Clattinger Farm

Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th June 2012
Bee Orchid at Clattinger Farm - surprisingly concealed amongst the surrounding herbage
A visit with Mark to Wiltshire Wildlife Trust's Clattinger Farm reserve for Orchids produced a Bee Orchid and a few Sothern Marsh Orchids among the 1000's of Common Spotted Orchids. Also 100's Common Blue Damselfies and a small number of Blue-tailed, Large Red-eyed and Large Red Damselflies. The only dragonfly seen though, in less than ideal conditions, was a female Black-tailed Skimmer. Over the road at Swillbrook we saw more Damselflies, but a search for Downy Emerald dragons proved fruitless, although we did see a Grass Snake near the entrance gate.
More buds still to open
From the side
A medley of grasses, Common Spotted Orchid, Hawkweed, Buttercup, Clover et al at Clattinger
Common Spotted Orchid
Southern Marsh Orchid - though Lang* says the spots never form a symmetrical double loop as some of the lips here seem to show, in every other respect the correct ID features are displayed
A Spider (any ID on that?) devouring a Common Blue Damselfy, Clattinger Farm
Large Red-eyed Damselfly
Below, a couple of butterflies photographed at Daneway Banks on Saturday, though no Large Blue, again not ideal conditions!
Marbled White
Large Skipper
*Ref: 'Britain's Orchids', David Lang, WILDGuides

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