Pasque Flowers Royston Heath

Yesterday we did our annual visit to the Pasque flowers on Royston Heath - the first time it has been in March so a sign of this year's early spring. It is also a good year for them though still not beating 2013 (https://pin-sharp.blogspot.com/2013/05/pasque-flowers-revisited.html). It is worrying that there are relatively few insects around to pollinate them - usually the heath is buzzing with bees and flies.

Devil's Dyke Newmarket - Pasque Flowers

Several of the Pasque flowers on Devil's dyke are only just coming into bloom - much later than the Royston ones. They are also much larger, growing in tall grass rather than short turf. Tried various apertures from 2.8 to 7.1 including image 3 which is focus stacked of 3 images at 6.4. Hundreds of St Mark's flies around, the males having large eyes, females (first image) smaller eyes. Named as they are abundant normally on St Mark's Day, April 25th. The very small spider and Weevil beetle were photographed at f22  but impossible to get it all in focus at that magnification

Pasque Flowers on Royston Heath

The Pasque flowers are going over now but it is a wonderful display - probably as good as the display in 2013 (see here). Taken with a range of lenses 100-400 mm for the first two and last four, third is the 10-24 mm and other two with 50 mm macro.