A Holly Blue Encounter and the Twelve Forty-five to East Grinstead

On Easter Monday I decided to try and make use of the patchy early morning sunshine and headed off to Pevensey Levels. The weather forecast was right however and by the time I started my walk, the grey cloud had settled across the whole sky. I concentrated my efforts on searching for any roosting Holly Blues (Celastrina argiolus) that might be tucked away in any ivy growth. After an hour or so I found a freshly emerged female settled low down in a hedgerow. Looking up at the sky, there were a few small patches of blue sky appearing and so I sat nearby and waited. Another hour passed and then the sun managed to peep through the clouds for a brief few moments, enticing her to open her wings.

 

 

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) (female)

 

 

 

 

 

The next day we met up with friends at the Bluebell Railway at Sheffield Park where the Flying Scotsman had been visiting over the Easter holiday. Whilst I am not hugely knowledgeable on steam locomotives, the excitement and affection in the crowd was palpable as this magnificent piece of 1920's engineering set off for East Grinstead.