Queensdown Warren !

My first visit to Queensdown Warren, another chalk downland site a few weeks ago was not that successful, couldn't find any Orchids, just a few Green Hairstreaks.

After visiting Darland Bank not that far away, thought I would try this site again and look for Butterflies.

This time I ventured further into the site, sun was shining and I was enjoying the walk through the reserve. I could see in the distance, a couple of likely suspects on the hillside peering intently down into the grassland, I headed in there direction in the hope that  they would point me in the right direction

As our paths crossed, the usual exchange of sightings and pleasantries were made, there information being infinitely more interesting than mine, they pointed me to an area close by where they had been watching many Adonis Butterflies, I could hardly believe my luck, not only that, I had stumbled across an area containing a new Orchid for the year. the Common Fragrant Orchid, these are said to have thee scent of orange blossom, to be honest I couldn't detect any scent on the spikes that I came across, to be fair these looked fairly small.

Common Fragrant orchid

Orchid Life List                                          2019 Orchid List

 Common Spotted Orchid                         Green Winged Orchid

 Early Purple Orchid                                 Early Purple Orchid

 Common Twayblade.                               Lady Orchid

 Greater Butterfly Orchid                          Early Spider Orchid

 Lady Orchid                                             Fly Orchid

 Pyramidal Orchid                                     Common Twayblade

 Bee orchid                                                Man Orchid

 Fragrant Orchid                                        Monkey Orchid

White Helleborine                                     White Helleborine

Southern Marsh Orchid                             Common Fragrant Orchid

Green Winged Orchid

Early Spider Orchid

Fly Orchid

Man Orchid

Monkey Orchid

Blue Butterflies seemed to be all around me, the majority being Adonis Blue Butterflies, these seem quite easy to photograph as they seemed content to sunbathe on the grass for several minutes at a time.
Having seen a few of these beautiful Butterflies this year I can now differentiate quite easily between these and the Common Blues that share the same grassy habitat.

Adonis Blue

And a couple of images of the female Adonis Blue Butterfly, most females do not have any blue showing apparently.

Female Adonis Blue Butterfly

I was unsure if these were Adonis Blue females, but a quick confirmation from Kent Butterflies gave me this explanation. Female Adonis Butterfly,  [clear white marking around the underwing spots, black lines through the fringe, and blue above and below the lunules on the hindwings. It may well be an ab. with all that colouring.]