Small Copper

Our first day of monitoring at Whitemoor, where the cold weather of April and the damp of May had encouraged a mass flowering of the tiny annuals so characteristic of brownfield sites, including early Forget-me-not, Changing Forrget-me-not (see extra), Field Madder, several species of Geranium, Wall Speedwell and Thyme-leaved Sandwort.

The low, flower-studded sward was alive with newly emerged butterflies, absolutely pristine - including Small Copper, Grizzled Skipper, Common Blue and Brown Argus. Just wonderful, until the sky darkened at about six o'clock - we reached the car just before the heavens opened!