Alner's Gorse, 24/06

Sorry, everyone, it's Cin's fault... her trip to Alner's Gorse inspired me to tootle there this morning!! Some yearly firsts, plus a first ever plus (as always) a couple of warbler ID's required!!

Hot, mostly sunny, and still... so I rocked up just after 8, greeted by a white that looks veiny...so Green Veined White (probably!)

The most numerous by a long chalk today were Meadow Browns

First first of the year, Small Tortoiseshell

The first of the dragon-y damsel-y things... an Azure Damselfly

Meadow Brown, showing the first of the variations

Common Blue Damselfly

Speckled Wood, surprisingly the only one I saw

A mini quiz now, for another first of the year

A horrible angle, and a horrible distance, but I think a Beautiful Demoiselle

I can't work out the next one, possibly a Blue Tailed, or a Scarce Blue Tailed Damselfly...but I'm not happy or confident with either choice

Back to the quiz...anyone guess it from the first pic?  Pic 2...

Pic 3!!

Ok... enough guesses.... horrible exposure setting on a White Letter Hairstreak, stubbornly high up the tree

Broad Bodied Chaser

You have to look where you're walking.... spot the Meadow Brown

First ever for me... White Admiral

First of the year... kindly pointed out by three chaps.... Purple Hairstreak

It take a special talent to get neither of 2 subjects in focus...Plume Moths

I've rarely seen blue butterflies at Alner's Gorse... Common Blue I think

Common Darter

White Admiral

Another yearly first Large (I think) Skipper... even though it's tiddly... with an unfeasibly long tongue!

Another annual first.... Silver Washed Fritillary, playing peek-a-boo

As it's my first ever... a bit of White Admiral love!

Managed (just about) to capture the spectacular underwing

A Small (I think) White

Back to the magnificent Silver-washed Frits

Another Large Skipper

Warbler... beak seems very long?

Something else, in silhouette?

Chiffchaff? Acting like I imagine a flycatcher does, popping out from a perch, twizzling about, then returning to the perch

On the way back to the car, I stopped at the "white hairstreak tree" and joined three or four others getting a stiff neck from looking up, and grumbling that they're "annoying little beggars that won't come down" lol

Final shot before the car, tattered Large Skipper

And final shot of the day, the Fallow Deer herd was in the shade fairly close to the lay-by opposite, so I pulled over and snapped through the open passenger window

Hope you enjoyed my couple of hours in the sun, and as I said.... it's all Cin's fault!!!

Thanks for any ID's/ corrections

Stay Safe All