies seen were Speckled Woods
Bookhams walk was in better weather and Ringlet and an Emperor Moth larva, and
provided the first sightings of the year of White Admiral and Silver Washed Fritillary.

Today I visited the London Wetland Centre, where we saw a display of Tropical Butterflies
in a greenhouse smaller than the one in my garden for the same butterflies.

In the grassland Southern Marsh Orchids were doing very well, a few other orchids were found
Common Spotted, Bee and Pyramidal.

My first bird pictures on the blog, Redshank and Kingfisher

This weekend is the Oaken Wood walk, so hopefully a few more butterflies will be about