Friday 15th May 2026

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a shot of a Duke of Burgundy on Bluesky.

I received a message: could I show someone where they were?

As Jo is a botanist, I also had to point out the site is the best in Kent, and therefore the UK, for Lady Orchids too.

The only rouble was fixing the day, a day that the forecast would say the sun would shine at least a little, and be warmish.

Two days were suggested, and we would pick Thursday or Friday once the forecast firmed up, and we would choose the best day.

All was well until both days had 70-80% chance of rain and would be cool too. Possibly Friday looked better, and as I had the appointment at Canterbury Cathedral on Thursday, Friday was chosen, and a fairly late start to allow the day to warm up, and for me to take Jools and her friends to knit and natter at the library.

In the end, Thursday afternoon offered a bit of all kinds of weather, but ended with warm sunny periods once we were home.

Friday still looked poor, and little chance of spotting a Duke.

Friday dawned clear and cool. Not quite a frost, but not far off.

As usual, Jools went to yoga, I did the bins and the rest of the chores on a Friday. I drank my coffee and didn't injure myself, which counts as a good start.

Once Jools came back, we had a brew and breakfast. I had charged the camera battery, the forecast at least said no rain until the afternoon now, but no sun.

We left the house in broken sunshine. Clouds skidded across the sky. We picked up Janet from along the road: she has early dementia, and is a worry to her family and friends. But she has ways of coping.

Jill lives near the library, and her street is being dug up for gam main repairs. She hadn't put on her shoes or taken her tablets, so we had to wait ten minutes. Janet chuntered about the delay. But we were early.

Jill was ready, they got in the car and in 30 seconds we were outside the library. Got out, and I could get to Barham.

Traffic was heavy as a ferry had just arrived, but I made good time, and once I turned off the A2, through Bridge and out through the fields of fruit, I knew I was going to be on time.

In fact I was five minutes early, and Jo and Ian and their friend had been out botanising already, but were near the car.

We shook hands, I explained there is a mile walk to the Bank, and with the weather being breezy and cool, chances were slim. But among the coppiced bushes, wind might be less, and if the sun came out, there might be a chance.

We set off down the track through the trees, and we chatted about plants, butterflies and Norfolk. Where they, and I, were from.

We reached the bottom of the bank. It seemed cold still. At least there would be the bonus of dozens of Lady and Fly orchids to enjoy.

Opposite the entrance, six flowering spikes of Lady stood on a bank, so they were photographed.

We entered the reserve, down the stops, and went hunting for Dukes.

The sun did break through about 50% of the time, and in among the bushes it was almost warm and still when it was sunny. But no Dukes were seen. No butterflies at all in fact.

But they delighted in the orchids. The Lady were at their peak, so we set off along the top path, stopping to snap and record what we had seen. Plenty of Fly in flower too, though they are starting to brown off, but White helleborines were just coming into flower.

I failed to find the Greater butterfly in flower from last week, probably trodden by a butterfly chaser, but after a ten minute search, the single Man orchid was found just before we reached the other Duke lek.

It was almost warm, so the search began. Walking through the short grass and Primroses will flush a Duke out, then watch where it flies and lands, as it won't be far.

Jo shouts that se has found one, so we all gather, and there on a dead leaf was a male Duke with wings three-quarters closed, but it's underwings on show.

The Duke of Burgundy likes to bask, or the males do, to attract a mate. While this is good, the Duke is a small butterfly, so you have to get close or have a long lens to snap a good shot.

In the end we find and photograph for males. They would have been happy with one. So with that, we walk to the far end of the reserve and began to long walk back to he car.

We drive in convoy back to Petham, then to Bridge and to Barham, turning off at the pub and along the long lane, only to find the parking space full with three cars.

Not seen this in fifteen years coming here.

So we park on the hard standing, then walk back along the lane to the track leading to the wood.

Our primary target here was a white Lady, but the consolation of bird's-nests.

Six weeks ago I had seen maybe two hundred rosettes of Lady. And if you look they're still there, hidden by Dog's mercury. And the 10% flowering spikes of two weeks ago was now down to a handful, probably munched by deers. It was a real search to find spikes, though I guess there was twenty to thirty.

Jon and her friends were happy with seeing Herb paris, and the wood has two large colonies. Then to hunt for the Bird's-nests.

I find some. And then some more. And more. And more and more.

Some fifty eight spikes, with more to emerge. It was incredible to see so many, more than I have ever seen at a site before, and my friends were as thrilled to see them as I was.

But time had run out. I needed to get home, so we bid each other farewell, they to go on to Yockletts, and me back to Dover.

No drama on the way back, for a change. And once back it was time for lunch.

It was simple and summer-like Caprese with the rest of the crusty bread form the previous day.

It was all done in fifteen minutes, so we sat down, me with a glass of Italian primitivo.

Cheers.

And very good it was too, doubly so as we had pistachio Magnums again for dessert.

Cats were tested, jabbed and fed. I did poorly in the music quiz.

And that was that.

In the evening, Villa ran rings round Liverpool, running out 4-2 winners. It should have been ten.

And that was that.