1st May 2023: Noar Hill
Photos taken here in this set today: 1. A stunning Duke of Burgundy butterfly. As we did last year on the first May bank holiday Monday this was our annual pilgrimage to this biodiverse, thriving and beautiful bit of countryside to try and see this gem of a butterfly. They’re one of the more sensitive to weather conditions I’ve found so despite showers breaking the bursts of sunshine I was so thrilled that we spotted a couple of them. I am always so taken in by their bright and tasty colours and intricate markings, they are a beacon of enchantment. It’s always one of my favourite bits of spring looking for them, a key milestone in the spring and peak butterfly season. 2. It’s caterpillar foot plant which adorned the hill, cowslips. 3 and 8. Beautiful views at Noar Hill. 4. Speedwell, another key flower seen today. 5, 9 and 10. Some dazzling fields covered in the yellow of rapeseed oil, a great sight I always enjoy in this type of countryside at this time of year and on this annual trip we do. 6. Another target today a stunning early purple orchid, a wonderful sight to take in of a beautiful flower it enriched by the sun shining on raindrops on the flower scenes I love seeing. 7. Some nice wild strawberry I enjoyed seeing.
Other highlights at Noar Hill were my first Green-veined White butterfly of the year, great views of Holly Blue, Orange Tip and Brimstone, great birds for the habitat Linnet, Yellowhammer and Red Kite, lovely views of Song Thrush, Blackbird and Goldfinch, Kestrel, Pheasant and delicate and lovely bee flies. White deadnettle, violets including with raindrops on in the sun too, ground ivy and dandelion were nice flowers to see. It was good to hear Skylark. It was good to see Brown Hare and Red-legged Partridge on the way, key for this type of countryside and I’ve done well with seeing them both on journeys in different parts of the country so far this year.
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I have just written the below poem, called British Butterfly Year. In this photoset are some photos I’ve taken of butterflies this year, all species mentioned in the poem. In the poem I wanted to scan through a year of butterflies in Britain (or you could specifically say southern England as where I’m based as some species mentioned may not occur elsewhere and my experience of when I see the butterflies may differ to others) roughly in order of when species mentioned are about and focus on the connection to nature through butterfly watching and wellbeing benefits.
A sunny winters day might awake a red admiral or peacock from their hibernation,
Which begins the exciting days of the year across the nation,
Staring at a bush, tree top or down at the grass for a good reason,
As the months tick by its fascinating to see where we are in the butterfly season,
The first of its kind in spring is the holly blue,
And at that time come the orange tips when their flowers come through,
Dingy and grizzled skipper and green hairstreak a treat to the eyes,
And the duke (of burgundy) does arise,
Later on adonis blue and marsh fritillary with their colours evocative of exotic places,
Putting a smile on many faces,
Meadow brown and large skipper seen and summer arrives,
Marbled white, small skipper, ringlet; the season thrives,
As the oaks green the purple emperors soar,
One must get out to see purple hairstreak, white admiral, silver-washed fritillary and more,
The balmy summer days,
Dark green fritillary, clouds of chalkhill blues, the orange glow of gatekeeper, you enjoy nature in so may ways,
Oh to fly across the grass as though you are a clouded yellow,
Without a care in the world, the sweet feeling to say to a silver-spotted skipper hello,
One of the last treats of the peak,
Brown hairstreak,
Then the quiet as it settles down,
But a speckled wood or comma here and there could rid you of a frown,
Time outdoors transfixed on the small wonders of nature it is clear,
Is wholesome to the soul, that’s the glorious British butterfly year,
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Romantic antique furisode with fluttering butterflies and scattered feathers (from different birds, I recognize at least falcon, peacock, and dove - maybe gull too?).
The lovely shikikusabana (all seasons plants) decor presents: peony, chrysanthemum, plum blossom, maple leaves, violet, aster, horsetail, pampa grass, ...
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Ok now I need a cutesy Buck and Tommy date where they're both nervous but Tommy's nerves causes him to speak without thinking so he just says everything he thinks of and 99% of what comes to mind is how hot/cute/attractive Buck is so he just flirts with Buck and complements him the whole time.
Meanwhile Buck's nervousness causes him to get flustered and stumble over his words 10 time more than usual and that combined with him not being used to being flirted with by a hot guy just leaves him a giggly dork the whole time.
Just let them have a cute first date where they're both so into eachother in such an innocent wholesome way. Please I think it would fix me 🙏🙏🙏
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