Saturday 21st April 2018

The weekend.

The day began cool and clear, a slight mist rose with the sun, but within half an hour that was burnt off. It did diffuse the sun for a while, turning it's disc to an angry red colour.

We had no shopping to do, just the usual chores, and then make coffee and warm up the croissants.

At eight I loaded the car with all my photographic equipment, and with the radio off and the windows down, we drove out of the village through Westcliffe and down Jubilee Way heading south to Folkestone. Our goal this fine morning was a wooded chalk down, a nature reserve filled with Fly, Lady, Twayblade, Greater Butterfly and Early Purple. I hoped that it would be here that I would see my first EPO of the season.

Up Stone Street, turning off down a narrow lane, and turning off again down a lane that looked like time had forgotten it, two tyre tracks cut through the mud and stones that had been washed down in. On either side banks rose steeply, filled with anemones, wild garlic, Lady's Smock and many other wild flowers, whilst from a nearby field, a hungry lamb bleated for it breakfast.

At moments like this, I won't say I give praise, as I don't believe in God, but moments and days like this makes the stress and hassle of work worthwhile, and here in the arms of Mother Nature we can forget the working week for a few hours, always not knowing what we might see next.

I check on the glade where the large Lady grew lat year, but I could see no rosettes, but I did see them three weeks back, so will fight through the undergrowth in a couple of weeks when they flower again.

We walk up the gently rising grassy path, lined with primroses and Common Twayblades. Up it goes until the view open ups into a glade, and in a beam of sunlight there is a flowering spike of an Early Purple Orchid.

The light in the glade with the path passing close by is stunning, dappled sunlight shines through, illuminating spikes of orchids or bluebells. I take shots, although I have to say the numbers of EPO are quite down on previous years.

Along the path to the meadow, where we stop for a few minutes to see if there were any Green Hairstreak on the wing, it is still cool and damp on the ground, maybe in an hour on our return walk to the car we might have more luck....

Over the road which cuts the reserve in half, and taking the path leading to the upper meadow, on either side we see Greater Butterfly spikes as well as Lady and Twayblade. There is the usual group of Herb Paris, none with seven leaves this year though.

As we walk into the clearing we see two spikes of large Lady rosettes, one showing colour of its lips. It will be out maybe later that day or in the morning, but for now we had to make do with one nearly open. We stand hoping to see a butterfly on the wing, and soon I am chasing a dozy Brimstone, a species I have always struggled to snap. It settles a few time, the last I lay down near it and inch closer and closer, peering through long grass to get my shot. I am nearly so close I would be a minimum focus, but that last movement alerts the butterfly and it lifts off and vanishes into the tree canopy.

We walk to the wood the other side, and although the bluebells are mostly open, its not a patch on Stockbury. But it does have bi-colour EPO mixed in. Again the light falling through the tree canopy is nothing shot of sensational.

The path turns down the down, as it were, and at the bottom where the path doubles back on itself, there is a large group of Lady rosettes, and some big Fly too. But all are a good week away from opening.

We walk back to the car, pausing at the meadow again and despite sitting there for quarter of an hour, there is now telltale shimmering green indicating a Hairstreak.

From the reserve we take the road back up to Stone Street and go to the garden centre near to Chartham, we needed nothing but manage to spend thirty quid, but we have a selection of lupins and another raspberry plant.

We go back down Stone Street, take the road to Stelling Minis where we stop at the village shop for a snack; sausage roll, banana milk sake and a pack of Guinness chili flavoured crisps. No, I have no idea either, but were OK.

With the season having started, but with only three species yet in flower, it seemed sensible to drive back home, via Barham to check on the spikes there.

Jools does walk up the bridleway with me, to see the EPO beside the track. These are in flower too, with many more to come. Although either rabbits or deers had nibbled many of the younger and juiciest spikes. Still should be a good show there, and hopefully a couple of white ones will make it too.

I failed to find a Lesser Butterfly, but once down the bridleway and into the wood on the other side I find many Lady, Fly and Twayblade rosettes; one hopes that the heavy logging will have done no long term harm, but I think it is going to be poorer after the damage to the soil and wood.

I find many Lady rosettes and of a good size, a few fly are mixed in, and of course twayblades everywhere.

But none are in flower, so I will leave a detailed survey until some are open, I turn round and meet back with Jools at the car so we can take the steep road back to the village and from there onto the A2 and to home.

We have lunch, some fresh bread rolls, and huge brews of course, whilst the radio is switched on the last of the Huey show.

I try to stay awake for the football, and just about keep my eyes open. At half time I go outside to plant the raspberry canes. It is the hottest part of the day, the air is still and it feels like high summer. I wish I could bottle this moment, to savour in the long dark days of winter, to remind myself that there will be days like this again.

Norwich draw 0-0 at Preston, and fail to have a shot on target. The season is fizzling out, like the leftover toffees in a tin of Quality Street in the middle of February.

Then there is the small matter of the FA Cup semi final; Man Utd v Spurs. Should have been a good game, and was, really. Bpurs began like an express train and scored in ten minutes. But then Utd got into their stride, defended superby, Spurs could not break them down. Utd level, then early in the 2nd half, take the lead. And no matter what Spurs did, they never came close.

We leave to pick up John to go to Jen's for another evening of cards. The sun is setting as we arrive and her half dozen chickens were taking themselves to the coop. It was warm enough to have the patio doors open.

We have a good night, play the usual number of games in an hour less, and have supper of scampi and spicy chicken bites. We are all done at a quarter to midnight, so say goodnight to Jen, drop John off on the way, the only traffic we see is the line of boy racers waiting at the Maccy Dee drive through.