Perham 26-07-2023 Part 2
I carried on down, back through the scrubby bit and back out onto the initial field of thin turf. Once here I spent the reminder of my time practicing the art of Silver Spot stalking. I’d obviously gotten my eye in as spotting the little blighters became much easier and after some practice stalking them did as well and I managed to find 3 or 4 more definitely different individuals as I criss-crossed the grassland. My quartering eventually brought me to the very edge of the field at the bottom of the Down where it had all begun an hour or so earlier. Right at the edge was a small triangle of taller vegetation and longer grass. As I followed an animal track through it I spotted my final Silver Spot, a Small Copper, Common Blue as well as a definite Essex, a definite Small and a Smessex Skipper – finishing with a bit of a flourish.
As I drove back I realised that I still had plenty of time and also that there seemed to be a break in the cloud over a certain field with an impressive accompanying array of hedges. Within 10 minutes or so I was parked at Shipton Bellinger, at the back end, and I was striding towards the Nettle Patch. I slowed myself as I rounded the corner and the nettles hove into view. I had to slow myself right down as the path is heavily rutted and very uneven and I didn’t look at the ground once. Instead I scanned across the tops of the vegetation nd paid particular attention to anything remotely flower like or purple. This paid off almost immediately as there was a male Brostreak! The cloud had covered the sun once again which muted the colours of the butterfly somewhat but it was still a glorious sight; a honeyed orange with almost kaki strips. This one was practically bombproof and it was all I could do to tear myself away from it.
As I’d broken free of the lure of the Brostreak I reverted to following the well-worn path down the narrow track on the side of the Nettle Bed. The large Bramble held a Holly Blue as well as a cacophony of Red Admirals. I counted 14 at one time and these were joined by 3 Commas, a Peacock, several Hedgies and a Silver-washed Fritillary. I was surprised by the sheer number of Red Admirals but even more so that the bush was still standing and able to support the weight of the butterflies. Oddly, but also possibly because of this bush, the rest of the path was very quiet. As I stepped out from the confines onto the stony road I glanced across at the other, smaller Nettle Bed and could see 4 Commas in various places across it.
By now the sun was an infrequent visitor and so I decided against investigating all the usual nooks and crannies at the top of the hill and instead just investigated along the hedges around the main field. I started on the opposite side with the highlights being an Adonis Blue and a Peacock standing out like a sore thumb amid the Browns and oranges of the Hedgies and Meadow Browns. Along top of the field on part of the main track that runs down to the village a Wall paused from tis busy schedule and then I was on very familiar territory as I worked down the main hedge. There were many, many whites and Meadow Browns kept me second guessing and right at the end a cracking Brown Argus but that was it. It looked like the cloud that had encapsulated the site was keeping the rest of the butterflies at bay and so I started for home, calling time on a surprisingly successful trip.
Perham Silver Spots
Were the days main attraction
With a Brostreak too…
As I drove back I realised that I still had plenty of time and also that there seemed to be a break in the cloud over a certain field with an impressive accompanying array of hedges. Within 10 minutes or so I was parked at Shipton Bellinger, at the back end, and I was striding towards the Nettle Patch. I slowed myself as I rounded the corner and the nettles hove into view. I had to slow myself right down as the path is heavily rutted and very uneven and I didn’t look at the ground once. Instead I scanned across the tops of the vegetation nd paid particular attention to anything remotely flower like or purple. This paid off almost immediately as there was a male Brostreak! The cloud had covered the sun once again which muted the colours of the butterfly somewhat but it was still a glorious sight; a honeyed orange with almost kaki strips. This one was practically bombproof and it was all I could do to tear myself away from it.
As I’d broken free of the lure of the Brostreak I reverted to following the well-worn path down the narrow track on the side of the Nettle Bed. The large Bramble held a Holly Blue as well as a cacophony of Red Admirals. I counted 14 at one time and these were joined by 3 Commas, a Peacock, several Hedgies and a Silver-washed Fritillary. I was surprised by the sheer number of Red Admirals but even more so that the bush was still standing and able to support the weight of the butterflies. Oddly, but also possibly because of this bush, the rest of the path was very quiet. As I stepped out from the confines onto the stony road I glanced across at the other, smaller Nettle Bed and could see 4 Commas in various places across it.
By now the sun was an infrequent visitor and so I decided against investigating all the usual nooks and crannies at the top of the hill and instead just investigated along the hedges around the main field. I started on the opposite side with the highlights being an Adonis Blue and a Peacock standing out like a sore thumb amid the Browns and oranges of the Hedgies and Meadow Browns. Along top of the field on part of the main track that runs down to the village a Wall paused from tis busy schedule and then I was on very familiar territory as I worked down the main hedge. There were many, many whites and Meadow Browns kept me second guessing and right at the end a cracking Brown Argus but that was it. It looked like the cloud that had encapsulated the site was keeping the rest of the butterflies at bay and so I started for home, calling time on a surprisingly successful trip.
Perham Silver Spots
Were the days main attraction
With a Brostreak too…
Perham 26-07-2023 Part 1
The summer had resorted back to typical summer weather, no long, baking wall to wall July break this year; instead a mixture of grey days and sunny intervals, the temperature set to warm and the occasional shower thrown in. To be honest it was hard to be disappointed with the cool, grey sky that greeted me when I awoke as this was what I’d been expecting for a while. And so, storing great hope in the veracity of the weather apps I set of too Perham Down to try and find some Silver Spots.
When I arrived it seemed like I was the only one willing to believe in the weather app as I had the place to myself…well almost. As I pulled my boots on a Red Admiral did a couple of passes, looping past me and round the large puddle-cum-pond which filled most of the track. There was also the occasional blast of machine gun fire from either of the small wooded areas which would be followed by cries a tactical nature. With boots on I skirted round the edge of this and set off across the field and from there up through the narrower path that brushes the edge of the small wood on my left. I’d almost gotten used to the retorts of the rifles but it still made an odd aural juxtaposition; bubbling Skylarks and rattling machine guns, the soft whistles of a trip of Bullfinches swiftly followed by screams of “watch the flank, watch the flank!”. Leaving them to their fun and war games I pressed on noting Meadow Browns and in the longer turf of the diagonal path a Brown Argus, a couple of Chalkhills and a Smessex. As I reached the toe (note quite the foot) of the Down a few more Meadow Browns drifted past and then something buzzed past and seemed to drop by my feet. I leant down to get a closer look and couldn’t believe my eyes as there was my first Silver Spot; it had come and found me.
As I peered down at it where it sat in its shelter down in the turf I could see that it wasn’t the thing that had buzzed me as its wings seemed tiny in comparison to its enormous abdomen. They also seemed a little crinkled and pleated and so surmising that it was still waiting for its wings to dry I offered it a finger and moved it to the edge of some taller scrub so it didn’t get squashed under foot. It was very placid and after plenty of shots of it ‘in situ’ I couldn’t resist trying for some on a Thistle. With these on the memory card I quickly returned it to its favoured spot and wishing it well I set off over the turf once more. I didn’t get far before stopping again, literally just across the open slope as then I reached a line of scrub at the far end of which was a large Bramble. There were 3 or 4 Whites clinging to various florets for a few moments at a time and a Red Admiral fed greedily. But I’d not come for these species and so I got back to the turf…
As I strode across the slope, a slight spring in my step conveyed by the thin turf a Green-veined White passed by and a Common Blue paused just long enough to reel me in before it shot off. I set about scanning left and right as I walked slowly forward and back across the slope in a series of interminably small zig-zags. This technique of covering almost every square inch of the down paid off as I managed to pick up a couple more Silver Spots. These were much more active than my initial finding, displaying much more typical behaviour. I would have gotten many more shots but it took me a while to dredge through my memory and recall the method of following and locating them that I developed last year. Once I’d remembered the shots started mounting up on the memory card counter. I’d be walking along scanning the ground about 2 metres in front my footfall and one would go up. Next I’d watch as it would skim across the grass veering left and right. Eventually I’d lose sight of it and once this happened I’d quickly head to the last point that I’d seen it. As I neared this spot I’d slow my pace and move more stealthily, scanning the ground ever more intently. Generally there it would be, only a metre or so to the left or right away from I’d last seen it flying.
At the top of the slight rise it leveled off somewhat and there were clumps of Hawthorn or Bramble giving a mosaic appearance to this part of the site. I picked my way around and in between various clumps of scrub before reaching the foot of the Down proper where the thorny vegetation was replaced by the familiar thin, springy turf. When the sun poked its head round the cloud the butterflies would take to zooming about at breakneck speeds making counting very tricky. This was compounded further by their habit of setting off a nearby neighbour in an almost chain reaction of ‘spooking’. There was a definite Brown Argus, 4 Chalkhills and a Common Blue whilst the seemingly ever moving Brimstones I jotted down as ‘lots’ in my notebook. I carried on, relocating the main track as it started upwards. To be fair at this end the slope is none too difficult, one of the reasons I frequent this end of the site. On my way up to the hotspot I passed a tall Bramble with Ivy growing up through it and supporting a Red Admiral and a Peacock. And at the Hotspot itself things were very quiet as this end had lost its lustre in recent years. The best I could come up with was singletons of Brown Argus and Common Blue while once again my notebook had ‘lots’ written next to Brimstone. On the return the tall bush had added 2 Commas and a smattering of Hedgies to its collection.
From here I allowed gravity to do its thing and so I ended up traversing the flat field at the bottom of the hill. Again there were plenty of non-stop butterflies – Brimstones seemed to have multiplied during my time wandering round the old hotspot as had the other Whites and I was fairly convinced that I saw all three of the white species though proving it wold be something else as they kept flying non-stop. Again there were a smattering of Blues as well, some of the Chalkhills looked almost White-like as they flew in the sun and the light bounced off them at unusual angles. A Common Blue appeared as well as a brace of Silver Spots which seemed to prefer the margins of the thinner turf and scrub. Once I’d finished with one of the Silver Spots a DGF flashed by and as I made to follow it down the path it picked up the pace and left me for dust. Trailing its wake however was another one of the White looking Blues – this one was a Holly Blue which looked a little out of place here on a Chalk Down.
When I arrived it seemed like I was the only one willing to believe in the weather app as I had the place to myself…well almost. As I pulled my boots on a Red Admiral did a couple of passes, looping past me and round the large puddle-cum-pond which filled most of the track. There was also the occasional blast of machine gun fire from either of the small wooded areas which would be followed by cries a tactical nature. With boots on I skirted round the edge of this and set off across the field and from there up through the narrower path that brushes the edge of the small wood on my left. I’d almost gotten used to the retorts of the rifles but it still made an odd aural juxtaposition; bubbling Skylarks and rattling machine guns, the soft whistles of a trip of Bullfinches swiftly followed by screams of “watch the flank, watch the flank!”. Leaving them to their fun and war games I pressed on noting Meadow Browns and in the longer turf of the diagonal path a Brown Argus, a couple of Chalkhills and a Smessex. As I reached the toe (note quite the foot) of the Down a few more Meadow Browns drifted past and then something buzzed past and seemed to drop by my feet. I leant down to get a closer look and couldn’t believe my eyes as there was my first Silver Spot; it had come and found me.
As I peered down at it where it sat in its shelter down in the turf I could see that it wasn’t the thing that had buzzed me as its wings seemed tiny in comparison to its enormous abdomen. They also seemed a little crinkled and pleated and so surmising that it was still waiting for its wings to dry I offered it a finger and moved it to the edge of some taller scrub so it didn’t get squashed under foot. It was very placid and after plenty of shots of it ‘in situ’ I couldn’t resist trying for some on a Thistle. With these on the memory card I quickly returned it to its favoured spot and wishing it well I set off over the turf once more. I didn’t get far before stopping again, literally just across the open slope as then I reached a line of scrub at the far end of which was a large Bramble. There were 3 or 4 Whites clinging to various florets for a few moments at a time and a Red Admiral fed greedily. But I’d not come for these species and so I got back to the turf…
As I strode across the slope, a slight spring in my step conveyed by the thin turf a Green-veined White passed by and a Common Blue paused just long enough to reel me in before it shot off. I set about scanning left and right as I walked slowly forward and back across the slope in a series of interminably small zig-zags. This technique of covering almost every square inch of the down paid off as I managed to pick up a couple more Silver Spots. These were much more active than my initial finding, displaying much more typical behaviour. I would have gotten many more shots but it took me a while to dredge through my memory and recall the method of following and locating them that I developed last year. Once I’d remembered the shots started mounting up on the memory card counter. I’d be walking along scanning the ground about 2 metres in front my footfall and one would go up. Next I’d watch as it would skim across the grass veering left and right. Eventually I’d lose sight of it and once this happened I’d quickly head to the last point that I’d seen it. As I neared this spot I’d slow my pace and move more stealthily, scanning the ground ever more intently. Generally there it would be, only a metre or so to the left or right away from I’d last seen it flying.
At the top of the slight rise it leveled off somewhat and there were clumps of Hawthorn or Bramble giving a mosaic appearance to this part of the site. I picked my way around and in between various clumps of scrub before reaching the foot of the Down proper where the thorny vegetation was replaced by the familiar thin, springy turf. When the sun poked its head round the cloud the butterflies would take to zooming about at breakneck speeds making counting very tricky. This was compounded further by their habit of setting off a nearby neighbour in an almost chain reaction of ‘spooking’. There was a definite Brown Argus, 4 Chalkhills and a Common Blue whilst the seemingly ever moving Brimstones I jotted down as ‘lots’ in my notebook. I carried on, relocating the main track as it started upwards. To be fair at this end the slope is none too difficult, one of the reasons I frequent this end of the site. On my way up to the hotspot I passed a tall Bramble with Ivy growing up through it and supporting a Red Admiral and a Peacock. And at the Hotspot itself things were very quiet as this end had lost its lustre in recent years. The best I could come up with was singletons of Brown Argus and Common Blue while once again my notebook had ‘lots’ written next to Brimstone. On the return the tall bush had added 2 Commas and a smattering of Hedgies to its collection.
From here I allowed gravity to do its thing and so I ended up traversing the flat field at the bottom of the hill. Again there were plenty of non-stop butterflies – Brimstones seemed to have multiplied during my time wandering round the old hotspot as had the other Whites and I was fairly convinced that I saw all three of the white species though proving it wold be something else as they kept flying non-stop. Again there were a smattering of Blues as well, some of the Chalkhills looked almost White-like as they flew in the sun and the light bounced off them at unusual angles. A Common Blue appeared as well as a brace of Silver Spots which seemed to prefer the margins of the thinner turf and scrub. Once I’d finished with one of the Silver Spots a DGF flashed by and as I made to follow it down the path it picked up the pace and left me for dust. Trailing its wake however was another one of the White looking Blues – this one was a Holly Blue which looked a little out of place here on a Chalk Down.
Alners Gorse...well Martin Down on the way home really 25-07-2023
Once we were refreshed we debated what to do next. We’d stayed a little too long to carry on South and try Lulworth so our options were to head back down the hill or pack up and call in briefly at Martin Down on the way home. The latter won out as we didn’t reckon that we’d find much new stuff and so we set off. The drive passed by quickly as we chatted and before too long we were bumping across the terrible surface of the main car park. Grabbing our gear we set off down the track towards the Butts. A Common Blue was something of an oddity on the first stretch of the track with its high hedges on either side its normally a Holly Blue that I see here but the Red Admiral was a more usual sighting. When the path opened up, with the fields on either side we started seeing Chalkhills; a brace to start with, and a Common Blue nearby as an extra. One of the Chalkhills had very thick margins and the spots on the hind wing seemed slightly elongated with hints of orange in them. The other had more normal margins but the orange spots were more noticeable.
As we walked on we notched up a further 6 Chalkhills and when we were almost at the Big Butt we found a collection of them feeding en masse on a dog turd. There were so many of them that it didn’t matter what they were on as it was masked by pastel blue uppers and silvery white undersides. There appeared to be a few ‘different’ looking ones in the throng; one or two showed the orange in the spots whilst others had very thick dark margins and one even had a white circle marking showing on its hind wing. We watched for while taking in the variety and some passing people showed interest at first but this quickly turned to disgust when they discovered what they were scrambling over; as if it was the butterflies fault! Finally we tore ourselves away and with time ebbing away we reached the foot of Big Butt where a Common Blue sat feeling a little left out amid the oh so numerous Chalkhills. On the return there were fewer Chalkills ‘en la turd’ so we kept going but we did pause for a female Chalkhill, he only one we saw over our time on site and a final Small Copper.
And then it was away home, me to my tea and Philzoid to a few further stops on the way home. Once I’d parked I sat in the car for a moment and while the engine plinked as it cooled I though back over the previous few hours. What a day! Three Hairstreaks, an aberrant Small Copper, a Valesina and a mass of Chalkhills as well as excellent company! The only thing missing was a Cloudy ;-)
Alners Gorse again
Small site, big on butterflies
A Hairstreak trio
As we walked on we notched up a further 6 Chalkhills and when we were almost at the Big Butt we found a collection of them feeding en masse on a dog turd. There were so many of them that it didn’t matter what they were on as it was masked by pastel blue uppers and silvery white undersides. There appeared to be a few ‘different’ looking ones in the throng; one or two showed the orange in the spots whilst others had very thick dark margins and one even had a white circle marking showing on its hind wing. We watched for while taking in the variety and some passing people showed interest at first but this quickly turned to disgust when they discovered what they were scrambling over; as if it was the butterflies fault! Finally we tore ourselves away and with time ebbing away we reached the foot of Big Butt where a Common Blue sat feeling a little left out amid the oh so numerous Chalkhills. On the return there were fewer Chalkills ‘en la turd’ so we kept going but we did pause for a female Chalkhill, he only one we saw over our time on site and a final Small Copper.
And then it was away home, me to my tea and Philzoid to a few further stops on the way home. Once I’d parked I sat in the car for a moment and while the engine plinked as it cooled I though back over the previous few hours. What a day! Three Hairstreaks, an aberrant Small Copper, a Valesina and a mass of Chalkhills as well as excellent company! The only thing missing was a Cloudy ;-)
Alners Gorse again
Small site, big on butterflies
A Hairstreak trio
Alners Gorse 25-07-2023 Part 2
So with all three Hairstreaks in the bag what was next on the ‘wish list’ that we’d discussed on the drive down? A Valesina of course and so to this end we left the diamond of the reserve and walked through the cleared area near the Hut. The open area was bathed in light and the flowers were making the most of it, forming a smattering of colourful clumps scattered across the almost uniformly grey ground. A trip of Bullfinches passed by, their soft plaintive whistles attracting my attention in their direction whilst at ground level various butterflies popped up, the odd Brimstone and a Purp flew up from one flower clump before we had an opportunity to capture it. Both male and female Silver-washed put in an appearance, the later bimbling about on the Fleabane and a pair of Hedgies did their bit to maintain the gene pool.
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We then walked back into the shade and followed the path along towards the Banks, emerging once more into the strong sun as we rounded the corner of the large Bramble bush. It was much quieter than on my first visit with only a couple a piece of Silver-washed and a sole Marbled White but a Holly Blue was an addition that hadn’t been here before. Despite scanning eagerly and having a bit of a walk further along the hedge to check out the more shaded areas we didn’t have any luck with our search for a Valesina so we retraced our steps and started back along the shaded woodland track towards the reserve proper. We’d only gone a few paces along said track when something large and grey in appearance went up from the path. It was a Valesina. She was gracious enough to start with moving up from the path to perch on some foliage on the verge where she stayed for about 5 minutes. However the sun was shining on her strongly and she took off and flew deeper all three and then deeper and then deeper still into the surrounding wood, heading back to the shade once she was suitably warmed from her basking. We tried following her some of the way in but it was hard going and after the second time that she went up we could only watch as further progress was barred by barbed wire.
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After this, yet another success, we retraced our route back along the path, across the clearing and past the Hut to the hedge just beyond the gate. Things had noticeably warmed up so only the occasional butterfly would stop. One surprising butterfly that had decided to tarry was a Large White which had a split right the way along one of the main veins in it forewing. There were a few of the other Whites around as well as Hedgies in pretty much every direction we’d look. Back at the Purp Hedge there were two Purps – probably the same two as earlierso we again set up camp for a short while and made the most of this often elusive quarry posing so nicely.
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From here we continued ‘backtracking’ arriving back at the small clearing where I’d found the second Brostreak. Another couple of Butterfliers were already here, looking along the hedge as the butterfly was up high. After flitting about and messing about up high it finally drifted down. At first I thought that it would descend to a certain altitude before gliding across to the patch of Creeping Thistles but it didn’t. It just kept on coming downright to ground level and the lowest spring of Bramble possibly across the whole reserve. This meant that getting the classic side-on profile shot wouldn’t be easy as you’d have to lie flat on the deck but as luck would have it did eventually move back to a more appropriate level and the thistles in the middle. On closer examination it looked to be a different individual to Number 2, no nick at the top of the hind wing and the streak here ‘ran’ slightly forming a patch of scale lighter than the rest of the ground colour.
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Around the back of the inner side of the clearing the hedge ran down and back in a right angle almost to the main hedge where the Whitters had flown earlier so Philzoid and I took to strolling along the length here. It was obviously producing the Brostreaks, or at least something, as there were about 8 or 9people here including Bob and the tall chap with the massive dog that I’d bumped into at Compton Down when looking for Glannies earlier in the year. The odd Meadow Brown or Hedgie did the occasionally fly-by distracting us from our detailed search of the hedge but when we’d almost reached the end I watched a small butterfly as it bumbled about up high. It remained aloft but perched and by standing on the balls of my feet and stretching my camera out as far ahead as possible I was able to get enough of a record shot to confirm it as a Brostreak, and a female to boot. Another butterfly detached itself from the same tree and I watched as it drifted down. It took what felt like and age as it fell like a dead leaf, sweeping this way and then that but I kept a close eye on it throughout its descent despite a considerable crick in my neck caused by craning it in odd angles to keep vgil on the butterfly. Eventually it landed to feed on the Bramble flowers by my feet. It was now that I made my mistake as I called out too soon and ended up having to scrabble round the outside while the other butterfliers somehow managed to get into much better positions. Still I managed one or six shots before essentially being squeezed out as a few more people joined the throng. In the end we left the butterfly to the ‘pack’ and began the trek back up the hill, tired but elated.
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We then walked back into the shade and followed the path along towards the Banks, emerging once more into the strong sun as we rounded the corner of the large Bramble bush. It was much quieter than on my first visit with only a couple a piece of Silver-washed and a sole Marbled White but a Holly Blue was an addition that hadn’t been here before. Despite scanning eagerly and having a bit of a walk further along the hedge to check out the more shaded areas we didn’t have any luck with our search for a Valesina so we retraced our steps and started back along the shaded woodland track towards the reserve proper. We’d only gone a few paces along said track when something large and grey in appearance went up from the path. It was a Valesina. She was gracious enough to start with moving up from the path to perch on some foliage on the verge where she stayed for about 5 minutes. However the sun was shining on her strongly and she took off and flew deeper all three and then deeper and then deeper still into the surrounding wood, heading back to the shade once she was suitably warmed from her basking. We tried following her some of the way in but it was hard going and after the second time that she went up we could only watch as further progress was barred by barbed wire.
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After this, yet another success, we retraced our route back along the path, across the clearing and past the Hut to the hedge just beyond the gate. Things had noticeably warmed up so only the occasional butterfly would stop. One surprising butterfly that had decided to tarry was a Large White which had a split right the way along one of the main veins in it forewing. There were a few of the other Whites around as well as Hedgies in pretty much every direction we’d look. Back at the Purp Hedge there were two Purps – probably the same two as earlierso we again set up camp for a short while and made the most of this often elusive quarry posing so nicely.
30 336
31 351
32 356-001
33 365
From here we continued ‘backtracking’ arriving back at the small clearing where I’d found the second Brostreak. Another couple of Butterfliers were already here, looking along the hedge as the butterfly was up high. After flitting about and messing about up high it finally drifted down. At first I thought that it would descend to a certain altitude before gliding across to the patch of Creeping Thistles but it didn’t. It just kept on coming downright to ground level and the lowest spring of Bramble possibly across the whole reserve. This meant that getting the classic side-on profile shot wouldn’t be easy as you’d have to lie flat on the deck but as luck would have it did eventually move back to a more appropriate level and the thistles in the middle. On closer examination it looked to be a different individual to Number 2, no nick at the top of the hind wing and the streak here ‘ran’ slightly forming a patch of scale lighter than the rest of the ground colour.
34 386
35 395
36 431
Around the back of the inner side of the clearing the hedge ran down and back in a right angle almost to the main hedge where the Whitters had flown earlier so Philzoid and I took to strolling along the length here. It was obviously producing the Brostreaks, or at least something, as there were about 8 or 9people here including Bob and the tall chap with the massive dog that I’d bumped into at Compton Down when looking for Glannies earlier in the year. The odd Meadow Brown or Hedgie did the occasionally fly-by distracting us from our detailed search of the hedge but when we’d almost reached the end I watched a small butterfly as it bumbled about up high. It remained aloft but perched and by standing on the balls of my feet and stretching my camera out as far ahead as possible I was able to get enough of a record shot to confirm it as a Brostreak, and a female to boot. Another butterfly detached itself from the same tree and I watched as it drifted down. It took what felt like and age as it fell like a dead leaf, sweeping this way and then that but I kept a close eye on it throughout its descent despite a considerable crick in my neck caused by craning it in odd angles to keep vgil on the butterfly. Eventually it landed to feed on the Bramble flowers by my feet. It was now that I made my mistake as I called out too soon and ended up having to scrabble round the outside while the other butterfliers somehow managed to get into much better positions. Still I managed one or six shots before essentially being squeezed out as a few more people joined the throng. In the end we left the butterfly to the ‘pack’ and began the trek back up the hill, tired but elated.
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Alners Gorse 25-07-2023
I picked Philzoid up and with Killers playing very quietly on the radio we drove over via Shaftesbury and down through Sturminster heading for Alners Gorse chatting away about this and that and the likelihood of getting all three Hairstreaks or a Valesina or all of em! Eventually, with a little light rally driving and some hasty consultation of Satnav due to a road closure we arrived and there was just enough space on the verge for the car. Gear sorted we set off down track, the sun shining and only the gentlest of breezes playing over the tops of the taller trees bordering the path on ether side. I was itching to get going as I knew that the Hairstreaks here get up early but on the way some nice ‘stuff’ slowed our progress somewhat. The best of this stuff was practically the first butterfly seen, an aberrant Small Copper. It would have been a right looker a week or so back but now it was a little torn and ragged around the edges and there was some scale damage on the hind wing. None the less it was still worthy of our time as the orange on the fore wings was very sparse and instead of an orange background with black spots it had a brown background with black and orange spots. The rest of the ‘stuff’ was made up of Peacocks, Green-veined Whites, various Hedgies and Meadow Browns, a Holly Blue and a Southern Hawker.
At the bottom of the hill we turned left and rounded the corner to be greeted by a Red Admiral and then another further along the hedge. Slightly further on there were a few people hanging about and craning their necks upwards – classic Hairstreak spotting posture and as we drew near we could see that there were a few Whitters about, some even coming down into lens range. There were a little faded and some were torn up but when it comes to Whitters you take what you can get, or at least I do as I don’t always get to photograph them. In between stepping in for a few shots and retreating I got talking to some of the others one of whom turned out to be Bob Wiltshire, it’s always good to put a face to the name that you see on Face-the-book. A White Admiral zoomed past and a Purple Hairstreak passed over I we migrated on through the gate and into the little field in the corner of the reserve. There were a couple more Whitters here as well as a few Ringlets, an H.Comma and a very aggressive Specklie which attacked everything that flew within a 5m radius of its perch. Also here was Brian Seaman so again I broke off from avid butterflying for a bit of a chat.
Phlizoid headed off to check out the Purple Hairstreak bush and I wandered back along the hedge checking out a few more Whitters – one of which was actually in fine fettle with tails streaming out behind it. A Southern Hawker was also resting up in one of the slight cloudy spells and after a few shots I walked back thought eh small field and on looking for a tree that needed a bit of extra Nitrogen only for Brian to call me back as he’d spotted a male Brostreak. It was down at slightly lower than waist height feeding away oblivious to all the fuss going on around it. As it twirled around its dinner it opened up occasionally showing off the deep chocolate brown uppers with the slightest flashes of pale orange. It was a gorgeous butterfly and luckily Philzoid had heard my calls so he was able to get in on it too. So all three Hairstreaks seen and 2 out of three photographed – not a bad start! After too short a time it flew up and over into the back, and inaccessible, part of the Bramble so we waited for a while to see if it would return…
…it didn’t and so thanking Brian we pressed on, hugging the edge of the reserve, though into the next clearing. As we came out from under the low hanging branches I spotted another Brostreak, another male and so I got to return the compliment and put Brian onto a Brosteak. This one hung around for much longer although it would make short flights away from the clump of Creeping Thistles in the centre of the clearing before doubling back, the call of the nectar possibly being too great. As well as hanging around for longer this one also opened up more, and further although one of my favourite shots is when it was only just opening up and the light glistened like glitter across the fresh hindwings.
We left him with the others and headed off to the ‘Purple Hairstreak tree’. Which species it is I can’t remember (I want to say Mulberry but I’m sure it’s not that one) but in case anyone visits next season it’s near the gate to Hut wood standing part from the hedge at the bottom of one of the tracks across the site. Unfortunately there weren’t any here this time but there were two Purps down quite low on the main hedge itself just before the gate. This was almost exactly the same place that I saw my first for the year a few weeks before and I couldn’t help but wonder if one of them was in fact the same one that I’d photographed back then? Either way once there were a few images on the memory card it was ‘job done’; all three Hairstreaks bagged and tagged in a morning! While we waited and clicked away occasionally I spotted three more Purps much higher up at the top of the hedge but these didn’t deign to lower themselves to our level.
At the bottom of the hill we turned left and rounded the corner to be greeted by a Red Admiral and then another further along the hedge. Slightly further on there were a few people hanging about and craning their necks upwards – classic Hairstreak spotting posture and as we drew near we could see that there were a few Whitters about, some even coming down into lens range. There were a little faded and some were torn up but when it comes to Whitters you take what you can get, or at least I do as I don’t always get to photograph them. In between stepping in for a few shots and retreating I got talking to some of the others one of whom turned out to be Bob Wiltshire, it’s always good to put a face to the name that you see on Face-the-book. A White Admiral zoomed past and a Purple Hairstreak passed over I we migrated on through the gate and into the little field in the corner of the reserve. There were a couple more Whitters here as well as a few Ringlets, an H.Comma and a very aggressive Specklie which attacked everything that flew within a 5m radius of its perch. Also here was Brian Seaman so again I broke off from avid butterflying for a bit of a chat.
Phlizoid headed off to check out the Purple Hairstreak bush and I wandered back along the hedge checking out a few more Whitters – one of which was actually in fine fettle with tails streaming out behind it. A Southern Hawker was also resting up in one of the slight cloudy spells and after a few shots I walked back thought eh small field and on looking for a tree that needed a bit of extra Nitrogen only for Brian to call me back as he’d spotted a male Brostreak. It was down at slightly lower than waist height feeding away oblivious to all the fuss going on around it. As it twirled around its dinner it opened up occasionally showing off the deep chocolate brown uppers with the slightest flashes of pale orange. It was a gorgeous butterfly and luckily Philzoid had heard my calls so he was able to get in on it too. So all three Hairstreaks seen and 2 out of three photographed – not a bad start! After too short a time it flew up and over into the back, and inaccessible, part of the Bramble so we waited for a while to see if it would return…
…it didn’t and so thanking Brian we pressed on, hugging the edge of the reserve, though into the next clearing. As we came out from under the low hanging branches I spotted another Brostreak, another male and so I got to return the compliment and put Brian onto a Brosteak. This one hung around for much longer although it would make short flights away from the clump of Creeping Thistles in the centre of the clearing before doubling back, the call of the nectar possibly being too great. As well as hanging around for longer this one also opened up more, and further although one of my favourite shots is when it was only just opening up and the light glistened like glitter across the fresh hindwings.
We left him with the others and headed off to the ‘Purple Hairstreak tree’. Which species it is I can’t remember (I want to say Mulberry but I’m sure it’s not that one) but in case anyone visits next season it’s near the gate to Hut wood standing part from the hedge at the bottom of one of the tracks across the site. Unfortunately there weren’t any here this time but there were two Purps down quite low on the main hedge itself just before the gate. This was almost exactly the same place that I saw my first for the year a few weeks before and I couldn’t help but wonder if one of them was in fact the same one that I’d photographed back then? Either way once there were a few images on the memory card it was ‘job done’; all three Hairstreaks bagged and tagged in a morning! While we waited and clicked away occasionally I spotted three more Purps much higher up at the top of the hedge but these didn’t deign to lower themselves to our level.
Shipton Bellinger 23-07-2023
With the variable weather fast approaching – a shift in the Jet Stream which would ultimately plague us for most of the holiday it seemed I decided to take a look over at Shipton whilst things were still reasonable. I arrived earlier than the 11am start to the ‘golden hours’ to scout the place out. As I’d parked on the other side of the main hedge I wandered through to the little sheltered spot with the main road behind. Hedgies, Whites and Meadow Browns were all about enjoying the sun when it deigned to poke its head out of the clouds. From here I headed up to the Nettle Bed and I started seeing really good numbers of Red Admiral and slightly fewer, but still plenty of, Commas. Up along the other track a Holly Blue went past and a Ringlet which was still in good nick popped up. The main thing I was aware of was that the Brambles were alive with Red Admirals more than I’d ever seen at on time.
Having gotten to the end of the track relatively unscathed I started back the way that I’d come but this time joined by a fellow enthusiast. I’m terrible with names but I saw I’d meet this bloke a couple of times here before so until I meet him again he’s generally known as Scorpio, after the tattoo on his neck WINK. We were joined by his black Labrador who behaved impeccably throughout the visit, plodding alongside his owner and not once disturbing anything – brilliant. As we’re walking and ducking and diving along the narrower parts of the track the butterflies were all about; mainly Red Admirals and a few Peacocks but a nice looking Large White and a Silver-washed fell under my lens. Alas no Brostreak showed which was slightly disheartening as this is usually the best spot on the whole site for the vanguard of the species.
Because of this we worked our way back and then set off to investigate other spots of the site – taking the tunnel like track up to and then turning right at the Cross Tracks along the main track to the Main Hedge past the Master Tree (which seems to be fighting Chalara off quite successfully). Along the way the usual fare flew; Whites of various description, Brimstones and the Browns were represented by both Meadow and Hedge. Notable sightings along this part of the walk were a pair of Hedgies in cop but also an ‘attempted mating’ between a Meadow Brown and a Hedge Brown. The Meadow Brown flew in, landed and then attempted to reverse into a female Hedgie. She wasn’t having any of it but stood her ground and so the sort of sat there and I couldn’t decide whether it looked embarrassed or if it was sulking? Either way it was provided a nice opportunity to compare the species for identification purposes. Now if I could just find the opposite…Also of note was a White-legged Damselfly which I’d not seen here before.
We then made our way down the main hedge with more of the same butterfly wise but with the addition of a lovely Peacock and more Red Admirals now we were back out in the sun. There was also the world’s smallest Meadow Brown – no larger than a Holly Blue! It was a bit of a shame the camera couldn’t catch the actual scale. As we moved down there were some nice Brimstones and then it was a case of once more to the Nettle Beds. My companion took his very well behaved dog (so well behaved I almost forgot that it was with us) on homewards and I hung around the Nettle Bed to have my lunch as I was convinced that should a Brostreak turn up this would be the place that it would happen. Silver-washed, Commas and a Holly Blue or two fluttered past me while I ate once again confirming the observation that stuff always turns up when my cheeks are burning!
Finally decided to call it quits after one last walk up other side of the track round the Nettle Beds. With the end of the track in sight I cast my gaze over another stand of Creeping Thistles and boom- there was a familiar looking profile. They’re like Houdini in reverse – piff paff puff and there they are! I spent a bit of time with it as it pirouetted around the top of the creeping thistle. It was stunning and to my mind there is nothing to quite match the underside markings giving it the look of one of the most exotic looking butterflies in the UK to my mind. I always find them such a calming influence as they move serenely and patiently around the flower tops and as I watched I felt my pulse drop and my breathing slow and deepen. All too quickly my meditative state was halted as it fluttered off to do Hairstreak business like trying to find a female to mate with or another male to beat up. As it went my internal jukebox switched from Barber’s Adagio for Strings to Rammstein’s ‘Du Hast’!
After finding my Hairstreak I decided to check out Main Hedge. On the walk round I picked up some aged Smessex on the way whilst some local hoons were filming a yellow hot hatch rally driving around the field. Now it was a case of up the Hedge and then down the Hedge before heading for home. On the way up there were plenty of Red Admirals and Hedgies. Meadow Browns would fly out from the margins and zoom away across the field whilst Holly Blues tripped along the tops of the trees. There were several Commas about and a peachy Painted Lady flew past at about the half way point, never to be seen again. At the far end a Holly Blue was taking salts from the edge of a puddle but it refused to sit still for its photo. Along the Hedge on the final pass I couldn’t find another Hairstreak so instead settled for trying to record the variation in the Commas that were now starting to hang about on the flowers rather than feeding up high. Right at the very end I was joined by a ragged Small Copper and a fresh out of the box Brown Argus. A cracking little visit and only two species away from my first ever 50 species in a year.
Houdini Hairstreak
First it’s not there then it is
A calming power
Having gotten to the end of the track relatively unscathed I started back the way that I’d come but this time joined by a fellow enthusiast. I’m terrible with names but I saw I’d meet this bloke a couple of times here before so until I meet him again he’s generally known as Scorpio, after the tattoo on his neck WINK. We were joined by his black Labrador who behaved impeccably throughout the visit, plodding alongside his owner and not once disturbing anything – brilliant. As we’re walking and ducking and diving along the narrower parts of the track the butterflies were all about; mainly Red Admirals and a few Peacocks but a nice looking Large White and a Silver-washed fell under my lens. Alas no Brostreak showed which was slightly disheartening as this is usually the best spot on the whole site for the vanguard of the species.
Because of this we worked our way back and then set off to investigate other spots of the site – taking the tunnel like track up to and then turning right at the Cross Tracks along the main track to the Main Hedge past the Master Tree (which seems to be fighting Chalara off quite successfully). Along the way the usual fare flew; Whites of various description, Brimstones and the Browns were represented by both Meadow and Hedge. Notable sightings along this part of the walk were a pair of Hedgies in cop but also an ‘attempted mating’ between a Meadow Brown and a Hedge Brown. The Meadow Brown flew in, landed and then attempted to reverse into a female Hedgie. She wasn’t having any of it but stood her ground and so the sort of sat there and I couldn’t decide whether it looked embarrassed or if it was sulking? Either way it was provided a nice opportunity to compare the species for identification purposes. Now if I could just find the opposite…Also of note was a White-legged Damselfly which I’d not seen here before.
We then made our way down the main hedge with more of the same butterfly wise but with the addition of a lovely Peacock and more Red Admirals now we were back out in the sun. There was also the world’s smallest Meadow Brown – no larger than a Holly Blue! It was a bit of a shame the camera couldn’t catch the actual scale. As we moved down there were some nice Brimstones and then it was a case of once more to the Nettle Beds. My companion took his very well behaved dog (so well behaved I almost forgot that it was with us) on homewards and I hung around the Nettle Bed to have my lunch as I was convinced that should a Brostreak turn up this would be the place that it would happen. Silver-washed, Commas and a Holly Blue or two fluttered past me while I ate once again confirming the observation that stuff always turns up when my cheeks are burning!
Finally decided to call it quits after one last walk up other side of the track round the Nettle Beds. With the end of the track in sight I cast my gaze over another stand of Creeping Thistles and boom- there was a familiar looking profile. They’re like Houdini in reverse – piff paff puff and there they are! I spent a bit of time with it as it pirouetted around the top of the creeping thistle. It was stunning and to my mind there is nothing to quite match the underside markings giving it the look of one of the most exotic looking butterflies in the UK to my mind. I always find them such a calming influence as they move serenely and patiently around the flower tops and as I watched I felt my pulse drop and my breathing slow and deepen. All too quickly my meditative state was halted as it fluttered off to do Hairstreak business like trying to find a female to mate with or another male to beat up. As it went my internal jukebox switched from Barber’s Adagio for Strings to Rammstein’s ‘Du Hast’!
After finding my Hairstreak I decided to check out Main Hedge. On the walk round I picked up some aged Smessex on the way whilst some local hoons were filming a yellow hot hatch rally driving around the field. Now it was a case of up the Hedge and then down the Hedge before heading for home. On the way up there were plenty of Red Admirals and Hedgies. Meadow Browns would fly out from the margins and zoom away across the field whilst Holly Blues tripped along the tops of the trees. There were several Commas about and a peachy Painted Lady flew past at about the half way point, never to be seen again. At the far end a Holly Blue was taking salts from the edge of a puddle but it refused to sit still for its photo. Along the Hedge on the final pass I couldn’t find another Hairstreak so instead settled for trying to record the variation in the Commas that were now starting to hang about on the flowers rather than feeding up high. Right at the very end I was joined by a ragged Small Copper and a fresh out of the box Brown Argus. A cracking little visit and only two species away from my first ever 50 species in a year.
Houdini Hairstreak
First it’s not there then it is
A calming power
Martin Down 16-07-2023 Part 2
As I’d reached the half-way point I thought I’d better have a little look around and so to this end I followed the little track to the end when it opened out across the rest of the reserve, cutting diagonally across to the Tunnel Track that ultimately leads back to Sillen’s Lane car park. On the corner where the scrub ended there were a few butterflies hanging around on the large, towering Bramble bush. I counted 2 Red Admirals, a Small White, H.Comma and a second Small Tortoiseshell but then I was blown round the corner as the track had funnelled the breeze along its length. Round the corner the scrubby thicket made a triangle shape with its point settling at the little path though from the Dyke and so I wandered along here to get back on track, examining the little scallops carved out of the thicket on the way. These acted like little harbours, points of refuge for the butterflies to go about their business without the wind tearing them away ad carrying them off over the sea of grass. The first one held a Red Admiral that had been in the wars, almost ripped to bits it was whilst the second scallop was bigger and so held a larger range of species. In this one little patch there were 4 Hedgies, arranged across the vegetation a little like the flying ducks on the wall in a Coronation Street set, as well as a Meadow Brown and a Small Blue. There was also a Small Copper but that hid away until I turned my attention to a different Small Copper at the very edge of the scallop on the track. As I moved in to get my shots the other one came out of hiding and buzzed it, eventually replacing it on the path.
Having made my way back to the side of the Dyke I set off up its length once again heading towards the Butts. I quickly fell back into the pattern of waling, scanning and stopping occasionally when something a little different caught my eye. I also tried to record all that I saw, but this meant that I was spending an inordinate amount of time staring into my notebook. Still the butterflies added up with Small Heath, Chalkhills, Smessex Skippers, a female Brimstone, 5-6 Whites as well as a brace of Peacocks and another DGF. Once at the Butts I ambled across the thin turf behind the butts and a couple of Chalkhills played nicely for me. The first caught the light magnificently, glittering with a metallic lustre whilst the second led me round to the other side and the sheltered spot by one of the ‘steps’ up the Butt. There were Hedgies galore here as well as the odd Marbled White and Meadow Brown, Ringlets, Smessex and a Small, Green-veined and Large White all sitting in a row. On the other side of the narrow track a Chalkhill and a Small Copper sat preferring the taller grasses to the thicker, pricklier Bramble hedge. It felt like all sitting in tight bunches was de rigueur today as that was how I was finding the majority of the butterflies. I walked to the next spot without seeing another butterfly and then when I walked into the sheltered little spot off of the path all of a sudden there they all were, all sitting within spitting distance of each other. It couldn’t have been that they were sheltering form the wind as they were on the leeward side and so they’d have been very unlucky to have been blustered by the slightest of breathes of air as the hedge was almost solid in it construction. Whatever the reason I didn’t mind as it made getting my shots so much easier. I could line one up and then be onto the next one by just moving the lens slightly to one side and refocusing. There was a slightly different make up here with a Red Admiral, H.Comma, a brace of whites and two Small Coppers. The second of these was a very swarthy individual which possibly got a little overdone whilst in the chrysalis?
From here I worked my way back across to the Dyke and started my way back down the gently sloping gradient to the Hotspot and eventually home. The number of Peacocks had risen and now I saw a maximum of three at once and there was also another dusky butterfly, this time it was a female DGF which had spent time in a chrysalis that was a little too hot. She was a very sultry looking butterfly, but also very temperamental and the slightest thing set her off, skimming across the top of the Dyke and disappearing over the other side. I spent a little time at the Halfway spot picking up the usual stuff before moving on down along the Dyke. The wind had picked up slightly now and the breezes were lasting longer, with much less settled time between gusts so rather than struggling in the wind I followed the main track so as to be on the leeward side as much as possible. This was partly as this would be where most of the butterflies would be but also because I’d followed a Holly Blue from the Halfway point and this was where it headed and eventually settled, albeit a bit out of range for my lens. I picked up some good stuff in the more sheltered accommodation adding another DGF and Small Blue almost immediately and then as I carried on walking noting 3 more Small Blues, Small Copper, Common Blue, several Chalkhills, a Small Tort, a Peacock and a very yellow Green-veined White. This initially made me stop and stare but alas it was the wrong kind of yellow, more lemon than mustard.
Once back at the Hotspot I kept on down and then up out of the Hollow before checking out the area where several of the various tracks converge. Among the vanessids and Whites there were some great looking Brown Argus (3 in one view) as well as 4 Small Blues all in one view. There must have been more but their diminutive size and their love of the taller and bushy tussocks of grass meant that finding them would be like looking for a butterfly shaped needle in a haystack – almost literally.
I was on the homeward stretch now and as always I found a little more spring in my step so before I knew it I was back at the triangle where it had begun a few hours earlier. The hedge itself seemed even more productive now as the Brimstones had finally woken up and their obvious colour make the hedge appear busier even if it wasn’t as they were so noticeable. A few of the Red Admirals had dispersed as now there were only 3, the brace of H.Commas had done a Spice Girls (2 became 1) but the others were fairly well represented – Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, at least 5 Brimstones (with more flying over the grass all about), Holly Blues, a solitary DGF, the odd Ringlet, a Small Copper and numerous Hedgies. When I eventually tore myself away and made it back to the car a Painted Lady and succeeded in their last ditch attempt to get onto the days tally. I ‘d come wondering if the wind would be detrimental but actually it made things easier –who knew?
Green hills forever
Sapphires twinkling in the turf
The Chalkhills are here
Having made my way back to the side of the Dyke I set off up its length once again heading towards the Butts. I quickly fell back into the pattern of waling, scanning and stopping occasionally when something a little different caught my eye. I also tried to record all that I saw, but this meant that I was spending an inordinate amount of time staring into my notebook. Still the butterflies added up with Small Heath, Chalkhills, Smessex Skippers, a female Brimstone, 5-6 Whites as well as a brace of Peacocks and another DGF. Once at the Butts I ambled across the thin turf behind the butts and a couple of Chalkhills played nicely for me. The first caught the light magnificently, glittering with a metallic lustre whilst the second led me round to the other side and the sheltered spot by one of the ‘steps’ up the Butt. There were Hedgies galore here as well as the odd Marbled White and Meadow Brown, Ringlets, Smessex and a Small, Green-veined and Large White all sitting in a row. On the other side of the narrow track a Chalkhill and a Small Copper sat preferring the taller grasses to the thicker, pricklier Bramble hedge. It felt like all sitting in tight bunches was de rigueur today as that was how I was finding the majority of the butterflies. I walked to the next spot without seeing another butterfly and then when I walked into the sheltered little spot off of the path all of a sudden there they all were, all sitting within spitting distance of each other. It couldn’t have been that they were sheltering form the wind as they were on the leeward side and so they’d have been very unlucky to have been blustered by the slightest of breathes of air as the hedge was almost solid in it construction. Whatever the reason I didn’t mind as it made getting my shots so much easier. I could line one up and then be onto the next one by just moving the lens slightly to one side and refocusing. There was a slightly different make up here with a Red Admiral, H.Comma, a brace of whites and two Small Coppers. The second of these was a very swarthy individual which possibly got a little overdone whilst in the chrysalis?
From here I worked my way back across to the Dyke and started my way back down the gently sloping gradient to the Hotspot and eventually home. The number of Peacocks had risen and now I saw a maximum of three at once and there was also another dusky butterfly, this time it was a female DGF which had spent time in a chrysalis that was a little too hot. She was a very sultry looking butterfly, but also very temperamental and the slightest thing set her off, skimming across the top of the Dyke and disappearing over the other side. I spent a little time at the Halfway spot picking up the usual stuff before moving on down along the Dyke. The wind had picked up slightly now and the breezes were lasting longer, with much less settled time between gusts so rather than struggling in the wind I followed the main track so as to be on the leeward side as much as possible. This was partly as this would be where most of the butterflies would be but also because I’d followed a Holly Blue from the Halfway point and this was where it headed and eventually settled, albeit a bit out of range for my lens. I picked up some good stuff in the more sheltered accommodation adding another DGF and Small Blue almost immediately and then as I carried on walking noting 3 more Small Blues, Small Copper, Common Blue, several Chalkhills, a Small Tort, a Peacock and a very yellow Green-veined White. This initially made me stop and stare but alas it was the wrong kind of yellow, more lemon than mustard.
Once back at the Hotspot I kept on down and then up out of the Hollow before checking out the area where several of the various tracks converge. Among the vanessids and Whites there were some great looking Brown Argus (3 in one view) as well as 4 Small Blues all in one view. There must have been more but their diminutive size and their love of the taller and bushy tussocks of grass meant that finding them would be like looking for a butterfly shaped needle in a haystack – almost literally.
I was on the homeward stretch now and as always I found a little more spring in my step so before I knew it I was back at the triangle where it had begun a few hours earlier. The hedge itself seemed even more productive now as the Brimstones had finally woken up and their obvious colour make the hedge appear busier even if it wasn’t as they were so noticeable. A few of the Red Admirals had dispersed as now there were only 3, the brace of H.Commas had done a Spice Girls (2 became 1) but the others were fairly well represented – Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, at least 5 Brimstones (with more flying over the grass all about), Holly Blues, a solitary DGF, the odd Ringlet, a Small Copper and numerous Hedgies. When I eventually tore myself away and made it back to the car a Painted Lady and succeeded in their last ditch attempt to get onto the days tally. I ‘d come wondering if the wind would be detrimental but actually it made things easier –who knew?
Green hills forever
Sapphires twinkling in the turf
The Chalkhills are here
Martin Down 16-07-2023
It was one of those bright and breezy days, but I felt like I needed to visit Martin Down so that I could pick up some Chalkhills. As I drove over, Paul Di’Anno belting out ‘Murders in the Rue Morgue’, I reasoned that the trick on this visit would be to find the sheltered spots, those little nooks and crannies on the leeward side of various hedges of scrub as on a blustery day they would like little oases of calm. To this end I turned off the dual carriage way and parked over at the Sillen’s Lane end. As I drove up the much improved track I counted 2 Red Admirals and 4 UFWs all taking advantage of the shelter offered by the closely knit avenue of trees and scrubs. From the car park I set off down the main path veering to the left in the more exposed spots and then back to the right where the scrub on my left was taller/thicker. Along the way I picked up a few Meadow Browns, 3 Hedgies and singletons of Peacock and Red Admiral and a few more Whites away in the distance.
When I reached the little triangle of scrub near the gateway I paused and looked about. As I’d reasoned, being sheltered from the wind on both sides by the tall hedge it was proving to be a regular haven for the butterflies. Once I’d revelled in the sight for a moment or two I got to seeking out and counting. Immediately obvious were the two H.Commas and a Red Admiral as well as a DGF which popped in for a short time. A Holly Blue flitted across the tops of the hedge disturbing the occasional Hedgie from its perch. Lower down on the hedge a few Ringlets as well as a Green-veined White, Specklie and even lower than this a collection of Smessex Skippers. A few paces over I found 4 Red Admirals, a Large White and lower to the ground a Small Blue while 7 UFWs spaced themselves out along the hedge. Quite an impressive range of species, even more impressive when you consider that the section of hedge was only a couple of metres long and the triangle 6 paces across at the widest point.
I carried on along the track with more whites flying. There was the occasional group of Smessex Skippers nestled down in the odd clump of long grass. In the first group of 4 I found an Essex and in the next 2 were Essex and one was a Small. This wandering had brought me to the fields behind the Greenstreak hot spot. The open areas held more butterflies, generally on the leeward side of the stands of Hawthorn or along the edges of the walls of Gorse. The odd Marbled White did its best to battle against the breeze whilst a DGF, despite its tired start made it look easy. Slightly further up the rise I located a further four of the ginger beasties, all a bit frayed around the edges but still with ‘plenty left under the hood’ as they zipped about oblivious to the wind. As I moved on the stands of Hawthorn started growing closer and closer together and the butterflies decreased in size almost as if mirroring the decline of the vegetation. Where there had been DGFs now there was a Common Blue, 2 Small Coppers and 3 Brown Argus.
As I worked up towards the little gap in the hedge, the Greenstreak spot itself, a WPC waved me on through and once I’d entangled myself from the briars that had sprung up during the summer I spotted a sapphire shining out from the straw. It was my first Chalkhill Blue of the year and it was a stunner! Wonderfully intact white margins shone out like beacons and contrasted nicely with the dark wing margins which faded into an almost white sky blue colour on the upper surface of the wings.
As is often the way; once you found one you start seeing more and so with this in mind I tore myself away and set off across the Terraces and up the Dyke to the Half-way Point and beyond. On the journey I kept my eyes open and generally stuck to the little path that runs to closer to the Dyke than the main track. Occasionally however I’d stop to watch something in particular and venture a little way from the path. On the first occasion it was for a DGF which settled down in the grass during a slightly clouded over 5 minutes. As the sun came back out it warmed up and then was gone. The next break in my ‘hike along the Dyke’ was for a brace of Small Whites that were sitting out the breeze at the bottom of the Dyke. And the final one came a few minutes later, again for a White, this time a male Large. It was very fresh and the black tips almost gleamed against the blinding white uppers. I sometimes wonder if the ‘large’ part of the name comes not in relation to its comparative size but because it is ‘largely white’? There had been various other bits an bobs along the way of course; a further 4 DGFs, a female Large White, numerous Brown Argus continuing to have a tremendous year by the look of it, Peacock and at least 5 Chalkhills, but the initial list of butterflies were the highlights.
Just before the halfway point I paused as a microcosm of the Dyke lay before me. I walked back and forth peering this way and that and pointing my lens at anything and everything. There was a nice female Large White which was proving to be much more flighty than the male and then hanging around a small patch of Knapweeds a collection of Blues. I tried for some shots but photography was proving difficult due to the breeze and also the Brown Argus from the group. It took it upon himself to attack anything that settled for more than half a second. In the end I worked out a ‘get round’ which relied on the butterflies themselves to work out their own ‘get round’. They seemed to have hit upon the idea that when the Brown Argus was hassling another butterfly it wasn’t hassling them so they took the opportunity to have a feed. I in turn took this as the opportunity to get my shots. Things worked out well and I was also able to capture the Brown Argus as it was probably so exhausted from all its argy bargy and was in desperate need of refuelling. I was just making off when I was stopped in my tracks by something I don’t see a lot of at Martin Down – a Small Tort...
When I reached the little triangle of scrub near the gateway I paused and looked about. As I’d reasoned, being sheltered from the wind on both sides by the tall hedge it was proving to be a regular haven for the butterflies. Once I’d revelled in the sight for a moment or two I got to seeking out and counting. Immediately obvious were the two H.Commas and a Red Admiral as well as a DGF which popped in for a short time. A Holly Blue flitted across the tops of the hedge disturbing the occasional Hedgie from its perch. Lower down on the hedge a few Ringlets as well as a Green-veined White, Specklie and even lower than this a collection of Smessex Skippers. A few paces over I found 4 Red Admirals, a Large White and lower to the ground a Small Blue while 7 UFWs spaced themselves out along the hedge. Quite an impressive range of species, even more impressive when you consider that the section of hedge was only a couple of metres long and the triangle 6 paces across at the widest point.
I carried on along the track with more whites flying. There was the occasional group of Smessex Skippers nestled down in the odd clump of long grass. In the first group of 4 I found an Essex and in the next 2 were Essex and one was a Small. This wandering had brought me to the fields behind the Greenstreak hot spot. The open areas held more butterflies, generally on the leeward side of the stands of Hawthorn or along the edges of the walls of Gorse. The odd Marbled White did its best to battle against the breeze whilst a DGF, despite its tired start made it look easy. Slightly further up the rise I located a further four of the ginger beasties, all a bit frayed around the edges but still with ‘plenty left under the hood’ as they zipped about oblivious to the wind. As I moved on the stands of Hawthorn started growing closer and closer together and the butterflies decreased in size almost as if mirroring the decline of the vegetation. Where there had been DGFs now there was a Common Blue, 2 Small Coppers and 3 Brown Argus.
As I worked up towards the little gap in the hedge, the Greenstreak spot itself, a WPC waved me on through and once I’d entangled myself from the briars that had sprung up during the summer I spotted a sapphire shining out from the straw. It was my first Chalkhill Blue of the year and it was a stunner! Wonderfully intact white margins shone out like beacons and contrasted nicely with the dark wing margins which faded into an almost white sky blue colour on the upper surface of the wings.
As is often the way; once you found one you start seeing more and so with this in mind I tore myself away and set off across the Terraces and up the Dyke to the Half-way Point and beyond. On the journey I kept my eyes open and generally stuck to the little path that runs to closer to the Dyke than the main track. Occasionally however I’d stop to watch something in particular and venture a little way from the path. On the first occasion it was for a DGF which settled down in the grass during a slightly clouded over 5 minutes. As the sun came back out it warmed up and then was gone. The next break in my ‘hike along the Dyke’ was for a brace of Small Whites that were sitting out the breeze at the bottom of the Dyke. And the final one came a few minutes later, again for a White, this time a male Large. It was very fresh and the black tips almost gleamed against the blinding white uppers. I sometimes wonder if the ‘large’ part of the name comes not in relation to its comparative size but because it is ‘largely white’? There had been various other bits an bobs along the way of course; a further 4 DGFs, a female Large White, numerous Brown Argus continuing to have a tremendous year by the look of it, Peacock and at least 5 Chalkhills, but the initial list of butterflies were the highlights.
Just before the halfway point I paused as a microcosm of the Dyke lay before me. I walked back and forth peering this way and that and pointing my lens at anything and everything. There was a nice female Large White which was proving to be much more flighty than the male and then hanging around a small patch of Knapweeds a collection of Blues. I tried for some shots but photography was proving difficult due to the breeze and also the Brown Argus from the group. It took it upon himself to attack anything that settled for more than half a second. In the end I worked out a ‘get round’ which relied on the butterflies themselves to work out their own ‘get round’. They seemed to have hit upon the idea that when the Brown Argus was hassling another butterfly it wasn’t hassling them so they took the opportunity to have a feed. I in turn took this as the opportunity to get my shots. Things worked out well and I was also able to capture the Brown Argus as it was probably so exhausted from all its argy bargy and was in desperate need of refuelling. I was just making off when I was stopped in my tracks by something I don’t see a lot of at Martin Down – a Small Tort...
Godshill 09-07-2023
The drive across from Bentley was harrowing at times – what with the single track road and the threat of livestock leaping out at you from the roadside bushes but I arrived intact besides their best efforts and it looked like I’d successfully raced the clouds too as over the area I was heading for there were a few ‘bubbles’ of nimbus here and there but the on the whole the sun shone down with beams of light shining across from where the cloud was retreating in the distance. So I set off across the Cricket Pitch and then as I started down the track a Peacock turned up to see me on my way. At the bottom I crossed over the Ford and as I wandered across the heather plenty of Meadow Browns and Small Heath played along the heather tops whilst the Hedgies made fleeting runs from one stand of Gorse to another. I scanned more intently allowing my gaze to sweep across the swathes of foliage but to no avail as I didn’t see a single Grayling.
I carried on, the ground beneath my feet rising with an ever steeper gradient until I found myself at the top of the rise. I worked across the top, the heather sloping down on my right whilst the small wood was on my left. A Red Admiral flashed past as I started the descent back down towards the old hotspot trackway. There more Hedgies here what with the Gorse being thicker and more ‘hedge’ like and as I strolled down I saw at last 14 of these as well as 3 Small Heaths and a single Meadow Brown which for a moment lifted my spirits as I thought it was a Grayling. However when it just kept on flapping on its way and didn’t glide with its wings held in a shallow V I knew it was an imposter. However I’d obviously gotten my eye in as ‘Boom’ the very next butterfly that went up did show the exact behaviour that I was hoping for. When it landed it momentarily disappeared from view too meaning it could only be one thing – the target species. I followed it for a bit and after getting a few shots where it wasn’t obstructed by moor grass of heather strands I left it to have fun and play in the sun.
I resumed my place back on track and carried on down the rise to the old hotspot path stopping on the way for a Golden-ringed Dragonfly. After this interlude it back to scanning and seeking. My search took me along the old hotspot track which runs parallel to the other book that converges further along the valley floor and also the smaller heather covered area on the other side of the main track but I didn’t find another Grayling despite my best efforts. I decided to head back to the area where I’d left the only Grayling of the day and so walked along a smaller trackway which rain parallel to the main path as it was sheltered by tall gorse. Along the way various browns appeared and a Large Skipper as well and just as I was about to leave the path and head out onto the heather fields I found a Small Copper. I took this as a good omen as I often see this species at the start of a Grayling trip.
As it flew off across the heather I spotted another small butterfly but this was a male Silver-studded Blue and it wasn’t stopping. I followed it anyway reasoning that it might go down and even if it didn’t I was heading that way anyway. One it had lost me I continued searching for Grayling, walking up and down so as to sweep the entirety of the field. My sweeping action paid off and I found another Grayling or rather it found me as it erupted from the ground under my boot and few off in typical fashion; strong power flaps followed by a veering glide. I watched where it went down and carefully stalked towards it. It was down in the grass/heather in a little cleared patch where the maturing heather had toppled over outwards. After a few shots it gave a flick of the eye spot and was off again this time landing on what I believe was once affectionately known as Horse Apples. They were old and dry and so I didn’t mind approaching for a few shots and their age meant that they didn’t look too bad in the photos. Whilst sat here, out in the open, totally exposed the butterfly contrarily seemed more relaxed and settled and even allowed me to walk around it so I could try for some backlit shots. Just as I was finishing up and Meadow Brown barged into view and sent the Grayling off. As I’d only ‘spooked/disturbed’ it twice I followed it to another one of the miniature clearings where it settled on an old twig, which again raised it off the ground and reduced the number of errant grass blades/heather spirgs which got in the way of the butterfly.
As I’d only found two Grayling despite covering most of the area at least twice I reasoned that they must be just emerging here so these two were probably the vanguard, scouting out the area in readiness or getting a firm grip on a territory so as to be ready as soon as the females arrived. With that in mind I did one final sweep of the ‘field’ finding a Peacock and a few a piece of the other Browns as well as a White flying far away but I didn’t find any more Grayling. In the final few strides across the heather, as I was almost at the track, a small brown butterfly went up from the heather. I backtracked and followed it into one of the small ditches that traverse the field. It was a female Silver-stud looking a little tired with all of her ‘studs’ worn away and plenty of fraying around her margins. As I clicked away another one flew in and this one was in a much better state of repair, studs gloriously catching the light. After this I made for home as I’d been out of the house for most of the day and there was a slim chance that I might be able to recoup or salvage a few Brownie points! However I had to stop on the way to check out the Apian Conurbation about half way up the main track. There were a couple of different species of burrowing bee/wasp as well as a Jewel Wasp – a different species than I’d seen before Hedychrum niemelai? A fitting way to finish the visit with a flourish.
Seek him here and there
Like the Scarlet Pimpernel
But get a Grayling...
I carried on, the ground beneath my feet rising with an ever steeper gradient until I found myself at the top of the rise. I worked across the top, the heather sloping down on my right whilst the small wood was on my left. A Red Admiral flashed past as I started the descent back down towards the old hotspot trackway. There more Hedgies here what with the Gorse being thicker and more ‘hedge’ like and as I strolled down I saw at last 14 of these as well as 3 Small Heaths and a single Meadow Brown which for a moment lifted my spirits as I thought it was a Grayling. However when it just kept on flapping on its way and didn’t glide with its wings held in a shallow V I knew it was an imposter. However I’d obviously gotten my eye in as ‘Boom’ the very next butterfly that went up did show the exact behaviour that I was hoping for. When it landed it momentarily disappeared from view too meaning it could only be one thing – the target species. I followed it for a bit and after getting a few shots where it wasn’t obstructed by moor grass of heather strands I left it to have fun and play in the sun.
I resumed my place back on track and carried on down the rise to the old hotspot path stopping on the way for a Golden-ringed Dragonfly. After this interlude it back to scanning and seeking. My search took me along the old hotspot track which runs parallel to the other book that converges further along the valley floor and also the smaller heather covered area on the other side of the main track but I didn’t find another Grayling despite my best efforts. I decided to head back to the area where I’d left the only Grayling of the day and so walked along a smaller trackway which rain parallel to the main path as it was sheltered by tall gorse. Along the way various browns appeared and a Large Skipper as well and just as I was about to leave the path and head out onto the heather fields I found a Small Copper. I took this as a good omen as I often see this species at the start of a Grayling trip.
As it flew off across the heather I spotted another small butterfly but this was a male Silver-studded Blue and it wasn’t stopping. I followed it anyway reasoning that it might go down and even if it didn’t I was heading that way anyway. One it had lost me I continued searching for Grayling, walking up and down so as to sweep the entirety of the field. My sweeping action paid off and I found another Grayling or rather it found me as it erupted from the ground under my boot and few off in typical fashion; strong power flaps followed by a veering glide. I watched where it went down and carefully stalked towards it. It was down in the grass/heather in a little cleared patch where the maturing heather had toppled over outwards. After a few shots it gave a flick of the eye spot and was off again this time landing on what I believe was once affectionately known as Horse Apples. They were old and dry and so I didn’t mind approaching for a few shots and their age meant that they didn’t look too bad in the photos. Whilst sat here, out in the open, totally exposed the butterfly contrarily seemed more relaxed and settled and even allowed me to walk around it so I could try for some backlit shots. Just as I was finishing up and Meadow Brown barged into view and sent the Grayling off. As I’d only ‘spooked/disturbed’ it twice I followed it to another one of the miniature clearings where it settled on an old twig, which again raised it off the ground and reduced the number of errant grass blades/heather spirgs which got in the way of the butterfly.
As I’d only found two Grayling despite covering most of the area at least twice I reasoned that they must be just emerging here so these two were probably the vanguard, scouting out the area in readiness or getting a firm grip on a territory so as to be ready as soon as the females arrived. With that in mind I did one final sweep of the ‘field’ finding a Peacock and a few a piece of the other Browns as well as a White flying far away but I didn’t find any more Grayling. In the final few strides across the heather, as I was almost at the track, a small brown butterfly went up from the heather. I backtracked and followed it into one of the small ditches that traverse the field. It was a female Silver-stud looking a little tired with all of her ‘studs’ worn away and plenty of fraying around her margins. As I clicked away another one flew in and this one was in a much better state of repair, studs gloriously catching the light. After this I made for home as I’d been out of the house for most of the day and there was a slim chance that I might be able to recoup or salvage a few Brownie points! However I had to stop on the way to check out the Apian Conurbation about half way up the main track. There were a couple of different species of burrowing bee/wasp as well as a Jewel Wasp – a different species than I’d seen before Hedychrum niemelai? A fitting way to finish the visit with a flourish.
Seek him here and there
Like the Scarlet Pimpernel
But get a Grayling...
Bentley Wood 09-07-2023
After the success with an Emperor at Garston I thought that I might have similar luck at Bentley, especially as they’d been seen during the week before in between the wet/windy weather. As I was also hoping for a few Purple Hairstreaks I arrived early, possibly too early, and as I walked down the main drive the dew was just starting to evaporate off the leaves and fronds of the vegetation that lined the path. The butterflies had only just started waking with the Ringlets being the earliest of risers followed by the Meadow Browns. I stepped off of the path into a scallop of verge bordered by a wall of Bracken and looked at what was roosting on the fronds. More Ringlets and Meadow Browns but now also a few Hedgies and a Specklie.
I carried on down the main track witnessing the awakening of Large Skippers which started zipping out across the track and along the verges whilst overhead the Purple Hairstreaks crossed from Oak to Oak. At the crossroads I turned left so as to make my way to Donkey Copse. As the sun came out proper the butterflies suddenly appeared as swiftly as if someone had thrown a switch. Everywhere I looked there seemed to be Hedgies. A couple of Silver-washed appeared, some sitting nicely just long enough for me to make an approach and grab a few record shots before they were off at high speed, slicing across the tops of the vegetation. A few Whites made their way along a similar path to the Silver-washed but their slower speed made them appear somewhat lugubrious. However I kept coming back to the Hedgies – to be honest I couldn’t do anything but as they were literally everywhere I looked. Each stand of Bracken seemed to have its own ginger and brown guard on duty. There were so many I didn’t even start counting as I knew that I would ultimately lose count.
As the morning was pressing on and things were warming up nicely I started scanning not just the verges but also both the tree tops (for bat-like butterflies passing overhead) and the track ahead (for shark fin silhouettes). Whilst nothing Emperor wise presented itself I did notice several Red Admirals down on the track and there was also an immaculate Painted Lady that flew from the track to pause in a slightly cleared area from the verge. As I walked on I did my best to ignore the Hedgies that were still everywhere and I picked up even more Admirals and Silver-washed. As I rounded the corner at the bottom of the track I tried to keep up with looking in three directions at once and I received a shock as the trees that had lined the path had been cleared – opening up the verge by about 3 metres which would be good next year but not so much now. UP at the little cutting I stopped to scan intently as this was where I’d seen Emperors before and another while I waited and watched I got talking to a couple of people that I’d seen here before. Four Red Admirals and a Comma all came down to the deck and a White Admiral scythed by but there was still no sign of an Emperor? The temperature was spot on, the sun was shining and felt strong on my back – perhaps it was the breeze that was keeping them from coming out to play?
Just on from the cutting the previously cleared area had now grown over into an impenetrable mass of bramble. The mass of dark, thorny green punctuated with delicate picks and whites was a haven for the Fritillaries and I could see 9 all at once whilst Ringlets, Large Skippers and Hedgies festooned the branches that tumbled down onto the track. Brilliant for butterflies but poor for photography as I couldn’t get to where the action was happening. The shaded path on from this has been good for Valesina in the past and just as the recollection entered my head one passed by deeper within the wood. I contemplated trying to follow it but I didn’t want to trample my way in for fear of both the damage it would do to the foliage and also my trousers. In consolation I took a few shots of a freshly emerged Peacock which shone out from the gloom.
Round the next corner the path opened up, with the wider verges letting in much more light and so I started looking higher up and along the track as well as in the bushes at the edges of the path. I couldn’t believe how many Red Admirals there were flying and feeding along the length of the path, more than the Commas, Peacocks, Whites, Large Skippers and Frits all put together although the Hedgies still held first place for numbers as again they were ubiquitous. The Meadow Browns though were starting to give the Hedgies a run for their money, no doubt sensing that the scrubby hedge-esque habitat was drawing to a close to be replaced, just for a short distance, by more open grassland. As I walked past the final Oak tree at the end of the track a Purple Hairstreak passed overhead and then I started to feel slightly agro-phobic as the track opened out into the field in the middle of the wood. Now instead of Large Skippers and Hedgies there were Smessex and Marbled Whites and as I wandered down the stony sloping track little golden blurs passed by before me. On or two looked different and I was able to keep track of a couple of them and differentiate them into Small or Essex. One individual in particular stood out as it seemed to have a dark v shaped pattern across it wing. However when I got in close enough I could see that the mark was actually the ragged edge of its damaged hind wing.
I turned round and started the long walk back, retracing my footsteps but not my photographs for the butterfly collection had started to change in its make up with the Whites in particular being more noticeable, possibly because there were more Large Whites and female Brimstones flying now. Back along the previously last and now first bit of track there were a few more H.Commas mixing in with the Red Admirals and the Green-veined Whites started showing up a bit more, mind you they had probably been there all along it was just that now they were actually stopping. The Peacock was still hanging around back in the shady spot and one the walk back I concentrated on alternating my viewing from the floor of the track ahead to the tree tops on either side of me but still there was no sign of an Emperor. It wasn’t just me as everyone I spoke too had failed to find one despite several hours of searching. By the time I was approaching the car park I reached the twenties for the count of Red Admirals down on the deck alone so it had been great for them but useful for His Nibbs.
At the car park after a quick rehydrate/recaffeinate I had a check around the tree tops just in case an Emperor was about but specking to a few other people that had spent some time waiting here nothing had been seen so I broke through the treeline and started checking out the path that ran along the back of the Eastern Clearing. Again not much seemed to be happening but the Vanessids put in a good showing with a H.Comma in the more verdant part of the verge and a Painted Lady and three Red Admirals all down on the deck. Unfortunately I couldn’t get to the Painted Lady as the Red Admirals were all down in a row along the track with the Painted Lady right at the far end so to reach it I’d end up spooking one or other of the Admirals which in turn would set off the others and the Painted Lady at the nd of the row. So instead I settled for walking on my knees (the best way I could describe it) so that I could get within shooting distance of the first the three Admirals.
Wondering whether it was too windy or I’d left it for too late for the Emperors I drove onto another site and switched to wondering if I’d be visiting there too soon?
Seek him here and there
Like the Scarlet Pimpernel
But no sight of Him…
I carried on down the main track witnessing the awakening of Large Skippers which started zipping out across the track and along the verges whilst overhead the Purple Hairstreaks crossed from Oak to Oak. At the crossroads I turned left so as to make my way to Donkey Copse. As the sun came out proper the butterflies suddenly appeared as swiftly as if someone had thrown a switch. Everywhere I looked there seemed to be Hedgies. A couple of Silver-washed appeared, some sitting nicely just long enough for me to make an approach and grab a few record shots before they were off at high speed, slicing across the tops of the vegetation. A few Whites made their way along a similar path to the Silver-washed but their slower speed made them appear somewhat lugubrious. However I kept coming back to the Hedgies – to be honest I couldn’t do anything but as they were literally everywhere I looked. Each stand of Bracken seemed to have its own ginger and brown guard on duty. There were so many I didn’t even start counting as I knew that I would ultimately lose count.
As the morning was pressing on and things were warming up nicely I started scanning not just the verges but also both the tree tops (for bat-like butterflies passing overhead) and the track ahead (for shark fin silhouettes). Whilst nothing Emperor wise presented itself I did notice several Red Admirals down on the track and there was also an immaculate Painted Lady that flew from the track to pause in a slightly cleared area from the verge. As I walked on I did my best to ignore the Hedgies that were still everywhere and I picked up even more Admirals and Silver-washed. As I rounded the corner at the bottom of the track I tried to keep up with looking in three directions at once and I received a shock as the trees that had lined the path had been cleared – opening up the verge by about 3 metres which would be good next year but not so much now. UP at the little cutting I stopped to scan intently as this was where I’d seen Emperors before and another while I waited and watched I got talking to a couple of people that I’d seen here before. Four Red Admirals and a Comma all came down to the deck and a White Admiral scythed by but there was still no sign of an Emperor? The temperature was spot on, the sun was shining and felt strong on my back – perhaps it was the breeze that was keeping them from coming out to play?
Just on from the cutting the previously cleared area had now grown over into an impenetrable mass of bramble. The mass of dark, thorny green punctuated with delicate picks and whites was a haven for the Fritillaries and I could see 9 all at once whilst Ringlets, Large Skippers and Hedgies festooned the branches that tumbled down onto the track. Brilliant for butterflies but poor for photography as I couldn’t get to where the action was happening. The shaded path on from this has been good for Valesina in the past and just as the recollection entered my head one passed by deeper within the wood. I contemplated trying to follow it but I didn’t want to trample my way in for fear of both the damage it would do to the foliage and also my trousers. In consolation I took a few shots of a freshly emerged Peacock which shone out from the gloom.
Round the next corner the path opened up, with the wider verges letting in much more light and so I started looking higher up and along the track as well as in the bushes at the edges of the path. I couldn’t believe how many Red Admirals there were flying and feeding along the length of the path, more than the Commas, Peacocks, Whites, Large Skippers and Frits all put together although the Hedgies still held first place for numbers as again they were ubiquitous. The Meadow Browns though were starting to give the Hedgies a run for their money, no doubt sensing that the scrubby hedge-esque habitat was drawing to a close to be replaced, just for a short distance, by more open grassland. As I walked past the final Oak tree at the end of the track a Purple Hairstreak passed overhead and then I started to feel slightly agro-phobic as the track opened out into the field in the middle of the wood. Now instead of Large Skippers and Hedgies there were Smessex and Marbled Whites and as I wandered down the stony sloping track little golden blurs passed by before me. On or two looked different and I was able to keep track of a couple of them and differentiate them into Small or Essex. One individual in particular stood out as it seemed to have a dark v shaped pattern across it wing. However when I got in close enough I could see that the mark was actually the ragged edge of its damaged hind wing.
I turned round and started the long walk back, retracing my footsteps but not my photographs for the butterfly collection had started to change in its make up with the Whites in particular being more noticeable, possibly because there were more Large Whites and female Brimstones flying now. Back along the previously last and now first bit of track there were a few more H.Commas mixing in with the Red Admirals and the Green-veined Whites started showing up a bit more, mind you they had probably been there all along it was just that now they were actually stopping. The Peacock was still hanging around back in the shady spot and one the walk back I concentrated on alternating my viewing from the floor of the track ahead to the tree tops on either side of me but still there was no sign of an Emperor. It wasn’t just me as everyone I spoke too had failed to find one despite several hours of searching. By the time I was approaching the car park I reached the twenties for the count of Red Admirals down on the deck alone so it had been great for them but useful for His Nibbs.
At the car park after a quick rehydrate/recaffeinate I had a check around the tree tops just in case an Emperor was about but specking to a few other people that had spent some time waiting here nothing had been seen so I broke through the treeline and started checking out the path that ran along the back of the Eastern Clearing. Again not much seemed to be happening but the Vanessids put in a good showing with a H.Comma in the more verdant part of the verge and a Painted Lady and three Red Admirals all down on the deck. Unfortunately I couldn’t get to the Painted Lady as the Red Admirals were all down in a row along the track with the Painted Lady right at the far end so to reach it I’d end up spooking one or other of the Admirals which in turn would set off the others and the Painted Lady at the nd of the row. So instead I settled for walking on my knees (the best way I could describe it) so that I could get within shooting distance of the first the three Admirals.
Wondering whether it was too windy or I’d left it for too late for the Emperors I drove onto another site and switched to wondering if I’d be visiting there too soon?
Seek him here and there
Like the Scarlet Pimpernel
But no sight of Him…
The Devenish 06-07-2023
As the end of term drew near I could sense the impending change in the weather and so when the usual Thursday meeting was cancelled I took the opportunity to spend an hour at the Devenish to maximise my butterflying before the holiday started and the weather went belly up. I pulled into the car park pulled my boots on and started off up the little track way to the Paddocks.As I entered the cool shade offered by the woodland margins on either side a Large Skipper buzzed around at my feet while a brace of Small Whites danced in and out of the dappled shade and a H.Comma sat proud on a leave overseeing all that went on beneath. Once I was over the first gate then I was away as the other gate that separates the small from the large field was open. Ahead of me the Down rose upwards and I could see large numbers of butterflies taking advantage of the Scabious. The Meadow Browns, Smessex and Marbled Whites were all too numerous or to mobile to count but immediately obvious among the throng were three Large Whites, a couple of Small Whites and a Painted Lady, the latter of which I spent some time admiring.
I then took a stroll along the foot of the Down where the ground was level. Again the various Browns and Skippers were too difficult to count accurately so I decided for the rest of the visit to concentrate on just recording the less frequent species. This stretch seemed to be favoured by the Small Whites as all 5 that I saw were this species. A Brown Argus took off from under my feet and after I’d tracked it down I saw that it was really fresh indicating that the second brood had started. A Small Copper was next to appear, hassling the Smessex Skippers. It too was brilliantly fresh, so much so that when the light hit it at the right angle the scale on the wing glittered like gold.
As I followed it took me on a circuitous route round the end of the field and then back the way I’d come so much so that I was half way up the Down and half way back to the fence where I’d started by the time I lost sight of it. I didn’t mind though as a Large White sat nicely in front of me as I looked up and a few Hedgies had ventured away from the fence/hedge and out into the depths of the grasses. I made my way back towards the side of the hill by the fence and the Painted Lady was still flying about here so I reacquainted myself with it before getting back to the important business of checking the Hedgies for extra spots. My searching and peering at every individual paid off as there was an ab.excessa, with a couple of extra eyes showing nicely on the under wings.
Pleased that this little spot was so productive I decided to venture forth once more and check out how the rest of the site was doing. SO I made my way back down the track towards the car park with 5 whites, one of which turned out to be a Green-veined, were flying across the path between two large Bramble bushes which were slightly offset from the wire fence. A Red Admiral joined them and the H.Comma had been joined by a second and both took great delight in tearing chunks out of each other at every available opportunity. It was great to watch but not quite too great to try and photograph as with shot lined up one or the other would fly in and away both would go, tumbling skywards locked in a spiralling death dance. From here I made my way down the tunnel track and into the Orchid Meadow where a pair of Specklies were debating whose territory it was.
The Orchid Meadow held the same range of species as the Paddocks barring the Painted Lady and so after a quick look around to check for any obviously different species I headed upwards once more taking the steep and narrow track up to the Down proper. The Bramble bushes on the way were alive with Hedgies and a Holly Blue, Sivler-washed and H.Comma all tripped past. There were also a few Ringlets emerging from the longer stems of grass like little puffs of smoke before embroiling themselves in the Briar. One caught my eye as it seemed to have overly large (but when looked at later actually normal) eyes on its underside. At the very top on the right hand side of the scallop there was another H.Comma and a Small White on the Bramble but by now I felt like the sands of time were leaking away from me and so I set off across the Middle Down, down and back round through the Orchid Meadow in quick time. The only thing of note on my route march was a Small Copper which was right at the top of Middle Down. Once back in the car park I realised that I actually still had a little time to spare and so I spent it with the H.Commas, waiting for them to behave and settle down.
At the Devenish
Met by a Painted Lady
What a bonus trip
I then took a stroll along the foot of the Down where the ground was level. Again the various Browns and Skippers were too difficult to count accurately so I decided for the rest of the visit to concentrate on just recording the less frequent species. This stretch seemed to be favoured by the Small Whites as all 5 that I saw were this species. A Brown Argus took off from under my feet and after I’d tracked it down I saw that it was really fresh indicating that the second brood had started. A Small Copper was next to appear, hassling the Smessex Skippers. It too was brilliantly fresh, so much so that when the light hit it at the right angle the scale on the wing glittered like gold.
As I followed it took me on a circuitous route round the end of the field and then back the way I’d come so much so that I was half way up the Down and half way back to the fence where I’d started by the time I lost sight of it. I didn’t mind though as a Large White sat nicely in front of me as I looked up and a few Hedgies had ventured away from the fence/hedge and out into the depths of the grasses. I made my way back towards the side of the hill by the fence and the Painted Lady was still flying about here so I reacquainted myself with it before getting back to the important business of checking the Hedgies for extra spots. My searching and peering at every individual paid off as there was an ab.excessa, with a couple of extra eyes showing nicely on the under wings.
Pleased that this little spot was so productive I decided to venture forth once more and check out how the rest of the site was doing. SO I made my way back down the track towards the car park with 5 whites, one of which turned out to be a Green-veined, were flying across the path between two large Bramble bushes which were slightly offset from the wire fence. A Red Admiral joined them and the H.Comma had been joined by a second and both took great delight in tearing chunks out of each other at every available opportunity. It was great to watch but not quite too great to try and photograph as with shot lined up one or the other would fly in and away both would go, tumbling skywards locked in a spiralling death dance. From here I made my way down the tunnel track and into the Orchid Meadow where a pair of Specklies were debating whose territory it was.
The Orchid Meadow held the same range of species as the Paddocks barring the Painted Lady and so after a quick look around to check for any obviously different species I headed upwards once more taking the steep and narrow track up to the Down proper. The Bramble bushes on the way were alive with Hedgies and a Holly Blue, Sivler-washed and H.Comma all tripped past. There were also a few Ringlets emerging from the longer stems of grass like little puffs of smoke before embroiling themselves in the Briar. One caught my eye as it seemed to have overly large (but when looked at later actually normal) eyes on its underside. At the very top on the right hand side of the scallop there was another H.Comma and a Small White on the Bramble but by now I felt like the sands of time were leaking away from me and so I set off across the Middle Down, down and back round through the Orchid Meadow in quick time. The only thing of note on my route march was a Small Copper which was right at the top of Middle Down. Once back in the car park I realised that I actually still had a little time to spare and so I spent it with the H.Commas, waiting for them to behave and settle down.
At the Devenish
Met by a Painted Lady
What a bonus trip
Slop Bog 02-07-2023 Part 2
After this all important break (and feeling several grams lighter) I set off once more into the heather and worked my way along the path by the pines and out onto the main area of heath. I stopped here and there along the way for the odd Silver-stud but they were quite active by now and I tended to wait for them to drop in front of me or reveal themselves rather than actively seeking them out. There were a few nice females about some with outstanding ‘studs’ which just begged to have their picture taken. My wanderings eventually brought me to the far side of the reserve where the heath succumbed to grassland/pasture. Several sets of Bramble demarcated the change in habitats and these held several Ringlets, Meadow Browns and there were two more additions to the Site Tally, a few Marbled Whites had ventured forth from the paddocks and were wittering away at my feet in the spaces between the clumps and a Silver-washed nipped past dashing from one section of wood to the other.
I walked back onto the Heath proper and wandered slowly across the various sections of heath keeping to the little winding tracks again stopping whenever a Silver Stud presented itself. By now things had really warmed up and the butterflies had gotten going so the butterflies seldom stopped. The butterfly photography was made all the more difficult as they showed an unerring propensity to choose the densest patches of foliage to land in. When they did perch atop the heather the slight breeze would pick up and send them swinging backwards and forwards as if they were sitting on top of a spring. Occasionally I would take a break from wandering and stopping for the odd butterfly shot to have a look around me. It was quite a sight with the delicate pinkish purple dotted across the dark green brown of the heather. You could fathom the wet areas as the instead of the violet bell shaped flowers there would be cotton buds and towers of vibrant yellow. Then as my gaze swept away and towards the paths and the woodland the violet became deeper (Bell Heather) before fading into white (Ling). As I surveyed all that was good before me something caught my eye. A cylindrical green blob bobbing its way towards a trunk of a tree. When I got closer I could see that it was a bee carrying a cut and rolled leaf.
On either side of seeing this I continued in a similar vain as before, wandering, spotting something and the stooping to try for a few shots. I was astounded at how many butterflies there were and as I’d look ahead to plot out my next step of the journey I would see blue-white males or brown-cream females drifting across the heather tops like cotton tufts caught on the breeze. There seemed to be some order in the distribution of the butterflies with the areas of ‘degenerate’ heather forming little clearings which many males would muster at; like leks in miniature. With this in mind I sought out several of these little patches and sure enough they proved the ideal spots to photograph the normally active butterflies. Occasionally a female or another male would fly across the ‘clearing’ and the passive butterflies would suddenly become aggressive and take to the air. What had been microscopic ‘woodland glade’ now became a battle arena. I kept on, following the little trails from one area of degenerate heather to the next and on the way found several interesting things; beautifully marked and studded females, two pairs in cop, a ‘pathological’ male with a white hind wing and fresh vibrant males one of which was with fringes shining out like beacons. My travels across the heath had brought me back to roughly where I’d started from and so after a final catch-up with one or two individual on the Silver Stud Heath I made my way back across the Boardwalk and headed homewards.
Unfortunate name
Pastel blues dance o’er heath
Slop Bog, what a place!
I walked back onto the Heath proper and wandered slowly across the various sections of heath keeping to the little winding tracks again stopping whenever a Silver Stud presented itself. By now things had really warmed up and the butterflies had gotten going so the butterflies seldom stopped. The butterfly photography was made all the more difficult as they showed an unerring propensity to choose the densest patches of foliage to land in. When they did perch atop the heather the slight breeze would pick up and send them swinging backwards and forwards as if they were sitting on top of a spring. Occasionally I would take a break from wandering and stopping for the odd butterfly shot to have a look around me. It was quite a sight with the delicate pinkish purple dotted across the dark green brown of the heather. You could fathom the wet areas as the instead of the violet bell shaped flowers there would be cotton buds and towers of vibrant yellow. Then as my gaze swept away and towards the paths and the woodland the violet became deeper (Bell Heather) before fading into white (Ling). As I surveyed all that was good before me something caught my eye. A cylindrical green blob bobbing its way towards a trunk of a tree. When I got closer I could see that it was a bee carrying a cut and rolled leaf.
On either side of seeing this I continued in a similar vain as before, wandering, spotting something and the stooping to try for a few shots. I was astounded at how many butterflies there were and as I’d look ahead to plot out my next step of the journey I would see blue-white males or brown-cream females drifting across the heather tops like cotton tufts caught on the breeze. There seemed to be some order in the distribution of the butterflies with the areas of ‘degenerate’ heather forming little clearings which many males would muster at; like leks in miniature. With this in mind I sought out several of these little patches and sure enough they proved the ideal spots to photograph the normally active butterflies. Occasionally a female or another male would fly across the ‘clearing’ and the passive butterflies would suddenly become aggressive and take to the air. What had been microscopic ‘woodland glade’ now became a battle arena. I kept on, following the little trails from one area of degenerate heather to the next and on the way found several interesting things; beautifully marked and studded females, two pairs in cop, a ‘pathological’ male with a white hind wing and fresh vibrant males one of which was with fringes shining out like beacons. My travels across the heath had brought me back to roughly where I’d started from and so after a final catch-up with one or two individual on the Silver Stud Heath I made my way back across the Boardwalk and headed homewards.
Unfortunate name
Pastel blues dance o’er heath
Slop Bog, what a place!
Slop Bog 02-07-2023
I set out first thing hoping that the weather forecast would prove correct which it didn’t. So instead of wandering along the boardwalk in blazing sun it looked like being a slow start to the morning as the cloud hung low in the sky blocking out the sun. On the plus side if I did find some Silver-studs first thing they’d be more likely to be settled and less flighty as they awaited the sun to shine through. In fact I didn’t have to wait long as after a Common Lizard the very next thing I saw as I scanned across the Purple Moor and Cotton Grass to my right was a little white flag. I knelt down on the Boardwalk and leant out across the ‘Bog’ and got my first Silver-stud of the year. There were a couple more slightly further out on the Bog so it looked like I’d timed my arrival perfectly as they were just waking up.
Having reached the end of the Boardwalk I then stepped down onto thin dark soil of the min track before scanning across the ‘Silver Studded Heath’, the only section name that I can recall, where there were a few blue blobs in amid the dark tendrils and violet bells of the heather. As I snaked my way along the tiny tracks between the mature clumps of Cross-leaved Heath I started seeing more and more Silver-studs as they awoke and stretched out to warm up before nipping off for breakfast. A few females also turned up showing a great range in variation of the orange markings on the upper sides of the wings. It was odd but the females seemed to be grouped together, a little Hen party almost, and after a few strides on from the ladies I was back with exclusively male Silver-studs? While I was wondering about this and thinking about walking back to check my observation the sun broke though the cloud and the behaviour of the butterflies changed. From being laid back and almost chilled to endless flapping their way across the tops of the heather from one mature clump to another.
Often when I visit this site I see 2 maybe three different species of butterfly and on some visits it’s been solely the Silver-studs. However the biodiversity almost doubled. As I’d made my way across the heather I’d spotted a Meadow Brown and a couple of Large Skippers but now as I broached the path and left the Silver Studded Heath behind and entered another of the named sections I spotted a Ringlet – something I’d not seen here before and also a small group of Small Skippers. Whether this is a good thing or not I’m not entirely sure, could it suggest that the wood is starting to encroach on the heath? I shook off this worrying thought and got back to the over abundant Silver Studs, one of which was very freshly emerged and was still being attended too by the host species of ant.
As I strolled along the tiny animal tracks across this section of heath it got drier and drier and the bog loving Cross-leaved Heath gave way to Ling. Across another one of the tracks I walked through a ribbon of Pine trees into a patch of heath-cum-woodland. There was the occasional clump of heather which looked out of place with Bramble, Juniper and Birch trees. A quick stroll around here allowed me to add Holly Blue, a few more Ringlets and Meadow Browns, and a Hedgies to the days Tally. It also gave me a chance to complete a quick Tick Check. This took quite a while and I lost count at 53, however I’m pleased to say that not a single one add managed to find a spot to latch on but it took a good 5 minutes to flick them all off from my trousers.
Having reached the end of the Boardwalk I then stepped down onto thin dark soil of the min track before scanning across the ‘Silver Studded Heath’, the only section name that I can recall, where there were a few blue blobs in amid the dark tendrils and violet bells of the heather. As I snaked my way along the tiny tracks between the mature clumps of Cross-leaved Heath I started seeing more and more Silver-studs as they awoke and stretched out to warm up before nipping off for breakfast. A few females also turned up showing a great range in variation of the orange markings on the upper sides of the wings. It was odd but the females seemed to be grouped together, a little Hen party almost, and after a few strides on from the ladies I was back with exclusively male Silver-studs? While I was wondering about this and thinking about walking back to check my observation the sun broke though the cloud and the behaviour of the butterflies changed. From being laid back and almost chilled to endless flapping their way across the tops of the heather from one mature clump to another.
Often when I visit this site I see 2 maybe three different species of butterfly and on some visits it’s been solely the Silver-studs. However the biodiversity almost doubled. As I’d made my way across the heather I’d spotted a Meadow Brown and a couple of Large Skippers but now as I broached the path and left the Silver Studded Heath behind and entered another of the named sections I spotted a Ringlet – something I’d not seen here before and also a small group of Small Skippers. Whether this is a good thing or not I’m not entirely sure, could it suggest that the wood is starting to encroach on the heath? I shook off this worrying thought and got back to the over abundant Silver Studs, one of which was very freshly emerged and was still being attended too by the host species of ant.
As I strolled along the tiny animal tracks across this section of heath it got drier and drier and the bog loving Cross-leaved Heath gave way to Ling. Across another one of the tracks I walked through a ribbon of Pine trees into a patch of heath-cum-woodland. There was the occasional clump of heather which looked out of place with Bramble, Juniper and Birch trees. A quick stroll around here allowed me to add Holly Blue, a few more Ringlets and Meadow Browns, and a Hedgies to the days Tally. It also gave me a chance to complete a quick Tick Check. This took quite a while and I lost count at 53, however I’m pleased to say that not a single one add managed to find a spot to latch on but it took a good 5 minutes to flick them all off from my trousers.
Garston Wood 01-07-2023
It was an overcast day but in the end I needed to visit my Dad at Sixpenny Handley and so I grabbed my camera and made my over via the back route so I could call in at Garston Wood on route. The cloud cover was quite thick but it was still surprisingly bright and the forecast had mentioned some sunny breaks – so I set off up the main track with fingers crossed that things would pan out. There had been rumours of Emperors here but after several tricky years I’d lowered my expectations for this species to the extent that I would be grateful for just a glimpse and I certainly wouldn’t go out of my way for them anymore. As I made my way upwards a few butterflies started appearing in the gloom. First came a Large Skipper and then a few Meadow Browns. Next up venturing into the grey came Marbled Whites, Ringlets, Hedgies and finally a Small Skipper.
Chuffed I carried on up with Browns nicely covered I turned my attentions to the other butterflies that might be about and so I started looking up high for little silver flashes and down low for ginger beasties. About halfway up this scanning paid off, with not exactly a ginger beastie but more of a peach…In one of the little scallops cleared from the verge I spotted a Large Skipper. Then I realised that there was another just behind it as well as a Hedgie on the same leaf. To the left was a Marbled White and as I let my gaze shift to the right a Painted Lady appeared from behind a leaf. It was absolutely stunning to see and shone out like a beacon in the gloom. As I watched it a Silver-washed flashed past too late to fit in with the narrative.
Happy with this haul I could have headed home there and then but realising that I’d only scratched the surface of the reserve and only been present for 15 minutes or so I carried on deeper into the wood. At the staggered cross tracks I found an H. Comma sitting on a leaf low to the ground and trying its best to look like a dead leaf. Whilst its camo was superb the fact that it was sitting on a deep green lush Bramble leaf meant that it wasn’t achieving its aim. I continued on alternating between scanning the vegetation and the heavens for any signs of cracks in the cloud. On my way to the Butterfly Enclosure I was kept company by a few Browns and a female Silver-washed but the cloud was acting as a deterrent to the butterflies flying. When I ventured through the archway of the Enclosure things changed. The sun ripped through the clouds evaporating the dew and bathing everything in a soft yellow light. The butterflies suddenly burst forth from wherever they’d been sheltering. Another Painted Lady passed by and there were a gaggle of Whites – three unknowns and a Green-veined. The sun kept trying to break through the cloud and was having more and more success with the spells becoming longer and so on the return leg I found a Large and Small White along with 3-4 Silver-washed Frits and a White Admiral got on the list as it.
Once back at the staggered cross tracks I crossed over and tried my luck over in the other enclosure – what used to be the ‘Exotic Plantation’ many year ago. As I followed the curving path round various Browns took off like little plumes of smoke and when I reached the main cleared area I looked about much more intently. I was rewarded with a large blue-grey butterfly that was sticking to the shadows along the margins of the clearing. Its unusual flight at first confused me as I was sure that I’d seen a Valesina but the Frits usually have a powerful flight. I risked getting a little closer and then I could see why is was acting oddly – it was looking for somewhere to lay its eggs. Once it had found a likely looking spot it rammed the rear of its abdomen into a crack or fissure in the bark. It was tricky to get anything photo wise as it was shady and I didn’t want to get too close so as not to disturb it. Job done it pottered off in the same hesitant manner deeper into the trees where I couldn’t follow it. As I made to start my amblings again a bat-like butterfly flew overhead. The markings were similar to a White Admiral but the shape was different – much squarer and, well, bat-like. It was an Emperor and I watched it fly over the clearing and into the wood beyond. Pleased that it was ‘ticked off’ I carried on finding a lovely fresh Red Admiral and H.Comma and another egg laying Silver-washed.
Once back onto the main track and the Painted Lady seemed to be in a similar spot as before, the little cleared parts of the verge. This time rather than being just a collection of Browns it had turned into something of a Vanessid fest with 2 H.Commas and a Red Admiral hanging out in the same spot. A Silver-washed flashes by as does a WA which kept bombing in and out of the Oak that stands proud on the very edge of the path.
On my way down the hill back to the car I bumped into a chap from Emperor searching last year. He told me that he’d had an Emperor crawling all over the car next to his while he’d eaten his lunch and so I thanked him and carried internally debating about whether to hang around or not? When I reached the car I decided to have my lunch and a coffee and just keep an eye out in case I was visited. A couple of Large Whites, several Meadow Browns and a Silver-washed Fritillary all flew either across the car park or along the margins, each time distracting me from my coffee or Lime pickle sandwich. As I was finishing my repast and with the last dregs of coffee gone and the final sting from the chutney fading an Emperor appeared. It flew along the one side of the car park and climbed steeply up before flipping over and diving back down and then at the perigee of its manoeuvre it shot horizontally across the car park and disappeared between mine and my neighbours’ cars. I waited for as long as I could and then as stealthily as possible I snuck across the hard ground before sliding across my bonnet and leaning over. There on the drivers-side wheel was the Emperor, yellow proboscis out and slurping away at whatever was on the wheel (maybe they’d driven through something icky or maybe it was just the salts?). Unfortunately in the light grey very little, if any purple showed up and also I was so chuffed to have an audience that the camera was a little shaky however my expectations for this species for the year were vastly exceeded!
I hung around a little longer after it had finished and it made a few more passes as did a White Admiral but I was so buzzed I didn’t think that ‘d have gotten anything should He have graced me with his presence once more and so I made my way on to Sixpenny Handley to visit my dad. After this perhaps I’ll give His Nibbs one more chance?
No expectations
Seems to be the way to go
Graced by His Nibbs
Chuffed I carried on up with Browns nicely covered I turned my attentions to the other butterflies that might be about and so I started looking up high for little silver flashes and down low for ginger beasties. About halfway up this scanning paid off, with not exactly a ginger beastie but more of a peach…In one of the little scallops cleared from the verge I spotted a Large Skipper. Then I realised that there was another just behind it as well as a Hedgie on the same leaf. To the left was a Marbled White and as I let my gaze shift to the right a Painted Lady appeared from behind a leaf. It was absolutely stunning to see and shone out like a beacon in the gloom. As I watched it a Silver-washed flashed past too late to fit in with the narrative.
Happy with this haul I could have headed home there and then but realising that I’d only scratched the surface of the reserve and only been present for 15 minutes or so I carried on deeper into the wood. At the staggered cross tracks I found an H. Comma sitting on a leaf low to the ground and trying its best to look like a dead leaf. Whilst its camo was superb the fact that it was sitting on a deep green lush Bramble leaf meant that it wasn’t achieving its aim. I continued on alternating between scanning the vegetation and the heavens for any signs of cracks in the cloud. On my way to the Butterfly Enclosure I was kept company by a few Browns and a female Silver-washed but the cloud was acting as a deterrent to the butterflies flying. When I ventured through the archway of the Enclosure things changed. The sun ripped through the clouds evaporating the dew and bathing everything in a soft yellow light. The butterflies suddenly burst forth from wherever they’d been sheltering. Another Painted Lady passed by and there were a gaggle of Whites – three unknowns and a Green-veined. The sun kept trying to break through the cloud and was having more and more success with the spells becoming longer and so on the return leg I found a Large and Small White along with 3-4 Silver-washed Frits and a White Admiral got on the list as it.
Once back at the staggered cross tracks I crossed over and tried my luck over in the other enclosure – what used to be the ‘Exotic Plantation’ many year ago. As I followed the curving path round various Browns took off like little plumes of smoke and when I reached the main cleared area I looked about much more intently. I was rewarded with a large blue-grey butterfly that was sticking to the shadows along the margins of the clearing. Its unusual flight at first confused me as I was sure that I’d seen a Valesina but the Frits usually have a powerful flight. I risked getting a little closer and then I could see why is was acting oddly – it was looking for somewhere to lay its eggs. Once it had found a likely looking spot it rammed the rear of its abdomen into a crack or fissure in the bark. It was tricky to get anything photo wise as it was shady and I didn’t want to get too close so as not to disturb it. Job done it pottered off in the same hesitant manner deeper into the trees where I couldn’t follow it. As I made to start my amblings again a bat-like butterfly flew overhead. The markings were similar to a White Admiral but the shape was different – much squarer and, well, bat-like. It was an Emperor and I watched it fly over the clearing and into the wood beyond. Pleased that it was ‘ticked off’ I carried on finding a lovely fresh Red Admiral and H.Comma and another egg laying Silver-washed.
Once back onto the main track and the Painted Lady seemed to be in a similar spot as before, the little cleared parts of the verge. This time rather than being just a collection of Browns it had turned into something of a Vanessid fest with 2 H.Commas and a Red Admiral hanging out in the same spot. A Silver-washed flashes by as does a WA which kept bombing in and out of the Oak that stands proud on the very edge of the path.
On my way down the hill back to the car I bumped into a chap from Emperor searching last year. He told me that he’d had an Emperor crawling all over the car next to his while he’d eaten his lunch and so I thanked him and carried internally debating about whether to hang around or not? When I reached the car I decided to have my lunch and a coffee and just keep an eye out in case I was visited. A couple of Large Whites, several Meadow Browns and a Silver-washed Fritillary all flew either across the car park or along the margins, each time distracting me from my coffee or Lime pickle sandwich. As I was finishing my repast and with the last dregs of coffee gone and the final sting from the chutney fading an Emperor appeared. It flew along the one side of the car park and climbed steeply up before flipping over and diving back down and then at the perigee of its manoeuvre it shot horizontally across the car park and disappeared between mine and my neighbours’ cars. I waited for as long as I could and then as stealthily as possible I snuck across the hard ground before sliding across my bonnet and leaning over. There on the drivers-side wheel was the Emperor, yellow proboscis out and slurping away at whatever was on the wheel (maybe they’d driven through something icky or maybe it was just the salts?). Unfortunately in the light grey very little, if any purple showed up and also I was so chuffed to have an audience that the camera was a little shaky however my expectations for this species for the year were vastly exceeded!
I hung around a little longer after it had finished and it made a few more passes as did a White Admiral but I was so buzzed I didn’t think that ‘d have gotten anything should He have graced me with his presence once more and so I made my way on to Sixpenny Handley to visit my dad. After this perhaps I’ll give His Nibbs one more chance?
No expectations
Seems to be the way to go
Graced by His Nibbs
