Flowers and Butterflies along the ORC

4th August - a walk along the Old Railway Cutting rewarded Andy M with a fine display of flowers and good numbers of butterflies in the bright early morning sunshine, including a number of very prim-looking Painted Lady butterflies.

The low sun shining through the flower heads

Banks of flowers

Slender Thistle

Teasels

Teasel

A trio of Teasels

Common Knapweed, also called Black Knapweed

Mugwort

Mugwort - concealing a spider and her web

Backlit flowers

Old Man's Beard

Ragwort

Ragwort

Small Scabious

Field Scabious

Wild Basil

Wild Basil - still moist with dewdrops

Wild Marjoram

Thistle spp - possible Spear Thistle

Lucerne

Ringlet

Ringlet

Gatekeeper - note the two white dots in the black 'eye spot'

Gatekeeper - note the small white dots on the underside

Gatekeeper

Green-veined White

Meadow Brown

Small Skipper

Small Skipper

Essex Skipper - note the black tips to the antennae

Essex Skipper

Essex Skipper

Skipper

Skipper and a dandelion flower

Peacock

Peacock

Painted Lady

Painted Lady

Male Greenfinch

Male Yellowhammer

Male Yellowhammer

Teasel and Ragwort in the sun

Ripenening wheat

A good crop of wild Apples