Torquay Woods, Devon, England.
Today was a hot summers day, one of the first this year. I took a walk in one of the many small woods surrounding Torquay. The sun shone brightly giving much needed warmth and light to shaded areas of forest.
A Peacock butterfly bathed in the sunlight. An extraordinary butterfly with brownish-red wings and a prominent smudged eye spot on each wing.
I saw only one of these apparently common butterflies last year and then only fleetingly, so this beauty sunning itself on some garlic plants was an unexpected treat.
Striped wing, orange and black, Tortoiseshell Butterflies flitted amongst dandelions and leaves close to the stream.
Robins could be heard singing throughout the woods. Here a young Robin in the bushes. The sun reflected on his head giving him a golden halo. Completely unafraid and curious he sat on a branch and watched as I took photos of him.
A Bee-Fly sunned itself on a rock opening its wings for warmth.
Bluebells and wild garlic grew in profusion filling the air with perfumes sweet and distinct.
Woods are to me magical places, like the Amazon Rainforest that I love, once inside a wood you are in a different world. Some people find woods and forests frightening, I find them soothing….like walking into an empty church. The soaring ceiling of trees gives the wood grandeur while the wild flowers and wildlife…insects, butterflies, squirrels …. give it comforting familiarity.
devon2mother 