Beltane Butterfly

May Day blessings at Beltane (and for those celebrating international Workers' Day, "Up the workers!"). The spring ritual of fertility and fecundity might now be more an aspiration than anything else, personally, but the land is awake and the fires are lit.

Down at the nature reserve I was thwarted by the Greater Spotted Woodpecker, who spotted me first and flew off in a red, white and black flurry while I was changing lenses! Nonetheless I was lucky enough to catch this orange tip as it lifted off from the Lady's Smock (or Cuckoo Flower)

We have new neighbours. Have yet to meet them but they're younger than us (ie not quite ready for a care home). Always a nervous time, finding out whether you've got good ones or need taller fences. We've always been lucky. Hopefully we'll link up soon and find they're at least as lovely as we are...