I started off at Broxbourne west car park and did the usual circuit around what is now the grazed heathland. Birds were in short supply apart from a few tit flocks and several loud Nuthatches. A few crests and Chiffchaffs were heard, but the only warbles actually seen were two juvenile Garden Warblers which was a bit different.
Butterflies were out in force with lots of Meadow Browns, Skippers, Peacocks and whites, and a few lingering Ringlets. Didn't see any blues which was a it odd, and there were only a couple of rather tatty Silver Washed Fritillaries and one slightly better individual.
No Purple Emperors or White Admirals as expected, though i do wonder if they are still around since the area was opened up and much of the sallow trees and scrub had been cleared. The small oak trees were scanned but I only managed to see one Purple Hairstreak.
The pond has become very shaded and I only saw a few Common Blue damsels here. I did find one Southern Hawker and a few Migrant Hawkers, one of which posed nicely.
Danemead was much the same, including, weirdly, yet again a Garden Warbler showing quite well.
No fritillaries which was a bit unusual, but there were a few Painted Ladies in the meadow. The Spittlebrook actually had some water flowing for once, though the adjacent pond had dried up. I had hoped that there would be a few epipactis helleborines (broad leaved is the expected orchid here) in flower but I couldn't find a single plant in any of the usual places. Not sure if its slugs or deer but I haven't seen any here for a few years now.
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