Our first Butterflies for 2016 beside the Upper Bedon Stream

The Upper Bedon Stream is, we understand, Spring fed, and runs beside Streamway and then on to Brook Street, where it disappears underground, making its way, we assume, down to the Thames.

We opened our 2016 Butterfly account with a few Comma, Peacock, and Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies viz.

We then moved on to the East Wickham Open Space for a first 2016 visit. We noticed single Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies; also some flowering Cowslips viz.

We find some Butterflies &c. after the Horrible Wind dies down

We spent much of the morning keeping an eye on a section of fence by the Gate to the Back Garden that was being buffeted by the Strong Horrible Winds. Thankfully it held although we think some repairs might be needed.

We needed to go shopping so once the Wind had died down (early-afternoon) we decided to go via the Erith Marshes (aka the Crossness Nature Reserve and Surrounding area) in the hopes of seeing a Butterfly or two; not that our expectations were particularly high since although it was quite Sunny and a 'one cardigan afternoon', there was still some residual Wind.

That being said, we did actually see a few Butterflies including our first Red Admiral of the year viz.

Other Butterflies seen included Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Small White Butterflies:

There were quite a few 7-Spot Ladybirds present viz.

Also a few Bees &c. including this Hairy-Footed Flower Bee (kindly identified for us):

and a possible Yellow-Legged Mining Bee (kindly identified for us) visiting a Dandelion:

Flowering Plants included Bluebells, Common Field Speedwell, Gorse, Red Dead-Nettle, Spotted Medick, White Dead-Nettle; also Cow Parsley, an unidentified Crane's-Bill, Ground-Ivy and Lesser Celandine viz.

Of Butterflies, a Bee Fly, Birds, Wild Flowers &c.

Wow; a lovely Sunny, Good Friday, and the first 'no cardigan day' of the Spring to boot!

So we went down to the Erith Marshes (aka the Crossness Nature Reserve and Surrounding area) to see what we could find with the main focus being on Butterflies.

We started out walking over a small section of the Southern Erith Marshes, spotting both a Peacock Butterfly and this Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly:

Earlier, whilst crossing the Eastern Way, we had noticed what seemed to be a patch of blue on the grassy bank. It turned out to be a pretty population of Forget-me-Nots viz.

And beside the prolific Red Dead-Nettle and Common Field-Speedwell we were super-pleased to see that some Spotted Medick was flowering viz.

Also, some (assumed) Sticky Mouse-Ear viz.

We then walked through the wooded part of the Reserve and thence along the Public Footpath that connects the Reserve to Belvedere Road viz.

There, we saw a Brimstone Butterfly, (at least) four Comma Butterflies, two Peacock Butterflies, a Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly and two Small White Butterflies (our first of 2016) including:

We also saw came across a rather dear and fluffy looking Bee Fly viz.

Once we had retraced our steps back to the Reserve we walked up towards the River, spotting three Peacock Butterflies and two Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies viz.

We also saw a Long-Tailed Tit carrying home-building material viz.

In the West Paddock we saw a Green Sandpiper and a couple of newly-arrived Little Ringed Plovers; the Plovers too distant alas for a photograph.

By the Stables we spotted an obliging Meadow Pipit viz.

And whilst walking back to the car, we spotted a Small White Butterfly getting deep into a Red Dead-Nettle' flower, beside the entrance to the Reserve in the Eastern Way viz.

Returning home via Lesnes Abbey Woods, we found Wild Daffodil, Wild Bluebell, Wood Anemone and Lesser Celandine all flowering very prettily viz.

No sign of flowers yet on the nearby Greater Stitchwort, Wild Garlic (aka Ramsons) or Wood Sorrel (all of which can be seen growing) but it can't be too long now.

Postscript: Before heading down to the Reserve we visited Upper Belvedere where we were super-pleased to see some flowers on Ivy-Leaved Toadflax growing on a wall beside Bedwell Road viz.

Of Butterflies and other Things including a seemingly Homicidal Oystercatcher

Waking up, we were greeted by a Blue Sky. Hopeful of a Sunny Day we decided to go Butterfly Hunting on the Erith Marshes (aka the Crossness Nature Reserve and Surrounding area). And Warm and Sunny it was; almost a 'No Cardigan Day'!

We first spotted a white Butterfly in the West Paddock area of the Reserve and decided to climb over a Gate to get a better view. With our knees we should have known better! After finally getting ourselves over the gate the Butterfly annoyingly moved off so remained unidentified.

Climbing back over the Gate we got temporarily stuck; thankfully no-one else was around! Not something we shall try again in a hurry.

We then walked up to the River, close by to which we saw a Brimstone Butterfly which luckily settled viz.

Walking back down through the Reserve we spotted a Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly visiting a Cherry Plum viz.

Whilst we were engaged with the Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly another Brimstone Butterfly whooshed by.

Walking down to the Public Footpath that connects the Reserve to Belvedere Road we spotted a couple of Peacock Butterflies viz.

And on the Footpath itself we spotted a Comma Butterfly viz.

Possibly the same Butterfly seen few days earlier viz. see the item dated 17 March.

We then moved on to look around the Grounds of the Church of St John the Baptist in Erith, with the hopes of seeing some flowering Early Dog-Violets and were not disappointed viz.

The Three-Cornered Garlic/Leeks and Spring Starflowers were looking very pretty viz.

As was a Lesser Celandine and one of the last remaining flowering' Snowdrops viz.

Shortly afterwards we were lucky enough to find a Peacock Butterfly visiting one of the many Primroses that brighten up the Church' Grounds at this time of year viz.

By way of finishing the day we took a short bicycle ride down the Thames Path. Returning briefly to the section of the Crossness Nature Reserve where we had earlier seen and photographed the first Brimstone Butterfly, we found another Peacock Butterfly viz.

We also spotted another unidentified white Butterfly.

Beside the Thames Path we spotted an almost flowering Cowslip, what we take to be the white form of the Sweet Violet and were also pleased to see that the White Ramping-Fumitory is still flowering very prettily viz.

We also found a second Lesser Celandine plant.

After all of which it was time to do a spot of shopping and go home.

Postscript: down on the Thames' Foreshore we spotted an Oystercatcher seemingly preparing to take a lunge at an unsuspecting Ringed Plover viz.

Thankfully appearances were deceptive and the Oystercatcher quietly passed the Ringed Plover by. Phew.