Friday 13th April..lucky for me

A split day out and about today. I plumped for a trip to the Wyre in the morning, hoping to catch up with the odd early migrant ( Tree Pipit, Wood Warbler, Cuckoo ... all possible, as well as another Redstart), The elusive Lesser Spot could show it's face if it wanted . I Started at Uncllys where the best I could manage was seeing my first singing Willow Warbler  of the year for a dirty tick.

Willow Warbler Wyre Forest

Walking down to Lodge Hill I saw my second deer of the week bounce by, a young female Fallow Deer, whilst I chatted to the charming Adder lady Sylvia Sheldon.
The Wyre can be oddly quiet sometimes, and for me it was, save for the odd Greater Spot and Nuthatch. Not even a Butterfly about, and the weather was warming up, I decided to return to Upton Warren to nail a picture of those pesky Orange- tips, what I got was something quite unexpected !!

Around 2pm, I set about finding an Orange- tip to photograph, and picking one up on the wing I stalked it towards the point I saw it settle. Checking it with my bins before I moved a little closer, I  picked up an 'eye' in my field of view. It took a few seconds to realise I was staring at the head of a Grass Snake out basking in the sunshine ! It was a lovely Snake, over a metre long, quite thin really, my first. With my 35x zoom I was able to get some pics and video without having to disturb it, thoughts of Orange tips were on hold !
I couldn't help wander if some of Sylvia's snake savvy had rubbed off on me !

Grass Snake

Having gotten a few snaps I left it in peace. The sunshine had bought out some butterfly year firsts, with Large White and Small White and 2 Holly Blues being seen before I left. I also saw my second Brimstone  of the year.Eventually I managed a reasonable Orange -tip record shot, leaving feeling it was mission accomplished ..and some !

Male Orange-tip