Sidbury 30-05-2023
After a successful recce the week before it now came to the actual event, a meet-up with Dave to show him the delights of Sidbury Hill. Unfortunately I arrived a little alter than planned for as for some reason there was a bit of snarly traffic in Amesbury and I got trapped behind a Horse Box from Bulford to Tidworth but no bother we were soon wandering across the gently sloping grasslands from where we’d abandoned the cars. On the walk up to the first ‘hotspot’ the odd Adonis flew amongst many more Common Blues, their vivid colour allowing identification even from a distance and there were the other usual suspects – Dingies and many, many Small Heath. As we left the bone-dry track behind and made our way across the field towards the far corner where the Dukes like to fly the vegetation scratched at my boots from either side of the narrow trackways and when were about half way between the now torn and ex-verdant path and the corner a Large Skipper popped up – my first for the year.
Once in the corner section we wandered about taking in this and that; a Brown Argus was dominating the usual Duke spot seeing off a Dingy Skipper as we approached it and a Common Blue was flashing about along the path. A small brown/orange butterfly buzzed past and there was a Duke and it looked different to one of the pair that I’d seen previously and added another species to the days tally. Once at the end of the path we entered the shade of the Beech wood and I managed to relocate the Birds Nest Orchids among the White Helleborines. It was quite tricky even though I knew for a fact that they were there and their whereabouts to about a metre but if I hadn’t have done my recce visit we could have walked straight past them as their colour matched almost perfectly the background colour of the leaf litter.
Once back in the sun we walked across the path to the Springy turf area again there were the usual suspects; Brown Argus, Common Blues, the occasional Adonis and a Dingy Skipper but the Greenstreaks were missing and there weren’t any Small Coppers to brighten up the blue so we pressed on up to the Crossroads. As soon as we reached the top of the rise the Walls were immediately upon us. Even at this time of day they were very active, zooming off along the paths, battling each other and generally juts being boisterous and very annoying in that their antics were nigh on impossible to capture on our cameras. All of this activity must have started to have an effect on them (or possibly they became used to our presence and had worked out that we weren’t much of a threat?) as they started to settle more frequently, down on the track at first but then increasingly in the vegetation. At one point a Red Admiral shot past busy climbing to the top of the hill I’ve no doubt leaving us to continue with our attempts at Wall photography.
Next on the itinerary was the Ring and so we passed through the gate and into the ring by the old log where the shorter turf seemed to have a had a deleterious effect on the butterfly numbers here. In previous years you’d be greeted by Walls and Grizzlies, Dingies and Small Heath, Marshies and Common Blues. In fact you’d not actually have needed to leave the first little stretch. As it was today the first little stretch saw a Red Admiral (probably the same one that had passed us at the Crossroads), Brown Argus, a Grizzlie and 2 Walls. So we carried on round the bottom of the ring. Things picked up round the first corner as the ‘ring’ is more of an ‘ellipse as this looked less grazed and there were more nectaring opportunities available. There were a few more Brown Argus, nowhere near the number seen during the recce as these must have dispersed, but still more than a singleton. Also flying along the bottom of the ring was an aged Dingy, pale and spectral looking in its dotage, a Common and an Adonis Blue and a few Small Heath. A couple of Small Coppers showed up and also the smallest Common Blue I’d ever seen and a few Walls made a pretence of preaching only for my autofocus, knees or infrared sensor to set them off.
When we reached the ancient entrance to the fort, a break in the ring, we climbed out and walked across to then climb down into the next section. The view from here is always impressive but today particularly so as the wind played with the tops of the grasses forming waves across the sea ofgreen. The only things missing were so White Horses and the tang of salt in the air and we could have been on the caost. A Wall was hanging around here and playing very hard to get but it out us onto a very fresh Small Copper. The blood orange forewings were blazing in the strong sunshine and it’s behaviour suggested that it was a female, never flying far, wandering around in the vegetation. We left it to its own devices and then carried on in the other side of the ring. The theme of fresh females continued here with a gorgeous female Common Blue that was flying amid the usual suspects. As we entered the more wooded section a Red Admiral was fluttering about and there were plenty of Brown Argus but also a lot of increasingly fresh cow pats so we retreated back round the ring to avoid running into the Highland Cattle that frequent here.
Our trip back round produced more of the same butterflies but when we got back to the there were a couple of Walls that looked to be courting. The ring on the other side looked more overgrown so we climbed over the log and had a look at this section. Among the taller grasses just past the log we found a Small Copper, Brown Argus, Common Blue but best of all another Duke. I’d heard that they could be found across the entire site but I’d never seen them in this part before. While we were enjoying the Duke and contemplating whether to carry on round one of the Highlanders appeared which put paid to that plan and so we worked our way back and out of the ring. We stayed on our side of the fence and worked back down the hill, hugging the treeline eventually reaching the little valley where we ate our lunch and watched Common Blues and Grizzlies and a Specklie added itself to the tally.
We then followed the various paths back into the corner and from there set out diagonally across the field. Small Heath and various Blues and Skippers all flew but finally we found a Greenstreak. It was hanging about down low in the vegetation near to one of the clumps of Hawthorn that line the main path. It was quite tired and worn but it was still nice to see. That just left some Marshies and Small Blues to add to the list and so we followed the main paths down the hill and round past the Dew Pond/puddle where a Marshie was just sitting there out in the open. It would have made a fanstastic shot but all too soon it was away and lost somewhere in the jungle of vegetation in the main field. Still it was on the list and so we set off looking for the final species.
Down at the triangle was where I’d seen the Small Blues on the recce and that’s where they were again this time. They weren’t up for much mud puddling this time but they were showing nicely among the taller grasses. While we were watching these a Marshie also appeared on scene. It made its entrance at the same time as a Wall and whilst this disappeared off into the distance the Marshie hung around and threw a few poses. It seemed like a fitting end to the trip, ending it on a bang and not a whimper and so we strolled back to the car and headed off our separate ways. I drove home with my slight perturbence at the lower numbers countered by the range and also tempered by enjoying such a good day with such great company.
Time to play tour guide
All was where it should have been
The recce paid off
Once in the corner section we wandered about taking in this and that; a Brown Argus was dominating the usual Duke spot seeing off a Dingy Skipper as we approached it and a Common Blue was flashing about along the path. A small brown/orange butterfly buzzed past and there was a Duke and it looked different to one of the pair that I’d seen previously and added another species to the days tally. Once at the end of the path we entered the shade of the Beech wood and I managed to relocate the Birds Nest Orchids among the White Helleborines. It was quite tricky even though I knew for a fact that they were there and their whereabouts to about a metre but if I hadn’t have done my recce visit we could have walked straight past them as their colour matched almost perfectly the background colour of the leaf litter.
Once back in the sun we walked across the path to the Springy turf area again there were the usual suspects; Brown Argus, Common Blues, the occasional Adonis and a Dingy Skipper but the Greenstreaks were missing and there weren’t any Small Coppers to brighten up the blue so we pressed on up to the Crossroads. As soon as we reached the top of the rise the Walls were immediately upon us. Even at this time of day they were very active, zooming off along the paths, battling each other and generally juts being boisterous and very annoying in that their antics were nigh on impossible to capture on our cameras. All of this activity must have started to have an effect on them (or possibly they became used to our presence and had worked out that we weren’t much of a threat?) as they started to settle more frequently, down on the track at first but then increasingly in the vegetation. At one point a Red Admiral shot past busy climbing to the top of the hill I’ve no doubt leaving us to continue with our attempts at Wall photography.
Next on the itinerary was the Ring and so we passed through the gate and into the ring by the old log where the shorter turf seemed to have a had a deleterious effect on the butterfly numbers here. In previous years you’d be greeted by Walls and Grizzlies, Dingies and Small Heath, Marshies and Common Blues. In fact you’d not actually have needed to leave the first little stretch. As it was today the first little stretch saw a Red Admiral (probably the same one that had passed us at the Crossroads), Brown Argus, a Grizzlie and 2 Walls. So we carried on round the bottom of the ring. Things picked up round the first corner as the ‘ring’ is more of an ‘ellipse as this looked less grazed and there were more nectaring opportunities available. There were a few more Brown Argus, nowhere near the number seen during the recce as these must have dispersed, but still more than a singleton. Also flying along the bottom of the ring was an aged Dingy, pale and spectral looking in its dotage, a Common and an Adonis Blue and a few Small Heath. A couple of Small Coppers showed up and also the smallest Common Blue I’d ever seen and a few Walls made a pretence of preaching only for my autofocus, knees or infrared sensor to set them off.
When we reached the ancient entrance to the fort, a break in the ring, we climbed out and walked across to then climb down into the next section. The view from here is always impressive but today particularly so as the wind played with the tops of the grasses forming waves across the sea ofgreen. The only things missing were so White Horses and the tang of salt in the air and we could have been on the caost. A Wall was hanging around here and playing very hard to get but it out us onto a very fresh Small Copper. The blood orange forewings were blazing in the strong sunshine and it’s behaviour suggested that it was a female, never flying far, wandering around in the vegetation. We left it to its own devices and then carried on in the other side of the ring. The theme of fresh females continued here with a gorgeous female Common Blue that was flying amid the usual suspects. As we entered the more wooded section a Red Admiral was fluttering about and there were plenty of Brown Argus but also a lot of increasingly fresh cow pats so we retreated back round the ring to avoid running into the Highland Cattle that frequent here.
Our trip back round produced more of the same butterflies but when we got back to the there were a couple of Walls that looked to be courting. The ring on the other side looked more overgrown so we climbed over the log and had a look at this section. Among the taller grasses just past the log we found a Small Copper, Brown Argus, Common Blue but best of all another Duke. I’d heard that they could be found across the entire site but I’d never seen them in this part before. While we were enjoying the Duke and contemplating whether to carry on round one of the Highlanders appeared which put paid to that plan and so we worked our way back and out of the ring. We stayed on our side of the fence and worked back down the hill, hugging the treeline eventually reaching the little valley where we ate our lunch and watched Common Blues and Grizzlies and a Specklie added itself to the tally.
We then followed the various paths back into the corner and from there set out diagonally across the field. Small Heath and various Blues and Skippers all flew but finally we found a Greenstreak. It was hanging about down low in the vegetation near to one of the clumps of Hawthorn that line the main path. It was quite tired and worn but it was still nice to see. That just left some Marshies and Small Blues to add to the list and so we followed the main paths down the hill and round past the Dew Pond/puddle where a Marshie was just sitting there out in the open. It would have made a fanstastic shot but all too soon it was away and lost somewhere in the jungle of vegetation in the main field. Still it was on the list and so we set off looking for the final species.
Down at the triangle was where I’d seen the Small Blues on the recce and that’s where they were again this time. They weren’t up for much mud puddling this time but they were showing nicely among the taller grasses. While we were watching these a Marshie also appeared on scene. It made its entrance at the same time as a Wall and whilst this disappeared off into the distance the Marshie hung around and threw a few poses. It seemed like a fitting end to the trip, ending it on a bang and not a whimper and so we strolled back to the car and headed off our separate ways. I drove home with my slight perturbence at the lower numbers countered by the range and also tempered by enjoying such a good day with such great company.
Time to play tour guide
All was where it should have been
The recce paid off
Priddy Mineries 29-05-2023
With the ‘extinction’ of Small Pearls at Bentley Wood I’ve had to look further afield for this species. Last year I paid a trip to Priddy Mineries and so a precedent was set. I’d seen a few reports of them from the Mendip Hills and this time last year they’d been out for a couple of weeks already so with a head wind Philzoid and I made good time and were soon parked up in Stockwell Wood. As we left the car park and crossed the road it still felt quite cool but the sun was shining so my spirits remained high…until we were out on the exposed path where the wind fairly whipped across the boggy grasses dragging the temperature down. We pressed on hoping that we’d find the butterflies in the sheltered spots or that they’d come up in between the strong gusts. We checked all the likely looking spots around the Hillock and worked all the way round past the pond and on to examine the steep banks and deep hollows all for a few sightings; a 4 spotted chaser and a couple of Small heath. In fact as I had a few problems with a new memory card we ended up back at the Hillock and I had precisely nothing to show for our efforts.
With a working card swapped up we took several wanders around the hill, criss-crossing it by all the narrow tracks and scanning into the various hollows and dips but again there was nothing. I tried to work out what was wrong - was it too early or too cold or too windy or could it be a triumvirate of factors? Whatever the reason we decided to cut our losses and head to another site. The butterflies must have been aware of our planned departure because they chose this moment to start appearing. It started with a Green-veined White that was flying along the vegetation on the verge. We moved on and something caught my eye up near the bank that runs parallel to the path at this spot. A clump of vegetation, a mix of Hawthorn, Gorse and Bramble was acting like a windbreak and the butterflies were keenly utilizing it. The butterfly that had caught my attention was a Common Blue and as it flew towards the sheltered inlet we followed it and stumbled onto a Greenstreak and a pair of Dingies that seemed intent on beating the other to a pulp. After this little interlude we followed the path and turned left along a little track up to the end of the bank where there was another natural ‘windbreak, this time a large Hawthorn. As the tree was slightly less dwarfish here there were a few more butterflies taking advantage of the calmer air. There was only a single Dingy but also 2 Greenstreaks on the Hawthorn itself as well as about 4 Small Heath fluttering around the vegetation at the bottom and up the slope of the bank. When almost back to the main road a Small Copper made us tarry a little and then we were off home…well with a slight detour to Whitesheet Hill first.
We started off at the Quarry area with a Dingy and Wall on the walk up. Keeping to the middle paths brought us to an abrut stop at the end at the shear slope which the butterflies seemed to love, probably as we couldn’t safely follow them up it. A brace of Marshies were flying around as well as a few Small Heaths and the Blues were represented by a Common and an Adonis. We wandered back though the old earth workings and then down into the largest one at the other end. Scanning about we found 2 more Marshies, a Grizzlie, 3 Dingies and what the target species of the trip – a Glannie. The problem came form trying to work out what to photograph first. We then set off out of the to investigate the rest of the Down and as we started down the narrow diagonal track another Wall passed us and we stopped on the way down for a Glannie, a Grizzlie and a Brown Argus.
At the bottom we wandered along rutted trackway heading towards the ‘hotspot’, although we were having such success that I started to wonder if I could count the entire site as this? Along the bottom a few Glannies flew, stopping occasionally on the dry, hard ground. Some very large Small Heath would occasionally lead my gaze away from my intended target. A Greenstreak sat amid a low growing patch of Bramble and the greener, flatter spots all seemed to have their own collection of Common Blue ad Brown Argus. A Marshie stopped momentarily and before we knew it we’d reached the corner and so carried on round. A Red Admiral and Marshie were waiting for us here and as we started to walk over lusher grasses Adonis Blues started to appear in good numbers. Oddly this little bit in the past has been the centre of the Glannies activity but today it was surprisingly quiet. Perhaps they’d emerged or roosted here in the past and now had dispersed across the hillside? Whatever the reason we decided to head back to where we’d already seen them flying and so partially retraced our steps. I say partially because after a short while we branched off from the path and strolled back to the corner along the hedge line, though the taller and lusher grass.
When we got to the large patch of Bramble on the corner from this lower approach a Marshie was there to greet us along with a Brown Argus, Common Blue and soon to be ubiquitous Small Heaths. Form here we worked backed along the bottom track for a while, following various Glannies which were now acting much more civilized like. The occasional other butterfly would view for my attention; a Marshie or Brown Argus, but on the whole I kept my eyes on the prize and went for the Glannies. The ones here seemed to prefer sitting on the deck with their wings open. It made open wing shots tricky but to be honest I’d already had more than a few of those from Compton so I didn’t mind and it gave me a chance to enjoy the different hues of ginger that they possessed; some were bright orange whilst others were much more honeyed. Our meanderings were interrupted by the local cattle heading of to fresh pasture but seeing them explained the gouged and rutted paths and trackways.
While Phizoid set up camp by their water butt waiting for a warbler to have a drink I had a quick look around the little hollow at the base of the hill. A couple of Dingies were present along with 3 Small Heath and a lonesome Adonis. And with that our time was up and so we set off straight up the steep slope, from the hollow to the car park. It was great to see the Wiltshire Glannies again and they seem to be established here and will remain so for a while yet hopefully.
A lack of Small Pearls
But consolation Glannies
Good ole Whitesheet Hill
P.S. A week later and reports started coming in of the Small Pearls in the Mendip Hills reaching 100+ and at least 6 flying around Hillock at the Mineries so it seems that I had the answer to my question – we were too early, lesson learned but would I be able to get back?
With a working card swapped up we took several wanders around the hill, criss-crossing it by all the narrow tracks and scanning into the various hollows and dips but again there was nothing. I tried to work out what was wrong - was it too early or too cold or too windy or could it be a triumvirate of factors? Whatever the reason we decided to cut our losses and head to another site. The butterflies must have been aware of our planned departure because they chose this moment to start appearing. It started with a Green-veined White that was flying along the vegetation on the verge. We moved on and something caught my eye up near the bank that runs parallel to the path at this spot. A clump of vegetation, a mix of Hawthorn, Gorse and Bramble was acting like a windbreak and the butterflies were keenly utilizing it. The butterfly that had caught my attention was a Common Blue and as it flew towards the sheltered inlet we followed it and stumbled onto a Greenstreak and a pair of Dingies that seemed intent on beating the other to a pulp. After this little interlude we followed the path and turned left along a little track up to the end of the bank where there was another natural ‘windbreak, this time a large Hawthorn. As the tree was slightly less dwarfish here there were a few more butterflies taking advantage of the calmer air. There was only a single Dingy but also 2 Greenstreaks on the Hawthorn itself as well as about 4 Small Heath fluttering around the vegetation at the bottom and up the slope of the bank. When almost back to the main road a Small Copper made us tarry a little and then we were off home…well with a slight detour to Whitesheet Hill first.
We started off at the Quarry area with a Dingy and Wall on the walk up. Keeping to the middle paths brought us to an abrut stop at the end at the shear slope which the butterflies seemed to love, probably as we couldn’t safely follow them up it. A brace of Marshies were flying around as well as a few Small Heaths and the Blues were represented by a Common and an Adonis. We wandered back though the old earth workings and then down into the largest one at the other end. Scanning about we found 2 more Marshies, a Grizzlie, 3 Dingies and what the target species of the trip – a Glannie. The problem came form trying to work out what to photograph first. We then set off out of the to investigate the rest of the Down and as we started down the narrow diagonal track another Wall passed us and we stopped on the way down for a Glannie, a Grizzlie and a Brown Argus.
At the bottom we wandered along rutted trackway heading towards the ‘hotspot’, although we were having such success that I started to wonder if I could count the entire site as this? Along the bottom a few Glannies flew, stopping occasionally on the dry, hard ground. Some very large Small Heath would occasionally lead my gaze away from my intended target. A Greenstreak sat amid a low growing patch of Bramble and the greener, flatter spots all seemed to have their own collection of Common Blue ad Brown Argus. A Marshie stopped momentarily and before we knew it we’d reached the corner and so carried on round. A Red Admiral and Marshie were waiting for us here and as we started to walk over lusher grasses Adonis Blues started to appear in good numbers. Oddly this little bit in the past has been the centre of the Glannies activity but today it was surprisingly quiet. Perhaps they’d emerged or roosted here in the past and now had dispersed across the hillside? Whatever the reason we decided to head back to where we’d already seen them flying and so partially retraced our steps. I say partially because after a short while we branched off from the path and strolled back to the corner along the hedge line, though the taller and lusher grass.
When we got to the large patch of Bramble on the corner from this lower approach a Marshie was there to greet us along with a Brown Argus, Common Blue and soon to be ubiquitous Small Heaths. Form here we worked backed along the bottom track for a while, following various Glannies which were now acting much more civilized like. The occasional other butterfly would view for my attention; a Marshie or Brown Argus, but on the whole I kept my eyes on the prize and went for the Glannies. The ones here seemed to prefer sitting on the deck with their wings open. It made open wing shots tricky but to be honest I’d already had more than a few of those from Compton so I didn’t mind and it gave me a chance to enjoy the different hues of ginger that they possessed; some were bright orange whilst others were much more honeyed. Our meanderings were interrupted by the local cattle heading of to fresh pasture but seeing them explained the gouged and rutted paths and trackways.
While Phizoid set up camp by their water butt waiting for a warbler to have a drink I had a quick look around the little hollow at the base of the hill. A couple of Dingies were present along with 3 Small Heath and a lonesome Adonis. And with that our time was up and so we set off straight up the steep slope, from the hollow to the car park. It was great to see the Wiltshire Glannies again and they seem to be established here and will remain so for a while yet hopefully.
A lack of Small Pearls
But consolation Glannies
Good ole Whitesheet Hill
P.S. A week later and reports started coming in of the Small Pearls in the Mendip Hills reaching 100+ and at least 6 flying around Hillock at the Mineries so it seems that I had the answer to my question – we were too early, lesson learned but would I be able to get back?
Compton Down 27-05-2023 cont'd
As I was driving back I realized that I still had 30 minutes or so to ‘kill’ and I’d still be home earlier than expected. Thus another good reason for visiting Compton present itself, Fovant is a 2 minute diversion of the route. So I pulled into the lay-by and set off to see the state of play in the Quarry. Things had definitely picked up since the last time I’d visited. As I walked around the edge of the bowl at the base of the quarry I counted 6 Dukes perched at different points along the base of the bowl. As I watched a 7th flew down from the steep slope setting in motion a chain reaction, a cascading of Dukes taking to the wing. Each direction I looked had little brown and ginger blobs whizzing about. They’d settle only to take to the air once more when another Duke entered their contested air space. It was fantastic to see, if a little tricky photography wise. Also around were a Dingy and a Wall. The former seemed to enjoy getting embroiled in all the argy-bargy whereas the latter tried to keep a low profile, flying around the edges of the Bowl and when it had its first encounter with an angry Duke it chickened out and retreated away up the side of the down.
I then set off up the diagonal path and started counting the butterflies as I went. First 2 Dukes then 2 Dingies, another Duke and another then a Wall followed by a Dingy, then 4 Dukes then 3 more and then another 4 etc etc. And so it continued, I was only half way up the track and I’d lost count at 23 and so for fear of double counting (the butterflies had started taking to the wing) I gave up the mathematics and just enjoyed the spectacle of so many Dukes, more than I’d ever seen before it was amazing. Some were pristine, others threadbare. One looked very orange and another very dark and one at first looked like a smaller version of a Specklie as it was an ab.leucodes. It was unbelievable to be surrounded by so many of this ‘rare’ butterfly. Unfortunately my 30 mins was almost up and so very begrudgingly I made my way back to the car and headed home, still slightly stunned by what I’d witnessed.
I then set off up the diagonal path and started counting the butterflies as I went. First 2 Dukes then 2 Dingies, another Duke and another then a Wall followed by a Dingy, then 4 Dukes then 3 more and then another 4 etc etc. And so it continued, I was only half way up the track and I’d lost count at 23 and so for fear of double counting (the butterflies had started taking to the wing) I gave up the mathematics and just enjoyed the spectacle of so many Dukes, more than I’d ever seen before it was amazing. Some were pristine, others threadbare. One looked very orange and another very dark and one at first looked like a smaller version of a Specklie as it was an ab.leucodes. It was unbelievable to be surrounded by so many of this ‘rare’ butterfly. Unfortunately my 30 mins was almost up and so very begrudgingly I made my way back to the car and headed home, still slightly stunned by what I’d witnessed.
Compton Down 27-05-2023
I wasn’t supposed to be out today but all the preparations for K’s 18th on the following day were completed much quicker than expected so my wife suggested that I should go out. So where to go? Martin Down, Sidbury or should I try somewhere new and go to Compton Down? I went for Compton even though I was in two minds about making the trip. On the one hand seeing the Glanvilles would have been a bit like going to a Zoo and any photos uploaded may have acted like an incentive/justification for the ‘Phantom Butterfly Dumper’. On the other I’ve visited them at previous release sites, including Whitesheet Hill before making my Zoo analogy seem somewhat churlish and this site is slightly closer than that (only about half an hour away) and much, much closer than either the other Unauthorised releases or the native population on the Isle of Wight. It would also allow me a chance to do a recce of neighbouring Fontmell Down in readiness for the late summer Silver Spots. With my conscience assuaged I made my way over just before lunch and realizing that I’d parked in the wrong car park received a few Nettle stings on the way over to the main car park.
Once there I followed the main track down the hill where the hedge to my left gave way onto Fontmell and on my right was Compton. On my way to the little break and stile there were a few Brimstones rifting by and a couple of Specklies had set up territories at different point along the Compton hedge side. When I emerged from the cutting out and up to the Down proper I was at once surrounded by Adonis Blues. They seemed to be everywhere outnumbering every other butterfly put together. The odd Dingy, Grizzlie and Common Blue flew in amongst them but most of my sightings were of the electric blue variety. I’d taken one of the higher tracks and rounded the corner of the hill and I reasoned that any Marshies or Glannies would probably prefer the lower slopes with their miniature cliffs created by the passage of the grazers or by the downward creep of gravity. As I side stepped down the hill I spotted another observer who sure enough had a Marshie in his sights. After a bit of chatting and with his Glannie spots in mind I retreated back along the base of the hill where there were a couple more Marshies flying about amid the Small Heaths as well as a female Marshie looking much bigger than the others. As I drew level to the spot just in front of the stile a Glannie flashed past as if leading the way…
Once over the stile I made my way down the track and the bank on the right was absolutely heaving in Blues. As I stood and tried to work out what each one was it became futile as there were so many trying to follow a single one was next to impossible. In order of numbers present the Adonis were by far the most numerous next, several orders of magnitude less, came the Common Blues then the Brown Argus and last but by no means least the Small Blues. There were several Brimstones drifting down along the bank and a Small White as well as two male Orange-tips that were patrolling up and down the path. Oh and there were also 5 Glannies…
I got chatting to a bloke with his new dog that was still in training and so had spooked my first attempts at some Glannie shots. He’d come up from Cornwall on his way to Sussex and so had called in hoping to find a Marshie so I pointed him towards the right spots and eventually I had the path pretty much to myself. So I settled into a pattern of watching a Glannie and then trying an approach using the shadow of the hedge to hide my silhouette. It seemed to work but often as I’d be making way on the next spot another Glannie would intercept the first and both would have a bit of a chase. When one would settle further away down the path by the time I’d approached it I’d see that it was the same one that I’d seen before. Whilst the path was good for getting uncluttered shots it played havoc with my knees and my jeans; when I’d stalk and then go down to try and get level with the grounded Glannie the sharp flints would on the track would stab into and embed themselves in my knees and extend the rip in my jeans in the process. At one point as I reached the end of the track I saw another stile on my left and as I approached it a Large White flashed by leaving a clear impression of pure white with a thick black margin. The stile took me onto Fontmell Down. The view was stunning but the slope was seriously steep!
Eventually my meanderings up and down the track led me all the way up to the stile to Compton and so I climbed over and had another look at the Down itself again. The Adonis were better behaved on this side, possibly because they weren’t as cramped and hemmed in and so weren’t falling over each other the whole time as they had been on the bank along the path. I followed the track along the bottom of the down with the hedge left and the down sloping upwards on my right. Amongst the many Adonis there were also a few Common Blues and some Small Heath. I’m sure I spotted a few Glannies that must have come from over the hedge and as I returned back to the stile there were a few more and a Marshie all of which were even better behaved here. It seemed odd that they were clustered by the stile – perhaps it was a shortcut between the two hotspots?
I strolled on up the track enjoying the sun beating down and the surprisingly the ascent up the steep slope passed quite quickly and easily. I was helped on the way by a Grizzlie and a few Brimstones as well as a Holly Blue and a Red Admiral; all of which gave me an excuse to pause and catch my breath. And so ended my visit to Compton Down. To be honest if I’d have known I’d have visited just for the Adonis Blues Glannies or no Glannies, however I think I’ll be sticking to Perham for Silver-spots as Fontmell looks like it could be very hard work for the Silver Spots and Perham would be much kinder on the knees and hips!
A new site for me
With Glannies and Adonis
Worthwhile Compton Down
Once there I followed the main track down the hill where the hedge to my left gave way onto Fontmell and on my right was Compton. On my way to the little break and stile there were a few Brimstones rifting by and a couple of Specklies had set up territories at different point along the Compton hedge side. When I emerged from the cutting out and up to the Down proper I was at once surrounded by Adonis Blues. They seemed to be everywhere outnumbering every other butterfly put together. The odd Dingy, Grizzlie and Common Blue flew in amongst them but most of my sightings were of the electric blue variety. I’d taken one of the higher tracks and rounded the corner of the hill and I reasoned that any Marshies or Glannies would probably prefer the lower slopes with their miniature cliffs created by the passage of the grazers or by the downward creep of gravity. As I side stepped down the hill I spotted another observer who sure enough had a Marshie in his sights. After a bit of chatting and with his Glannie spots in mind I retreated back along the base of the hill where there were a couple more Marshies flying about amid the Small Heaths as well as a female Marshie looking much bigger than the others. As I drew level to the spot just in front of the stile a Glannie flashed past as if leading the way…
Once over the stile I made my way down the track and the bank on the right was absolutely heaving in Blues. As I stood and tried to work out what each one was it became futile as there were so many trying to follow a single one was next to impossible. In order of numbers present the Adonis were by far the most numerous next, several orders of magnitude less, came the Common Blues then the Brown Argus and last but by no means least the Small Blues. There were several Brimstones drifting down along the bank and a Small White as well as two male Orange-tips that were patrolling up and down the path. Oh and there were also 5 Glannies…
I got chatting to a bloke with his new dog that was still in training and so had spooked my first attempts at some Glannie shots. He’d come up from Cornwall on his way to Sussex and so had called in hoping to find a Marshie so I pointed him towards the right spots and eventually I had the path pretty much to myself. So I settled into a pattern of watching a Glannie and then trying an approach using the shadow of the hedge to hide my silhouette. It seemed to work but often as I’d be making way on the next spot another Glannie would intercept the first and both would have a bit of a chase. When one would settle further away down the path by the time I’d approached it I’d see that it was the same one that I’d seen before. Whilst the path was good for getting uncluttered shots it played havoc with my knees and my jeans; when I’d stalk and then go down to try and get level with the grounded Glannie the sharp flints would on the track would stab into and embed themselves in my knees and extend the rip in my jeans in the process. At one point as I reached the end of the track I saw another stile on my left and as I approached it a Large White flashed by leaving a clear impression of pure white with a thick black margin. The stile took me onto Fontmell Down. The view was stunning but the slope was seriously steep!
Eventually my meanderings up and down the track led me all the way up to the stile to Compton and so I climbed over and had another look at the Down itself again. The Adonis were better behaved on this side, possibly because they weren’t as cramped and hemmed in and so weren’t falling over each other the whole time as they had been on the bank along the path. I followed the track along the bottom of the down with the hedge left and the down sloping upwards on my right. Amongst the many Adonis there were also a few Common Blues and some Small Heath. I’m sure I spotted a few Glannies that must have come from over the hedge and as I returned back to the stile there were a few more and a Marshie all of which were even better behaved here. It seemed odd that they were clustered by the stile – perhaps it was a shortcut between the two hotspots?
I strolled on up the track enjoying the sun beating down and the surprisingly the ascent up the steep slope passed quite quickly and easily. I was helped on the way by a Grizzlie and a few Brimstones as well as a Holly Blue and a Red Admiral; all of which gave me an excuse to pause and catch my breath. And so ended my visit to Compton Down. To be honest if I’d have known I’d have visited just for the Adonis Blues Glannies or no Glannies, however I think I’ll be sticking to Perham for Silver-spots as Fontmell looks like it could be very hard work for the Silver Spots and Perham would be much kinder on the knees and hips!
A new site for me
With Glannies and Adonis
Worthwhile Compton Down
Sidbury 25-05-2023
It was getting to that time of the year when Sidbury starts getting good. It has most of the same species as Cotley with the added bonus of Dukes and many more Walls and so I planned to call in on the way home from work and complete a bit of a recce prior to future visits. It would be interesting to see how it was faring compared to the other local ‘Big Sites’; how it was progressing and whether the butterflies were out in any great numbers. I finished work and walked from the front of the school where I’d been running Bus Duty and jumped into my car and I was away in a very prompt fashion. Normally there would be all the shenanigans and time wasted with sorting everything out and getting my gear ready but today I was on the road in record time having pre-packed the car. Also my usual jeans had finally fallen to pieces so I was wearing my old work trousers which saved further time and effort of changing once on site. All I had to do was neck my coffee, put my boots on and hightail it away with my camera.
On the walk across from the car to the little patch of longer grass at the edge of the thin turf usually beloved of Adonis Blues a few Small Heath flew and were joined by a Dingy. The thin turf itself was bereft of Adonis (too early here?) and the little clump was lacking in Small Blues so I followed the main track down to the other triangle field created in the ‘V’ by the fusion of the two main Tank drags. One of the older ruts gouged out by a passing tracked vehicle still held some water and there were a few Tadpoles swimming about in the centre or resting beached at the shallow end. There were also a few Small Blues here a couple of which were mud puddling and there were a couple more eying up the mud form the surrounding grass stems. The field itself had a Brimstone pass over and there were four Dingies scattered about across its width. I crossed over the main track and worked round the little island of vegetation from the bottom up. As I walked I spotted a Dingy, a Small Heath and then finally round the back in the patch of grasses which were to about thigh level finally I spotted a Marshie. As I was using a thin stick to tease various stems away from tis wings and others to remove shadows cast a Greenstreak flew past and landed in the tree line. Pleased to have found a Marshie here (not always a given) I pressed on once I’d gotten my fill of shots. Ever so carefully I let the stems fall back into place as I withdrew the stick and then gingerly retreated from the butterfly. It remained in place and I went on my way.
I kept on working my way first and back down the little overgrown track which ha a couple each of Brown Argus and Small Heath and then up the track favoured by the Dukes in times gone by. Now it was no longer dry, stony and slightly rutted or even thinly turfed with a modicum of flowering plants but recent manoeuvres had ripped it apart and there were thin trenches gouged out by tank tracks. A Brimstone flew by with no intention of stopping, as did a Small White and the newly shredded path was quite attractive to Walls as two of them took it in turns to fly into the others airspace and so ‘start’ on the other. At the top of the track on the corner a Small Copper zipped away across the grasses and I followed a Small Heath up to the Dewpond/track Pond where it was seen off by an irritated Brown Argus. Sitting in the grasses along the edge of the track were two Small Coppers. One was stunningly fresh but as is the norm this was also the hardest to approach! After settling for a few shots and rather more of the more docile and slightly faded one I carried on across the field up to the far corner.
Last year this whole field had been the playground of Dukes with a couple of them along the verdant path. Not this year though as once again the track had been ripped up by caterpillar tracks. So I strode on up to the corner itself. Luckily this spot had remained untouched and so as I approached it I spotted a little brown and orange butterfly – it was a Duke. There was also a Brown Argus and as I tried to follow that it led me into the path of a second Duke. Great stuff! This second individual was slightly older and so more willing to sit for its picture and I was able to lie down flat along the track and get really close to it. Brushing off dust and Ticks once I’d finished I scanned along the length of the track. A Brimstone flew past from behind and I watched as an Orange-tip dropped down onto the track having flown up and over the trees bordering the path. A couple of Walls were interacting along the path. They were proving to be right pains to photograph; either taking off as soon as the Autofocus was set or taking off as the other had appeared. Then I’d have to watch and wait for them to settle and go through the slow and painful manoeuvre of getting in close, getting level, focusing…only for the butterfly to go up for one or other of the aforementioned reasons! Slightly frustrated I walked on noting a Common Blue. Brown Argus and 2 of the seemingly ubiquitous Brown Argus on my way to calm down in the shade of the Beech Wood. Once inside the cool shade I must have looked (more of) an odd one as every couple of steps I’d crouch down and lower my cheek to almost ground before moving on and repeating the procedure. In the end though it paid off as amongst the White Helleborines were a couple of Brid’s Nest Orchids.
I broke out into the sun once more and made my way across and up the Springy turf beyond the tress and behind the Duke corner. There were good numbers of Brown Argus again and I managed to count 5 amongst 3 Common Blues and a couple of Dingies. A Greenstreak stopped momentarily before disappearing into the tree line and then I turned round and walked back across the slope at mid-level. In a little pocket of tussock grass surrounded by young trees I paused to watch a pair of Dingies have a scrap. As they battled it out, a dog fight in miniature, I spotted a Greesntreak. It looked a slightly different green to what I was used to seeing and so I approached it. As I looked at it though my lens I could see that it was very old and worn and had lost a lot of its scales from around the top of the forewing hence the altered colour. After this I hopped over the stile and had a look along the little valley before climbing the hill parallel to the main track. If I’d though there were plenty of Brown Argus about then this brief climb changed my mind. There weren’t ‘many’ about there were masses of them! They were practically all over the hillside. Everywhere I looked there were the small silvery butterflies whizzing between flowers or chocolate orange one with wings open. It was a magnificent sight to see. In fact I became slightly dazzled by it and I was only able to distinguish one other butterfly from among the throng and that was a Holly Blue feeding on a Buttercup.
Eventually my bemused amblings up the hill brought me to the trees and once though them into the Ring. My first impression were that it was much more heavily grazed than last year which left me wondering how the butterflies would be finding it? There was obviously a Wall as I walked and also a Small Heath and a Grizzlie but this stretch seemed much quieter this year. As I rounded the corner things picked up, possibly as this section was more sheltered from the breeze and so noticeably warmer and soon there were butterflies a plenty. I picked up another Grizzlie and a Small Copper, several Walls bombed this way and that often looking like they were going to, but never actually stopping. Again there was a surfeit of Brown Argus and the little grey/silver blobs would tumble down the hill. It was making photographing them hard work as I found my target would constantly be set off due to hassling of another or so that they could hassle another BA! As I walked I picked up more and more butterflies; a Dingy here, a Dingy there, a couple more Brown Argus, a Small Heath, a Small Copper, a grounded Fox Moth which had faceplanted into the ground but took off as soon as the stunning had past, a flash by Wall. It was brilliant to see. On the return back along the bottom of the Ring there was more of the same with the additions of a really fresh Small Copper and possible Brown Argus and Grizzlie aberrants.
All too soon I found myself out of the Ring and traipsing down the main track towards the Crossroads. I waited a little bit whilst I was there as there were three Walls patrolling along the various trackways. As I continued down the hill there were a further 2 near the bottom of the hill opposite the Springy Turf. As I watched I noticed that on one of the smallest triangular patches of grass imaginable there were 5 Brown Argus all flitting about. There must have been a mass emergence here as I’d never seen so many Brown Argus in a single visit before. As I walked back across the field from Duke Corner I switched from looking for Walls and Marshies, in fact I switched from looking for butterflies at all and instead I took to seeking out little flags flying from the grass stems. First there was a Common Blue, then a Brown Argus, then a further 3 Brown Argus and then 5 Common Blues in quick succession. One was a singleton and the remaining four came in two pairs, the first were sitting side by side very reminiscent of the Swallows sitting on telegraph lines in the late summer and the second must have had a falling out as they facing opposite directions. There was a final flourish of 2 Brown Argus and then I’d reached the ex-verdant track and the thorny scrub beyond wasn’t really conducive for roosting. I carried on down the track and got back to the car without seeing much more but it had been a great visit. It seemed like it was a few days behind here so in the coming fortnight any trip here should produce the goods!
A lengthy stop-off
To Sidbury after work
Loads of Brown Argus
On the walk across from the car to the little patch of longer grass at the edge of the thin turf usually beloved of Adonis Blues a few Small Heath flew and were joined by a Dingy. The thin turf itself was bereft of Adonis (too early here?) and the little clump was lacking in Small Blues so I followed the main track down to the other triangle field created in the ‘V’ by the fusion of the two main Tank drags. One of the older ruts gouged out by a passing tracked vehicle still held some water and there were a few Tadpoles swimming about in the centre or resting beached at the shallow end. There were also a few Small Blues here a couple of which were mud puddling and there were a couple more eying up the mud form the surrounding grass stems. The field itself had a Brimstone pass over and there were four Dingies scattered about across its width. I crossed over the main track and worked round the little island of vegetation from the bottom up. As I walked I spotted a Dingy, a Small Heath and then finally round the back in the patch of grasses which were to about thigh level finally I spotted a Marshie. As I was using a thin stick to tease various stems away from tis wings and others to remove shadows cast a Greenstreak flew past and landed in the tree line. Pleased to have found a Marshie here (not always a given) I pressed on once I’d gotten my fill of shots. Ever so carefully I let the stems fall back into place as I withdrew the stick and then gingerly retreated from the butterfly. It remained in place and I went on my way.
I kept on working my way first and back down the little overgrown track which ha a couple each of Brown Argus and Small Heath and then up the track favoured by the Dukes in times gone by. Now it was no longer dry, stony and slightly rutted or even thinly turfed with a modicum of flowering plants but recent manoeuvres had ripped it apart and there were thin trenches gouged out by tank tracks. A Brimstone flew by with no intention of stopping, as did a Small White and the newly shredded path was quite attractive to Walls as two of them took it in turns to fly into the others airspace and so ‘start’ on the other. At the top of the track on the corner a Small Copper zipped away across the grasses and I followed a Small Heath up to the Dewpond/track Pond where it was seen off by an irritated Brown Argus. Sitting in the grasses along the edge of the track were two Small Coppers. One was stunningly fresh but as is the norm this was also the hardest to approach! After settling for a few shots and rather more of the more docile and slightly faded one I carried on across the field up to the far corner.
Last year this whole field had been the playground of Dukes with a couple of them along the verdant path. Not this year though as once again the track had been ripped up by caterpillar tracks. So I strode on up to the corner itself. Luckily this spot had remained untouched and so as I approached it I spotted a little brown and orange butterfly – it was a Duke. There was also a Brown Argus and as I tried to follow that it led me into the path of a second Duke. Great stuff! This second individual was slightly older and so more willing to sit for its picture and I was able to lie down flat along the track and get really close to it. Brushing off dust and Ticks once I’d finished I scanned along the length of the track. A Brimstone flew past from behind and I watched as an Orange-tip dropped down onto the track having flown up and over the trees bordering the path. A couple of Walls were interacting along the path. They were proving to be right pains to photograph; either taking off as soon as the Autofocus was set or taking off as the other had appeared. Then I’d have to watch and wait for them to settle and go through the slow and painful manoeuvre of getting in close, getting level, focusing…only for the butterfly to go up for one or other of the aforementioned reasons! Slightly frustrated I walked on noting a Common Blue. Brown Argus and 2 of the seemingly ubiquitous Brown Argus on my way to calm down in the shade of the Beech Wood. Once inside the cool shade I must have looked (more of) an odd one as every couple of steps I’d crouch down and lower my cheek to almost ground before moving on and repeating the procedure. In the end though it paid off as amongst the White Helleborines were a couple of Brid’s Nest Orchids.
I broke out into the sun once more and made my way across and up the Springy turf beyond the tress and behind the Duke corner. There were good numbers of Brown Argus again and I managed to count 5 amongst 3 Common Blues and a couple of Dingies. A Greenstreak stopped momentarily before disappearing into the tree line and then I turned round and walked back across the slope at mid-level. In a little pocket of tussock grass surrounded by young trees I paused to watch a pair of Dingies have a scrap. As they battled it out, a dog fight in miniature, I spotted a Greesntreak. It looked a slightly different green to what I was used to seeing and so I approached it. As I looked at it though my lens I could see that it was very old and worn and had lost a lot of its scales from around the top of the forewing hence the altered colour. After this I hopped over the stile and had a look along the little valley before climbing the hill parallel to the main track. If I’d though there were plenty of Brown Argus about then this brief climb changed my mind. There weren’t ‘many’ about there were masses of them! They were practically all over the hillside. Everywhere I looked there were the small silvery butterflies whizzing between flowers or chocolate orange one with wings open. It was a magnificent sight to see. In fact I became slightly dazzled by it and I was only able to distinguish one other butterfly from among the throng and that was a Holly Blue feeding on a Buttercup.
Eventually my bemused amblings up the hill brought me to the trees and once though them into the Ring. My first impression were that it was much more heavily grazed than last year which left me wondering how the butterflies would be finding it? There was obviously a Wall as I walked and also a Small Heath and a Grizzlie but this stretch seemed much quieter this year. As I rounded the corner things picked up, possibly as this section was more sheltered from the breeze and so noticeably warmer and soon there were butterflies a plenty. I picked up another Grizzlie and a Small Copper, several Walls bombed this way and that often looking like they were going to, but never actually stopping. Again there was a surfeit of Brown Argus and the little grey/silver blobs would tumble down the hill. It was making photographing them hard work as I found my target would constantly be set off due to hassling of another or so that they could hassle another BA! As I walked I picked up more and more butterflies; a Dingy here, a Dingy there, a couple more Brown Argus, a Small Heath, a Small Copper, a grounded Fox Moth which had faceplanted into the ground but took off as soon as the stunning had past, a flash by Wall. It was brilliant to see. On the return back along the bottom of the Ring there was more of the same with the additions of a really fresh Small Copper and possible Brown Argus and Grizzlie aberrants.
All too soon I found myself out of the Ring and traipsing down the main track towards the Crossroads. I waited a little bit whilst I was there as there were three Walls patrolling along the various trackways. As I continued down the hill there were a further 2 near the bottom of the hill opposite the Springy Turf. As I watched I noticed that on one of the smallest triangular patches of grass imaginable there were 5 Brown Argus all flitting about. There must have been a mass emergence here as I’d never seen so many Brown Argus in a single visit before. As I walked back across the field from Duke Corner I switched from looking for Walls and Marshies, in fact I switched from looking for butterflies at all and instead I took to seeking out little flags flying from the grass stems. First there was a Common Blue, then a Brown Argus, then a further 3 Brown Argus and then 5 Common Blues in quick succession. One was a singleton and the remaining four came in two pairs, the first were sitting side by side very reminiscent of the Swallows sitting on telegraph lines in the late summer and the second must have had a falling out as they facing opposite directions. There was a final flourish of 2 Brown Argus and then I’d reached the ex-verdant track and the thorny scrub beyond wasn’t really conducive for roosting. I carried on down the track and got back to the car without seeing much more but it had been a great visit. It seemed like it was a few days behind here so in the coming fortnight any trip here should produce the goods!
A lengthy stop-off
To Sidbury after work
Loads of Brown Argus
Martin Down 20-05-2023
Having complete the rally drive across country to Martin Down as we strode across the car park a Grizzlie flew up to meet us. We followed the narrow path way out and first down then up the bowl so that we could start our expedition along the Dyke. There were Brimstones flying about all over the place the lemon males mainly harassing the lime females with the latter trying their best to keep a low profile by either flying low to the ground or right up high along the top of the trees that were embedded in the hedges. At the start of the Dyke we stuck to the top path and stared down mainly so as not to trample the pristine looking vegetation but also partly because I’d had enough of nettle stings. A female Red Admiral didn’t mind as she fluttered about looking for somewhere to lay. As we neared the bridge the thick bed of nettles started to peter out and we could see lines through the grass where others had passed before so we clambered down and stuck to these. A Small Copper showed up followed by a Marshie and then there was a Brown Argus and a second, different Small Copper.
After the bridge the fear of trampling lessened even more as the grass here was much more clumpily dispersed with patches of low growing grass a little like a mown pathway. We soon started adding to the site Tally as we spent a fair bit of time here enjoying the warmth that had built up in the sheltered spot. There was a third Small Copper as well as an extra couple of Brown Argus and a Dingy but the real stars of the show here were the two Marshies that took to gliding effortless, scything the grass heads in between bouts of bickering or lazing momentarily in the sun. It was so good to see them back again and for some reason the ones at Martin Down always feel a little more special than those form the other ‘usual’ sites? To finish off our stint here a courting pair of Brimstones provided the finale before we emerged back to the top path once more in the breeze. Sadly, once again, the courtship came to nowt and the ardent male was given the cold shoulder and I was left wondering if I’ll ever find a pair actually in cop?
From here we made rapid progress towards the Butts with only a Small Copper and a Dingy to slow us down on the way. As we rejoined the Dyke once it started back again in the little shallow section behind the Bug Butt we stopped as a Small Blue had appeared and finally made it not just onto the days Tally but also my Year List as well. Slightly further on Philzoid was made up when a Small Tort landed for a second or two on the end of the Big Butt. As we started to investigate the field in the lea of the Big Butt a Holly Blue zipped across from the few trees in the corner to the hedge that runs parallel to the Dyke and then as I walked along the track in the shelter of the Butt I spotted another FFY, a lovely lilac blue Common Blue. It was getting a bit of flak from a passing Dingy that seemed to be holding the large clump of Bramble as its territory. ON the other side of this a second Small Blue popped up, also taking advantage of the sheltered aspect offered by the little scallop created from the hedge over spilling and the Butt itself. I caught up with Philzoid who upon a few enquiries from the other photographers had found a pure white Early Purple Orchid.
We pressed on towards the half way point with three Holly Blues all scraping along the hedge as we started off. Things quietened down until we almost approached the half way point where the Burnt-tips were properly out and looking gorgeous. All the usual bits and bobs bimbled about here and as we worked to the little cross section of path we spotted 3 Small Blues in the large tussock of grass on the corner. A slightly closer look reveled a couple more lurking among the tufts and there were a few more still slightly further along the track. It’s difficult to know why this particular clump of grasses, this miniscule part of the enormous reserve is annually favoured by this tiny butterfly when they have acres and acres of space they could be utilizing.
Things were going really well but alas time was against us, well me really, and so we started the slow walk back to the car park. Just after the half way hedge, back near the Burnt-tips, we paused for a moment or two as the butterflies were still busy bundling into each other. Normally I’d say that the most aggressive would be the Brown Argus but on this occasion it was difficult to tell who was the worst behaved as Dingies, Grizzlies and Brown Argus all piled in on each other with reckless abandon. One things for sure the Common Blue was getting it in the neck from all and sundry and as I leant in to get a few shots of it it was promptly sent packing by the Brown Argus only to be replaced with an electric blue butterfly, my first Adonis of the year. Brilliant! Only the Brown Argus wasn’t happy, it had just vanquished one bigger blue and now it had to see off another. Working out that I’d have just enough time to get back and safely accrue some Brownie points we reluctantly started for home. On the walk back the usual suspects accompanied us and we did stop in the final couple of fields in between the Butts where there were over 130 Green-winged Orchids – well with number like that you’d have to really wouldn’t you?
After the bridge the fear of trampling lessened even more as the grass here was much more clumpily dispersed with patches of low growing grass a little like a mown pathway. We soon started adding to the site Tally as we spent a fair bit of time here enjoying the warmth that had built up in the sheltered spot. There was a third Small Copper as well as an extra couple of Brown Argus and a Dingy but the real stars of the show here were the two Marshies that took to gliding effortless, scything the grass heads in between bouts of bickering or lazing momentarily in the sun. It was so good to see them back again and for some reason the ones at Martin Down always feel a little more special than those form the other ‘usual’ sites? To finish off our stint here a courting pair of Brimstones provided the finale before we emerged back to the top path once more in the breeze. Sadly, once again, the courtship came to nowt and the ardent male was given the cold shoulder and I was left wondering if I’ll ever find a pair actually in cop?
From here we made rapid progress towards the Butts with only a Small Copper and a Dingy to slow us down on the way. As we rejoined the Dyke once it started back again in the little shallow section behind the Bug Butt we stopped as a Small Blue had appeared and finally made it not just onto the days Tally but also my Year List as well. Slightly further on Philzoid was made up when a Small Tort landed for a second or two on the end of the Big Butt. As we started to investigate the field in the lea of the Big Butt a Holly Blue zipped across from the few trees in the corner to the hedge that runs parallel to the Dyke and then as I walked along the track in the shelter of the Butt I spotted another FFY, a lovely lilac blue Common Blue. It was getting a bit of flak from a passing Dingy that seemed to be holding the large clump of Bramble as its territory. ON the other side of this a second Small Blue popped up, also taking advantage of the sheltered aspect offered by the little scallop created from the hedge over spilling and the Butt itself. I caught up with Philzoid who upon a few enquiries from the other photographers had found a pure white Early Purple Orchid.
We pressed on towards the half way point with three Holly Blues all scraping along the hedge as we started off. Things quietened down until we almost approached the half way point where the Burnt-tips were properly out and looking gorgeous. All the usual bits and bobs bimbled about here and as we worked to the little cross section of path we spotted 3 Small Blues in the large tussock of grass on the corner. A slightly closer look reveled a couple more lurking among the tufts and there were a few more still slightly further along the track. It’s difficult to know why this particular clump of grasses, this miniscule part of the enormous reserve is annually favoured by this tiny butterfly when they have acres and acres of space they could be utilizing.
Things were going really well but alas time was against us, well me really, and so we started the slow walk back to the car park. Just after the half way hedge, back near the Burnt-tips, we paused for a moment or two as the butterflies were still busy bundling into each other. Normally I’d say that the most aggressive would be the Brown Argus but on this occasion it was difficult to tell who was the worst behaved as Dingies, Grizzlies and Brown Argus all piled in on each other with reckless abandon. One things for sure the Common Blue was getting it in the neck from all and sundry and as I leant in to get a few shots of it it was promptly sent packing by the Brown Argus only to be replaced with an electric blue butterfly, my first Adonis of the year. Brilliant! Only the Brown Argus wasn’t happy, it had just vanquished one bigger blue and now it had to see off another. Working out that I’d have just enough time to get back and safely accrue some Brownie points we reluctantly started for home. On the walk back the usual suspects accompanied us and we did stop in the final couple of fields in between the Butts where there were over 130 Green-winged Orchids – well with number like that you’d have to really wouldn’t you?
Cotley Hill 20-05-2023 Part 2
When I met Philzoid he was already in the hollow and so and so I took a second turn around the little Hollow at the top of the path. Straight away we got onto a Wall, still flying up and down the start of the track in what was obviously it’s territory. In the small trees that lined the boundary hedge a couple of Greenstreaks flitted about and hung form the ends of assorted twigs in between sparring sessions. Along the thin trackway there was a Grizzlies, Dingy and a Brown Argus all within less than a stones’ throw from each other. Unfortunately they were just that little bit too far apart from each other so we couldn’t get a ‘three-fer’. While we were enjoying these an Orange-tip and a Green-veined Whites passed through as well.
What with this slightly disjointed start we repaired back down the track to examine the abandoned and overgrown lay-by so as to start the visit ‘properly’. By this time the sun and managed to reach over the tops of the trees and shrubs and so disperse the cooling shade and so now the little stretch of moss and weed covered tarmac was a flurry of butterfly activity. A couple of male OTs patrolled ceaselessly there were at least three Green-veined Whites fluttering about and stopping for numerous but very brief nectar stops and a Large White powered through, looking brilliant white compared to the limewash look of a female Brimstone. With the visit now corrected to the natural sequencing we plodded back up the track and once more into the Hollow. During the short interim things had also picked up here and the Brown Argus had either sorted out its dodgy wing or it was a different individual, both Grizzlies and Dingies had doubled in the first part of the track and at the far end of the Hollow another Grizzlie was fiercely interacting with another Brown Argus whilst a Small Heath dithered about.
Next stop on out Tour of the Hill is usually the Amphitheatre and so we climbed out of the Hollow and worked our way round via the higher path. Our route took us past the large swathe of Bramble that blocks of one end of the Hollow and we were able to look down into the mass of prickles. Sitting out in the open somewhere near the middle and sticking out like a sore thumb was a Marshie. Getting shots of it would have meant taking your life into your own hands but I was wearing my old and already ripped jeans and I could swear that there were a few breaks in the briar which I’d be able to snake my legs down. Luckily it all work out okay but if I’d have fallen I’d probably still be there now! Somewhat annoyingly when we reached the Amphitheatre all of my efforts turned out to have been a waste of time as the Amphitheatre had woken up. An Orange-tip patrolled along the bottom fence, Small Heath seemingly erupted from each footstep, the odd Dingy and Grizzlie showed up as did several Brown Argus and most importantly 3 Marshies. They were in a cracking state of repair, looking fantastically fresh but as they were so full of vim and vigour they weren’t the easiest butterfly to approach. Still we started filling up the memory card.
After this we followed the ‘bottom’ track as it worked down the hill and round the corner, hugging the boundary fence all the way. Again the, now usual suspects, flew and so we had to plenty of fodder for out lenses. What with numerous Brown Argus, Small Heath and the odd Grizzlie. After the bend in the track a Wall flew towards us and stopped occasionally but generally just long enough to try and focus on it before it would take to the air once more. Eventually it decided to have a slightly longer break and so we were able to get in a bit closer whilst is hung onto a tiny overhang of chalk at the foot of the down. Slightly further on we followed a Marshie which put up a second. This one was much large and also much lighter – with more creams in the palette on the wings. It looked like a fresh female and one not long emerged as the wings still looked a little rounded like they weren’t fully inflated. By the time we’d reached the little bowl about half way along the bottom track we’d added another Marshie to the tally and had another sighting of another/the Wall as well as something tiny and blue? I wondered if at first it was just a small Brown Argus but something about the colour in flight didn’t feel right and I was left wondering if it was actually a Small Blue? The three Greenstreaks were still battling it out with other in the trees and shrubs at the impenetrable part of the track but this time there was a Brimstone rather than an OT.
Chuffed with how well the Hill was doing we climbed up the side of the Hill through the Bowl and worked round following the little tracks that cling to the side of the hill. As we tottered along trying not to trip and sneaker briars or become impaled on the Hawthorns that grew right up to the tiny trackways we also stopped occasionally. First our attention was held by a pair of Brown Argus that we enjoying a bit of ‘how’s your father’. Then there was a Small White which meant we’d had almost the full compliment of Whites as well as a lovely little Grizzlie and a slightly narky Brown Argus (possibly a case of the green-eyed monster?). We’d worked or way round and back down the side of the Hill to a little field or clearing (I don’t know how best to describe it really) in between masses of Bramble that covered the base of the hill. The tussocky grass and possibly the fact that there was a bit of space without chunks of Bramble or clumps of spiky Hawthorn meant that the butterflies seemed strangely attracted to this little spot. It was a little like the rest of the Hill in microcosm as there was a Small Heath, a Dingy and a Grizzlie all tearing chunks out of each other. They’d been corralled together in one end of the little ‘field’ by a brace of Brown Argus that were keeping two territories across the rest of the area. Every time one of the other species passed an invisible boundary one or other of the Bas would appear and see it off. I saw one of them have a go at a passing OT whilst the other was busy dealing with a Marshie that had dropped in from higher up the hill. To finish off the sojourn here the vegetation growing along the fence line at the edge of the bramble mass held a Holly Blue and also a Broad-bodied Chaser.
The walk back retracing our steps saw us observing a similar list of species as the outward journey, including a Wall and also a lot more activity still over at the Amphitheatre. As we dove back down into the Hollow I spotted a pair of Dingies in cop and amid the Grizzlies, Dingies and Brown Argus there were now two Marshies frequenting the flowers.
The final section of the trip was a last look in at the abandoned lay-by. The sun now reached right along the tangled mass of asphalt and assorted nectar sources. The biggest surprise was a Brown Argus looking a little lost on a Bramble rather than cling to one or other grass stems as the breeze played across the Down. A Peacock dropped in briefly, just long enough in fact for us to both register what it was and add it to the Tally. The Whites had switched about a bit, as there was only a single Green-veined but 3 male OTs and another Small White. All were behaving much better now, some of the OTs even sat for a few photos so we clicked away merrily for a time. Soon though we felt the need to press on and so it was off, cross country, to Martin Down. The visit to the Hill had been a success but there was something nagging at me…then I realized what it was. Amongst an impressive cast of butterflies where were the Blues?
The Hill is alive
With Marshies and with Wall Browns
Still no Blues yet though?
What with this slightly disjointed start we repaired back down the track to examine the abandoned and overgrown lay-by so as to start the visit ‘properly’. By this time the sun and managed to reach over the tops of the trees and shrubs and so disperse the cooling shade and so now the little stretch of moss and weed covered tarmac was a flurry of butterfly activity. A couple of male OTs patrolled ceaselessly there were at least three Green-veined Whites fluttering about and stopping for numerous but very brief nectar stops and a Large White powered through, looking brilliant white compared to the limewash look of a female Brimstone. With the visit now corrected to the natural sequencing we plodded back up the track and once more into the Hollow. During the short interim things had also picked up here and the Brown Argus had either sorted out its dodgy wing or it was a different individual, both Grizzlies and Dingies had doubled in the first part of the track and at the far end of the Hollow another Grizzlie was fiercely interacting with another Brown Argus whilst a Small Heath dithered about.
Next stop on out Tour of the Hill is usually the Amphitheatre and so we climbed out of the Hollow and worked our way round via the higher path. Our route took us past the large swathe of Bramble that blocks of one end of the Hollow and we were able to look down into the mass of prickles. Sitting out in the open somewhere near the middle and sticking out like a sore thumb was a Marshie. Getting shots of it would have meant taking your life into your own hands but I was wearing my old and already ripped jeans and I could swear that there were a few breaks in the briar which I’d be able to snake my legs down. Luckily it all work out okay but if I’d have fallen I’d probably still be there now! Somewhat annoyingly when we reached the Amphitheatre all of my efforts turned out to have been a waste of time as the Amphitheatre had woken up. An Orange-tip patrolled along the bottom fence, Small Heath seemingly erupted from each footstep, the odd Dingy and Grizzlie showed up as did several Brown Argus and most importantly 3 Marshies. They were in a cracking state of repair, looking fantastically fresh but as they were so full of vim and vigour they weren’t the easiest butterfly to approach. Still we started filling up the memory card.
After this we followed the ‘bottom’ track as it worked down the hill and round the corner, hugging the boundary fence all the way. Again the, now usual suspects, flew and so we had to plenty of fodder for out lenses. What with numerous Brown Argus, Small Heath and the odd Grizzlie. After the bend in the track a Wall flew towards us and stopped occasionally but generally just long enough to try and focus on it before it would take to the air once more. Eventually it decided to have a slightly longer break and so we were able to get in a bit closer whilst is hung onto a tiny overhang of chalk at the foot of the down. Slightly further on we followed a Marshie which put up a second. This one was much large and also much lighter – with more creams in the palette on the wings. It looked like a fresh female and one not long emerged as the wings still looked a little rounded like they weren’t fully inflated. By the time we’d reached the little bowl about half way along the bottom track we’d added another Marshie to the tally and had another sighting of another/the Wall as well as something tiny and blue? I wondered if at first it was just a small Brown Argus but something about the colour in flight didn’t feel right and I was left wondering if it was actually a Small Blue? The three Greenstreaks were still battling it out with other in the trees and shrubs at the impenetrable part of the track but this time there was a Brimstone rather than an OT.
Chuffed with how well the Hill was doing we climbed up the side of the Hill through the Bowl and worked round following the little tracks that cling to the side of the hill. As we tottered along trying not to trip and sneaker briars or become impaled on the Hawthorns that grew right up to the tiny trackways we also stopped occasionally. First our attention was held by a pair of Brown Argus that we enjoying a bit of ‘how’s your father’. Then there was a Small White which meant we’d had almost the full compliment of Whites as well as a lovely little Grizzlie and a slightly narky Brown Argus (possibly a case of the green-eyed monster?). We’d worked or way round and back down the side of the Hill to a little field or clearing (I don’t know how best to describe it really) in between masses of Bramble that covered the base of the hill. The tussocky grass and possibly the fact that there was a bit of space without chunks of Bramble or clumps of spiky Hawthorn meant that the butterflies seemed strangely attracted to this little spot. It was a little like the rest of the Hill in microcosm as there was a Small Heath, a Dingy and a Grizzlie all tearing chunks out of each other. They’d been corralled together in one end of the little ‘field’ by a brace of Brown Argus that were keeping two territories across the rest of the area. Every time one of the other species passed an invisible boundary one or other of the Bas would appear and see it off. I saw one of them have a go at a passing OT whilst the other was busy dealing with a Marshie that had dropped in from higher up the hill. To finish off the sojourn here the vegetation growing along the fence line at the edge of the bramble mass held a Holly Blue and also a Broad-bodied Chaser.
The walk back retracing our steps saw us observing a similar list of species as the outward journey, including a Wall and also a lot more activity still over at the Amphitheatre. As we dove back down into the Hollow I spotted a pair of Dingies in cop and amid the Grizzlies, Dingies and Brown Argus there were now two Marshies frequenting the flowers.
The final section of the trip was a last look in at the abandoned lay-by. The sun now reached right along the tangled mass of asphalt and assorted nectar sources. The biggest surprise was a Brown Argus looking a little lost on a Bramble rather than cling to one or other grass stems as the breeze played across the Down. A Peacock dropped in briefly, just long enough in fact for us to both register what it was and add it to the Tally. The Whites had switched about a bit, as there was only a single Green-veined but 3 male OTs and another Small White. All were behaving much better now, some of the OTs even sat for a few photos so we clicked away merrily for a time. Soon though we felt the need to press on and so it was off, cross country, to Martin Down. The visit to the Hill had been a success but there was something nagging at me…then I realized what it was. Amongst an impressive cast of butterflies where were the Blues?
The Hill is alive
With Marshies and with Wall Browns
Still no Blues yet though?
Cotley Hill 20-05-2023
It had reached that time of the year when the Warminster Hills call to me. I’d seen various reports on Face-the-Book from the most westerly of the three hills so I was hoping that their spread of emergence would have reached the last of the hills in the chain. My hopes were confirmed by Dave and so as Philzoid would be coming from further away I thought it best to arrive on site early and find out where things were. Despite the best machinations of various tractors, cyclists and people who had yet to discover 3rd gear I eventually arrived at a little after 9 and it was still cool and the dew was still sitting on the grass. I normally have a little look in the abandoned layby before heading up the hill; a bit like enjoying a fine appetizer, but on this morning it was still deeply bathed in shade and so I made my way directly up the hill. Once at the top I stepped off the main track and down into the little Hollow. Having come from the shade of the trees lining the path out into the full sun blazing down in the Hollow it took a few moments to ‘find my eyes’ again but I quickly started spotting butterflies. It started with three Dingies which would alternate between basking and battling. A Greenstreak flew out from one of the trees that are dotted along the fence line and it sat nicely for me. I’m always surprised at how quickly this species ages – but then Gorse and Hawthorn aren’t exactly the softest of plants!
As I backed away from the Greenstreaks and Dingies something larger hove into few. I waited and watched as it chose its perch place and then landed – it was what I’d come for, a glorious chequerboard of oranges and yellows amid a sea of green. It was my first (definite) Marshie of the year and so I set to photography, pausing every now and again to divert my gaze from through the viewfinder to what was actually in front of me so I could drink it all in. Once I’d quenched my metaphorical thirst I carried on with another Greenstreak on a different tree further on and a Grizzlie sitting on the path warming itself up.
Usually the Amphitheatre is awash with butterflies but it was all quiet, with only a Grizzlie at the base when I reached it. Perhaps it was still a little early and the butterflies would enter the arena later in the morning once they’d breakfasted and warmed up? I followed the track that ran along the fence line down to the corner and started scanning more intently as this section is generally good for Marshies and Walls. It’s also good for Small Heath and one possibly nipped by but I only got a quick glance at it out of the corner of my eye so I didn’t feel that I could tick it off the Tally at that time – it could have been a Common Heath which also common here despite it not being a Heath WINK. When I reached the Bowl cut into the side of the hill just up from the path I spotted another Dingy and Grizzlie. The path petered out here, the Nettles and Brambles strangling it down into an impenetrable mass of thorns and stings so I stop walking and just look about. A Greenstreak was sitting on a small bush in the fence line and was then viciously attacked by another two. In fact the three Greenstreaks seem to spend mots of their time annoying each other. One would sit on the small bush and then be assailed by one of the others. As the two of them flew off the third would join the fray and they would either head out over the field or up to the top of the Chestnut tree. A few moments later one would return and the whole thing would play out again. While I was enjoying this performance a male Orange-tip flew along the track I’d just walked down and flopped onto a Bramble so obviously I got a few shots of it.
As time was passing I thought it best to make my way back as I still needed to check out the other side of the hill before Philzoid arrived. The walk back was punctuated with little spells of butterfly activity generally with the same species. The possible Small Heath became a definite on the walk back along the bottom track, a possible Wall flashed by (it could have been a Fox Moth?) and waiting for me on the corner were three Small Heaths and a Greenstreak, down so low that I almost had to lie flat out to try for any shots of it. On the way back to the Hollow there were more Small Heath, Grizzlies, Dingies and another Marshie which didn’t play fair and kept flying up the steep side of the Down and tempting me up too. Small Heaths and Dingies were also now flying about in the Hollow as I walked back towards the place I’d started. At the far end where the paths branched a male Wall was holding territory. A second Wall flew in and the pair spiraled upwards locked in what I though was fierce competition. When they returned to the deck one landed back in a very similar place to where it had taken off and the other landed behind me. I focused on the nearest first which was a male and then once I’d gotten a few shots turned back for the other which was actually a female. Unfortunately it didn’t like having its picture taken and was offski fairly promptly.
While backtracking into the Hollow proper whilst looking for the female Wall a Brown Argus popped up. It looked pretty fresh but was struggling with one of its wings which it was hanging at an odd angle. I didn’t mind its shonky appearance though as it was my fourth first for the year of the morning! I had a further quick look around the Hollow but most of the action was at the start near the branch of the path with two each of Greenstreaks and Grizzlies and an errant Orange-tip patrolling through.
After this I headed back down the track and through the wood to the other side of the hill which runs parallel to the main road. As I left the coolness of the wood a Beautiful Demoiselle, a Specklie and a Holly Blue are all waiting for me at the exit so my wandering of the hill was somewhat curtailed as I tried for all of these. Once I was wandering the tiny trackways that criss-cross the hill I was surprised at how much quieter (and more overgrown?) this side was and I only found a Brown Argus. I was just thinking “Philzoid should be here soon?” when my phone rang and so I made my way back to the Hollow to meet him pleased with a successful recce.
Fingertips of sun
Stretch their way across the hill
Rousing a Marshie
As I backed away from the Greenstreaks and Dingies something larger hove into few. I waited and watched as it chose its perch place and then landed – it was what I’d come for, a glorious chequerboard of oranges and yellows amid a sea of green. It was my first (definite) Marshie of the year and so I set to photography, pausing every now and again to divert my gaze from through the viewfinder to what was actually in front of me so I could drink it all in. Once I’d quenched my metaphorical thirst I carried on with another Greenstreak on a different tree further on and a Grizzlie sitting on the path warming itself up.
Usually the Amphitheatre is awash with butterflies but it was all quiet, with only a Grizzlie at the base when I reached it. Perhaps it was still a little early and the butterflies would enter the arena later in the morning once they’d breakfasted and warmed up? I followed the track that ran along the fence line down to the corner and started scanning more intently as this section is generally good for Marshies and Walls. It’s also good for Small Heath and one possibly nipped by but I only got a quick glance at it out of the corner of my eye so I didn’t feel that I could tick it off the Tally at that time – it could have been a Common Heath which also common here despite it not being a Heath WINK. When I reached the Bowl cut into the side of the hill just up from the path I spotted another Dingy and Grizzlie. The path petered out here, the Nettles and Brambles strangling it down into an impenetrable mass of thorns and stings so I stop walking and just look about. A Greenstreak was sitting on a small bush in the fence line and was then viciously attacked by another two. In fact the three Greenstreaks seem to spend mots of their time annoying each other. One would sit on the small bush and then be assailed by one of the others. As the two of them flew off the third would join the fray and they would either head out over the field or up to the top of the Chestnut tree. A few moments later one would return and the whole thing would play out again. While I was enjoying this performance a male Orange-tip flew along the track I’d just walked down and flopped onto a Bramble so obviously I got a few shots of it.
As time was passing I thought it best to make my way back as I still needed to check out the other side of the hill before Philzoid arrived. The walk back was punctuated with little spells of butterfly activity generally with the same species. The possible Small Heath became a definite on the walk back along the bottom track, a possible Wall flashed by (it could have been a Fox Moth?) and waiting for me on the corner were three Small Heaths and a Greenstreak, down so low that I almost had to lie flat out to try for any shots of it. On the way back to the Hollow there were more Small Heath, Grizzlies, Dingies and another Marshie which didn’t play fair and kept flying up the steep side of the Down and tempting me up too. Small Heaths and Dingies were also now flying about in the Hollow as I walked back towards the place I’d started. At the far end where the paths branched a male Wall was holding territory. A second Wall flew in and the pair spiraled upwards locked in what I though was fierce competition. When they returned to the deck one landed back in a very similar place to where it had taken off and the other landed behind me. I focused on the nearest first which was a male and then once I’d gotten a few shots turned back for the other which was actually a female. Unfortunately it didn’t like having its picture taken and was offski fairly promptly.
While backtracking into the Hollow proper whilst looking for the female Wall a Brown Argus popped up. It looked pretty fresh but was struggling with one of its wings which it was hanging at an odd angle. I didn’t mind its shonky appearance though as it was my fourth first for the year of the morning! I had a further quick look around the Hollow but most of the action was at the start near the branch of the path with two each of Greenstreaks and Grizzlies and an errant Orange-tip patrolling through.
After this I headed back down the track and through the wood to the other side of the hill which runs parallel to the main road. As I left the coolness of the wood a Beautiful Demoiselle, a Specklie and a Holly Blue are all waiting for me at the exit so my wandering of the hill was somewhat curtailed as I tried for all of these. Once I was wandering the tiny trackways that criss-cross the hill I was surprised at how much quieter (and more overgrown?) this side was and I only found a Brown Argus. I was just thinking “Philzoid should be here soon?” when my phone rang and so I made my way back to the Hollow to meet him pleased with a successful recce.
Fingertips of sun
Stretch their way across the hill
Rousing a Marshie
Work 16-05-2023
I’d nipped out at lunch time wondering if there were any Specklies about? The weather was reasonable and they’d been out for a while at other sites so I was hoping to catch up with them in their usual little spot in the corner of the field on the other side of the Pits. As I strode towards my objective I didn’t see anything on the way, not even an errant Bee or fly which didn’t bode well. As I broke through the line of trees which separates the Pits from the field proper something silvery took off from the break of Bramble. I stood and waited and eventually it returned and settled back down onto the leaves. It was a male Holly Blue but despite the sun it didn’t open up, just sat there with wings firmly closed.
Leaving it holding its vigil I carried on walking along the path that runs parallel to the hedge but now scanning a little more intently. At the next Holly tree on another Holly Blue fluttered about. I again waited and it settled but unlike its peer it opened up slightly revealing the black markings over the fore wings that contrasted nicely with the sapphire blue of the ground colour. I managed a few shots before the female took to the wing again due to the pestering actions of a third Holly Blue, a second male.
All the waiting about eaten away at my time and so I hastily retraced my steps back to the line of trees and along the round about route through the Pits. As I drew near to the mown grass a Small White flew in from the field and settled. So I arrested my progress and tried for a few shots before heading back in for the afternoon. Things have definitely quietened down over the past few trips and this will likely be the case until the arrival in a few weeks of the various Browns.
Things are slowing down
We await the arrival
Of the summer Browns
After work I offered to pick the girls up from school and as I’d arrived early (it’s funny the frequency with which this happens WINK) I set off to have a quick check along through the Glade and the Banks. There were a few Specklies playing hard to get in the Glades so I pressed on to Specklie Intersection which had been reclaimed by a Comma. It had taken the prime spot in a little bowl in the vegetation. This would have been great if the Nettles hadn’t formed the impenetrable ring that formed the bowl. Still by standing on tips toes ad reaching over I was able to get a vague record shot. I moved on a little and watched as a Green-veined White patrolled along the mid-section of the Banks, trawling along the treeline. A passing cloud made it settle and so picking my way through the nettles along a previously trodden path (dogs do have their uses it seems) I managed to get in quite close. The ‘veins’ seemed particularly well marked on this individual with the little triangle of sooty grey appearing to fuse and run down the line of the vein.
I could feel the warmth of the returning sun on my back and within a few seconds of registering this the butterfly was off once again. I picked my way back along the same track back to the path and started to make my way back to the car. As I neared Specklie Intersection I was buzzed by the Comma and so, not wishing to appear rude, I waited for it to land and tried for a few shots. It decided to play ball, perching in a much more accessible/closer spot.
I thought that that might be it and so started back along the short stretch of riverside path and then through the Glades. As I left the Glades behind I buzzed once again. This time though the butterfly was much bigger and had a piratical appearance. I stood and waited while it took a few more passes and I could make out red on the wings. When it did settle my supposition was confirmed for there, perched was a Red Admiral. I could only grab a few shots as my phone started ringing. I took one final shot and answered the call…”I’m in the Pool car park…I’ll be there in a minute”.
Five Rivers quick stop
There is slightly more to see
Please let this bode well?!
Leaving it holding its vigil I carried on walking along the path that runs parallel to the hedge but now scanning a little more intently. At the next Holly tree on another Holly Blue fluttered about. I again waited and it settled but unlike its peer it opened up slightly revealing the black markings over the fore wings that contrasted nicely with the sapphire blue of the ground colour. I managed a few shots before the female took to the wing again due to the pestering actions of a third Holly Blue, a second male.
All the waiting about eaten away at my time and so I hastily retraced my steps back to the line of trees and along the round about route through the Pits. As I drew near to the mown grass a Small White flew in from the field and settled. So I arrested my progress and tried for a few shots before heading back in for the afternoon. Things have definitely quietened down over the past few trips and this will likely be the case until the arrival in a few weeks of the various Browns.
Things are slowing down
We await the arrival
Of the summer Browns
After work I offered to pick the girls up from school and as I’d arrived early (it’s funny the frequency with which this happens WINK) I set off to have a quick check along through the Glade and the Banks. There were a few Specklies playing hard to get in the Glades so I pressed on to Specklie Intersection which had been reclaimed by a Comma. It had taken the prime spot in a little bowl in the vegetation. This would have been great if the Nettles hadn’t formed the impenetrable ring that formed the bowl. Still by standing on tips toes ad reaching over I was able to get a vague record shot. I moved on a little and watched as a Green-veined White patrolled along the mid-section of the Banks, trawling along the treeline. A passing cloud made it settle and so picking my way through the nettles along a previously trodden path (dogs do have their uses it seems) I managed to get in quite close. The ‘veins’ seemed particularly well marked on this individual with the little triangle of sooty grey appearing to fuse and run down the line of the vein.
I could feel the warmth of the returning sun on my back and within a few seconds of registering this the butterfly was off once again. I picked my way back along the same track back to the path and started to make my way back to the car. As I neared Specklie Intersection I was buzzed by the Comma and so, not wishing to appear rude, I waited for it to land and tried for a few shots. It decided to play ball, perching in a much more accessible/closer spot.
I thought that that might be it and so started back along the short stretch of riverside path and then through the Glades. As I left the Glades behind I buzzed once again. This time though the butterfly was much bigger and had a piratical appearance. I stood and waited while it took a few more passes and I could make out red on the wings. When it did settle my supposition was confirmed for there, perched was a Red Admiral. I could only grab a few shots as my phone started ringing. I took one final shot and answered the call…”I’m in the Pool car park…I’ll be there in a minute”.
Five Rivers quick stop
There is slightly more to see
Please let this bode well?!
Mottisfont 15-05-2023
At this time of year my wife and I often divvy up the days of the weekend; one day for butterflying and the other for family visits, trips etc. I’d opted for the previous day for my butterflying and I’d spent most of my time out in the field looking up and wondering if the forecast sun would ever materialize. Eventually it did but about four hours later than expected and it only remained out and came on strong during the drive home. In contrast today was wall to wall sunshine, a lighter breeze and steadily rising temperatures – as is often the way I’d opted for the poorer day of the two. Still we were heading to Mottisfont so hopefully something should be about…
Once we were through Security we made straight for the Lawn at the back of the house and having sent L ahead of us to grab one we were soon lazing on a bench in the sun. While we relaxed and ate a male Orange-tip bombed past investigating anything white on its patrol. A UFW flew further away but luckily for it on the other side of the Lawn and so presumably out of sight/scent of the male OT else there may have been a ruck on the lawn. A tired looking Comma dropped in and this was enough for my to set off with my camera as my wife and L let their dinner go down. The Comma led me across the Lawn and past the row of Lavender towards the Ha-ha. As I tightrope walked along the exposed brickwork I started down into the ditch and let my gaze travel up the side of the bank of the Ha-ha. A Peacock flashed by but that was it. No matter how many times I stared at the Buttercups or Bugle I couldn’t conjure up a Brown Argus or Common Blue.
Once I rejoined the girls we made our way up to the Walled Garden. Whilst they set up camp I took to strolling the paths. A Small White was busy selecting places to lay, but always on vegetation right in the middle of the flower beds so I couldn’t get many close-up shots. The gardens were brilliantly protected from the very slightest of breezes and the heat that had built up was radiated back inwards. This meant that the butterflies weren’t hanging around in the heat so it was no surprise that I spent most of my time muttering “Bu££er” or “Missed it”. On the first walk round I managed to only get a few distant shots of an OT but missed out on a Large White, Brimstone, Small White and a Holly Blue. The second time round looked to be going the same way with another Large White leading me on a merry dance before nipping over the wall and away before I could make it round the paths and through the gateway into the second section. The Holly Blues also didn’t play nice, I say Blues as the singleton had become a brace but they spent all of their time about 12 ft up clattering into each other. Things did pick up when a Green-veined White drifted in and started feeding. But the OT wasn’t having any of it and attacked it viciously until it ‘got the message’ and disappeared over the wall. Still I’d gotten a few shots so it wasn’t a complete bust.
After the Walled Garden we left the manicured and formalized gardens behind and made our way across the meadow and water meadow to the riverside path. Despite the smorgasbord of nectar sources available I saw only three butterflies across the whole walk; a male OT, Peacock and an aged Small Tort all three of which were seen one after the other at the edge of the water meadow before the river path began. And that was it – a surprising dearth of butterflies considering the weather, time in the season and the huge amount of unspoilt habitat available. Where were they all?
The sun came at last
But where were the butterflies?
Not at Mottisfont!
Once we were through Security we made straight for the Lawn at the back of the house and having sent L ahead of us to grab one we were soon lazing on a bench in the sun. While we relaxed and ate a male Orange-tip bombed past investigating anything white on its patrol. A UFW flew further away but luckily for it on the other side of the Lawn and so presumably out of sight/scent of the male OT else there may have been a ruck on the lawn. A tired looking Comma dropped in and this was enough for my to set off with my camera as my wife and L let their dinner go down. The Comma led me across the Lawn and past the row of Lavender towards the Ha-ha. As I tightrope walked along the exposed brickwork I started down into the ditch and let my gaze travel up the side of the bank of the Ha-ha. A Peacock flashed by but that was it. No matter how many times I stared at the Buttercups or Bugle I couldn’t conjure up a Brown Argus or Common Blue.
Once I rejoined the girls we made our way up to the Walled Garden. Whilst they set up camp I took to strolling the paths. A Small White was busy selecting places to lay, but always on vegetation right in the middle of the flower beds so I couldn’t get many close-up shots. The gardens were brilliantly protected from the very slightest of breezes and the heat that had built up was radiated back inwards. This meant that the butterflies weren’t hanging around in the heat so it was no surprise that I spent most of my time muttering “Bu££er” or “Missed it”. On the first walk round I managed to only get a few distant shots of an OT but missed out on a Large White, Brimstone, Small White and a Holly Blue. The second time round looked to be going the same way with another Large White leading me on a merry dance before nipping over the wall and away before I could make it round the paths and through the gateway into the second section. The Holly Blues also didn’t play nice, I say Blues as the singleton had become a brace but they spent all of their time about 12 ft up clattering into each other. Things did pick up when a Green-veined White drifted in and started feeding. But the OT wasn’t having any of it and attacked it viciously until it ‘got the message’ and disappeared over the wall. Still I’d gotten a few shots so it wasn’t a complete bust.
After the Walled Garden we left the manicured and formalized gardens behind and made our way across the meadow and water meadow to the riverside path. Despite the smorgasbord of nectar sources available I saw only three butterflies across the whole walk; a male OT, Peacock and an aged Small Tort all three of which were seen one after the other at the edge of the water meadow before the river path began. And that was it – a surprising dearth of butterflies considering the weather, time in the season and the huge amount of unspoilt habitat available. Where were they all?
The sun came at last
But where were the butterflies?
Not at Mottisfont!
Martin Down 12-05-2023
After some serious rally driving skills I was soon parked in the main car park at Martin Down. We’d reached the time of year when the Dyke calls to me and so I eschew the Sillen’s Lane end. All was quiet, barring Skylarks, Corn Buntings and Linnets but you get my drift, as I walked down one side of the bowl like field and up the other to the start of Bokerley. Once there I climbed down into the Dyke and started working my way along the bottom and almost immediately I was greeted by a little brown blur that announced a Dingy. A few Brimstones drifted by against the walls of the Dyke and amongst them was a peachy coloured Painted Lady. Of more interest was a smaller, bright orange butterfly which I was only able to confirm as my first Small Copper of the year after it had completed a dizzying and frenetic run down to the ‘bridge’ and back. Once I’d gathered a few shots here I continued on into the next section beyond the ‘bridge’ where there was another Dingy and another Small Copper. The grass was still relatively short here and the selection of wildflowers wasn’t at its peak so I wasn’t that surprised that I didn’t see a Marshie though they can’t be far off.
I climbed out and took to the path which fused with the main drag towards the Butts whilst keeping a beady eye on the vegetation below in the Dyke. On the way I found a courting pair of Brimstones and as usual I waited to see if the male would be successful but once again he was flipped the ‘bird’. I’ve seen plenty of these failed courtships yet have still to witness a successful one. The walk also added a further three Dingies to the tally and when I reached the Butts I strayed from the path parallel to the Dyke and investigated the grasses along the foot of the Butts. All was surprisingly quiet. I’d hoped for possibly a Brown Argus or Small Heath but a Small Heath was the only butterfly of note and so I got back onto the path as quickly as possible.
The sides of the Dyke at times were covered by a dense profusion of shrubby plants giving it the impression of needing a bit of a trim. These heavily foliaged spots were interspersed by sections of closely cropped grass and it was on the margins of these two habitats that I found mots of my Grizzlies and by the time I’d reached the halfway spot my total had reached 5. There had also been a Dingy Skipper and a wandering female Red Admiral which had been seeking possible sites to lay, flitting from one leaf to another. When I finally got to the half way point I strolled along the path and there on the end of the ‘hedge’ on the Brambles was a Greenstreak.
Once I’d gotten a few shots, or at least tried to, I strolled back up the track but rather than hanging around or carrying on along the Dyke for the rest of the way I followed the line of the hedge back to the fence line demarking the reserve and the neighbouring farm. What had led me here was a chocolate and lime butterfly – a Greenstreak fluttering low to the ground. When I looked up after I’d finished photographing it I spotted another couple hanging out in the trees among the Lon-horn Moths. As I watched and tried for some shots I’d generally get one in focus and the other would arrive and they would spiral upwards locked in battle. Once they’d settle down I’d move in and either the same thing would happen or they’d flop over onto one side to catch the most of the suns rays possible. Also here were four Brimstones; 2 courting couples so I once again set to waiting to see if they would be successful. There was a fair amount of clambering about and over the female as well as some very short flights to another section of cover but both of the outcomes were the same; no joy for the males! At one point a male OT on patrol tried to get in the mix and he got an even more vociferous denial.
When the Brimstones had gone their separate ways I set off back towards the main track in a bit of a rush as I needed to get a wriggle on to be back home by curfew. On the way another Grizzlie showed up as did a Peacock but I was in a right rush so most of what I saw was a bit of a blur. As I drove home I felt pleased with the additions to the year list – Dukes, Dingies and Small Coppers but I was left wondering where all the Blues had gotten too?
Onto Martin Down
Or is that Skipper Heaven
Small blurs everywhere!
I climbed out and took to the path which fused with the main drag towards the Butts whilst keeping a beady eye on the vegetation below in the Dyke. On the way I found a courting pair of Brimstones and as usual I waited to see if the male would be successful but once again he was flipped the ‘bird’. I’ve seen plenty of these failed courtships yet have still to witness a successful one. The walk also added a further three Dingies to the tally and when I reached the Butts I strayed from the path parallel to the Dyke and investigated the grasses along the foot of the Butts. All was surprisingly quiet. I’d hoped for possibly a Brown Argus or Small Heath but a Small Heath was the only butterfly of note and so I got back onto the path as quickly as possible.
The sides of the Dyke at times were covered by a dense profusion of shrubby plants giving it the impression of needing a bit of a trim. These heavily foliaged spots were interspersed by sections of closely cropped grass and it was on the margins of these two habitats that I found mots of my Grizzlies and by the time I’d reached the halfway spot my total had reached 5. There had also been a Dingy Skipper and a wandering female Red Admiral which had been seeking possible sites to lay, flitting from one leaf to another. When I finally got to the half way point I strolled along the path and there on the end of the ‘hedge’ on the Brambles was a Greenstreak.
Once I’d gotten a few shots, or at least tried to, I strolled back up the track but rather than hanging around or carrying on along the Dyke for the rest of the way I followed the line of the hedge back to the fence line demarking the reserve and the neighbouring farm. What had led me here was a chocolate and lime butterfly – a Greenstreak fluttering low to the ground. When I looked up after I’d finished photographing it I spotted another couple hanging out in the trees among the Lon-horn Moths. As I watched and tried for some shots I’d generally get one in focus and the other would arrive and they would spiral upwards locked in battle. Once they’d settle down I’d move in and either the same thing would happen or they’d flop over onto one side to catch the most of the suns rays possible. Also here were four Brimstones; 2 courting couples so I once again set to waiting to see if they would be successful. There was a fair amount of clambering about and over the female as well as some very short flights to another section of cover but both of the outcomes were the same; no joy for the males! At one point a male OT on patrol tried to get in the mix and he got an even more vociferous denial.
When the Brimstones had gone their separate ways I set off back towards the main track in a bit of a rush as I needed to get a wriggle on to be back home by curfew. On the way another Grizzlie showed up as did a Peacock but I was in a right rush so most of what I saw was a bit of a blur. As I drove home I felt pleased with the additions to the year list – Dukes, Dingies and Small Coppers but I was left wondering where all the Blues had gotten too?
Onto Martin Down
Or is that Skipper Heaven
Small blurs everywhere!
Fovant 12-05-2023
So on Friday I checked the weather app (well to be honest I checked it several times for several days) and it assured me that from 8-12 would be full sun with sunny intervals following on from this. Oh and the temperature would get up to a balmy 17 by 11am…As I stood outside the medical centre awaiting for a drop in appointment the morning after there wasn’t the slightest glimpse of the sun and even in a fleece it was cold, so cold I wish I’d worn gloves. From here the walk through town to the bakery was also sunless and cold and the faintest of blue streaks in the sky were actually figments of my over optimistic mind. As I got a few household jobs done still the sun remained hidden despite the weather app now assuring me that outside my window it was full blaring sunshine. In the end I just went, figuring that if you don’t go out you definitely won’t see anything and on the way things did seem to brighten up a little.
Once I’d pulled into the lay-by I paused for a moment to work out the plan of attack. Staring across the road I could see that the track that I’d usually take directly to the hollow and the bank path beyond it was completely overgrown with Docks and Nettles up to just below waist height. Because of this I decided to try my luck in the old Quarry first as this was where the reports that I’d read earlier in the week had come from. Within less than a minute I was over the fence and walking around the edge of the bowl at the bottom of the hill. There had obviously been something here to photograph as there were a few trodden tracks criss-crossing the hollow as well as a few circular flattened spots possibly where someone had knelt down to get some shots. As I worked round I didn’t encounter any small browny-orange butterflies but I did spot an odd looking Cowslip. As I craned my neck forward I could see that it was because there was a Large White sitting out the cool and awaiting the sun.
After a couple of turns around the edge of the hollow I decided to try my luck on the other side of the road and so girding my loins and wishing that my jeans were thicker I strode along the track getting stung to bu££ery through my old denim. Sill I hoped it would be worth it but despite a few deer in the hollow and a Red Admiral about half way up the hill track it was crazy quiet, the blanket of cloud dulling all sounds even further and exacerbating the feeling of faunal absence. So I made my way back to the road and the Old Quarry on the other side adding even more stings to the stings for my troubles. Once there I again took to walking round edge of the bowl – the Large White was still there and then there was a flash of brown (if that’s indeed possible?). Gingerly I raised myself onto my toes and lent forward as far as I dared without spooking it. Brilliant! There was my first Duke of the year. I spent a fair bit of time with it trying for all kinds of shots or any shots that it would allow mainly because it was the only thing about but also just in case the sun failed to show itself properly and this was the only one I’d find.
With plenty to look through, coffee drunk and Extra hot Lime-chilli pickle consumed I gave the Duke a bit of peace and took a quick walk up the diagonal path that eventually leads to a vista of the regimental ‘Badges’. There was nowt about but this did let me complete a ‘sun’ check and there in the distance was an indisputable block of blue, I could see the wall of light working its way across the fields, the Oilseed Rape alighting as it reached the petals advancing in a line. I decided to be ready to make the most of it and so when it reached me I was in the Quarry eyes peeled ready. It took a few moments once the sun finally clawed its way into the Quarry before the butterflies appeared. All of a sudden there was a chequered Duke sitting on the grass in one of the flattened spots, then another and another. I’d gone from 1 to 3 in very short time. There was also something else which due to its tiny stature I thought at first was a ‘moff’. When I’d worked my way round I could see that it was the smallest Dingy that I’d ever encountered. I then spent my time wandering round the edge of the hollow and peering into the depths of the foliage. I needn’t have tried this as the Dukes all seemed to prefer the little circles of flattened grass left behind either by sleeping deer or previous visitors. As I scanned across the lek the 3 became four Dukes then 5 and to add a little variety the Painted Lady dropped in.
Time with the Dukes was obviously well spent but I was left wondering where everything else was, after all I’d spent a few hours here and only seen 5 species. Hoping to rectify this I climbed out of the hollow of the quarry and took the diagonal path up the side of the Down again. This time the sun was out and by walking down in the ditch along the side of the banked path the breeze was blocked out. Despite the Kidney Vetch bedecking this sheltered side of the bank I didn’t find any Small Blues but did encounter 2 more Dingies – normal sized these ones and another Duke.
The sun was staying out for longer and longer now and so I wondered if this might have brought out some other species over at Martin Down. So I decided that I’d head over there but first I took a final look around the old Quarry. As I made my way across the little track across the centre I saw something flick in the long grass. It was all coiled up and at first I thought that it was a snake. However when I looked a little closer I saw that it was actually a lizard with its tail wrapped around and so mimicking a snake – whether this was a conscious behavior to avoid predation or merely coincidence I wasn’t sure but it was still interesting to observe. As for the butterflies – the Painted Lady was still grounded and I could look across from a slightly higher vantage point and pick out all five Dukes. Brilliant!
As I was packing up my gear another enthusiast pulled into the lay-by so I told him where to go to find the Dukes. “I think I told you that a couple of years ago?”…he had indeed. That’s the odd thing about Instagram and the internet in general. You can get to know someone, share lots of site and sightings info, admire their butterfly shots but not have an inkling about who they are! It was great to meet in the flesh as it were and soon we were chatting away merrily. If I hadn’t have had some time constraints I’d love to have stayed and gone Duke hunting again but I needed to press on so I left him with the Dukes and set my mode to ‘Rally Driver’…Martin Down ho!
The app lied again
But finally the sun comes
And then there were Dukes
Once I’d pulled into the lay-by I paused for a moment to work out the plan of attack. Staring across the road I could see that the track that I’d usually take directly to the hollow and the bank path beyond it was completely overgrown with Docks and Nettles up to just below waist height. Because of this I decided to try my luck in the old Quarry first as this was where the reports that I’d read earlier in the week had come from. Within less than a minute I was over the fence and walking around the edge of the bowl at the bottom of the hill. There had obviously been something here to photograph as there were a few trodden tracks criss-crossing the hollow as well as a few circular flattened spots possibly where someone had knelt down to get some shots. As I worked round I didn’t encounter any small browny-orange butterflies but I did spot an odd looking Cowslip. As I craned my neck forward I could see that it was because there was a Large White sitting out the cool and awaiting the sun.
After a couple of turns around the edge of the hollow I decided to try my luck on the other side of the road and so girding my loins and wishing that my jeans were thicker I strode along the track getting stung to bu££ery through my old denim. Sill I hoped it would be worth it but despite a few deer in the hollow and a Red Admiral about half way up the hill track it was crazy quiet, the blanket of cloud dulling all sounds even further and exacerbating the feeling of faunal absence. So I made my way back to the road and the Old Quarry on the other side adding even more stings to the stings for my troubles. Once there I again took to walking round edge of the bowl – the Large White was still there and then there was a flash of brown (if that’s indeed possible?). Gingerly I raised myself onto my toes and lent forward as far as I dared without spooking it. Brilliant! There was my first Duke of the year. I spent a fair bit of time with it trying for all kinds of shots or any shots that it would allow mainly because it was the only thing about but also just in case the sun failed to show itself properly and this was the only one I’d find.
With plenty to look through, coffee drunk and Extra hot Lime-chilli pickle consumed I gave the Duke a bit of peace and took a quick walk up the diagonal path that eventually leads to a vista of the regimental ‘Badges’. There was nowt about but this did let me complete a ‘sun’ check and there in the distance was an indisputable block of blue, I could see the wall of light working its way across the fields, the Oilseed Rape alighting as it reached the petals advancing in a line. I decided to be ready to make the most of it and so when it reached me I was in the Quarry eyes peeled ready. It took a few moments once the sun finally clawed its way into the Quarry before the butterflies appeared. All of a sudden there was a chequered Duke sitting on the grass in one of the flattened spots, then another and another. I’d gone from 1 to 3 in very short time. There was also something else which due to its tiny stature I thought at first was a ‘moff’. When I’d worked my way round I could see that it was the smallest Dingy that I’d ever encountered. I then spent my time wandering round the edge of the hollow and peering into the depths of the foliage. I needn’t have tried this as the Dukes all seemed to prefer the little circles of flattened grass left behind either by sleeping deer or previous visitors. As I scanned across the lek the 3 became four Dukes then 5 and to add a little variety the Painted Lady dropped in.
Time with the Dukes was obviously well spent but I was left wondering where everything else was, after all I’d spent a few hours here and only seen 5 species. Hoping to rectify this I climbed out of the hollow of the quarry and took the diagonal path up the side of the Down again. This time the sun was out and by walking down in the ditch along the side of the banked path the breeze was blocked out. Despite the Kidney Vetch bedecking this sheltered side of the bank I didn’t find any Small Blues but did encounter 2 more Dingies – normal sized these ones and another Duke.
The sun was staying out for longer and longer now and so I wondered if this might have brought out some other species over at Martin Down. So I decided that I’d head over there but first I took a final look around the old Quarry. As I made my way across the little track across the centre I saw something flick in the long grass. It was all coiled up and at first I thought that it was a snake. However when I looked a little closer I saw that it was actually a lizard with its tail wrapped around and so mimicking a snake – whether this was a conscious behavior to avoid predation or merely coincidence I wasn’t sure but it was still interesting to observe. As for the butterflies – the Painted Lady was still grounded and I could look across from a slightly higher vantage point and pick out all five Dukes. Brilliant!
As I was packing up my gear another enthusiast pulled into the lay-by so I told him where to go to find the Dukes. “I think I told you that a couple of years ago?”…he had indeed. That’s the odd thing about Instagram and the internet in general. You can get to know someone, share lots of site and sightings info, admire their butterfly shots but not have an inkling about who they are! It was great to meet in the flesh as it were and soon we were chatting away merrily. If I hadn’t have had some time constraints I’d love to have stayed and gone Duke hunting again but I needed to press on so I left him with the Dukes and set my mode to ‘Rally Driver’…Martin Down ho!
The app lied again
But finally the sun comes
And then there were Dukes
Bentley Wood 07-05-2023
Upon checking the weather app I saw that Salisbury experiencing sunny intervals. I looked out of the window and this was patently untrue, a solid block of light grey cloud stood firmly overhead. It was still there half an hour later and the weather app was still informing me of ‘sunny intervals’. This continued throughout all of the time that I was preparing for the day and on into the morning once I was on site; the weather app joyously and optimistically announcing blue skies with just a hint of cloud and the reality seriously failing to meet these expectations. However Philzoid and I wandered the pathways and tracks of the Eastern Clearing regardless and looking out for anything to direct our lens towards. We’d covered the back path, the newly cleared area near Cowley’s Copse and the main body of the Clearing itself. During that time we’d seen and heard Tree Pipits and Garden Warbler as well as newly arrived Willow Warblers with their lilting descending scale. There had been a few insects about including some aggressive Tiger Beetles, the odd Broad-bodied Chaser, plenty of Speckled Yellows and a first for me in the form of a Minotaur Beetle.
Finally after much traipsing and lots of discussion (the world had been put to rights several times over in fact) the sun finally started to eat its way through and there were an increasing number of sunny spells – oddly enough when the app was forecasting it to become more cloudy! This was what we’d been looking forward to as the sun drove off the dew and the temperatures rose and hopefully with it the butterflies would arise too. So it came to pass. We were half way along the back track at the far edge of the clearing when I spotted a Pearl sitting atop a Blue Bell. It didn’t hang around for long and was soon flying through the valleys of dead Bracken and then over the other side of the wire fence (I still don’t see the point of this?). We both managed to get over without losing a limb or damaging our clothing and after a quick sweep there it was again. As we were moving in for some more shots a second appeared and so Philzoid and I divided them up. We spent the next 10 minutes or so keeping a close eye on our Pearls occasionally swapping them and at one point a Brimstone made a pass as did a female OT on the other side of the fence. In the final moments of Pearl photography a male OT dropped in and distracted us. It flew away just as we were lining up the shot so we reverted our attentions back to the Pearls.
Satisfied that we’d gotten what we’d come for we decided to have a final walk around before ending up at the car park and trying a new spot in the wood. So we set off, first crossing the large cleared field and then making back to the Clearing proper hoping that the sun would have brought out the butterflies here too. On the way our suppositions were supported by a few Brimstones that had suddenly ‘bloomed’ from the foliage. In the end little section we caught up with a Large White (albeit a distant one) and a lovely looking Red Admiral before adding a few more Brimstones on the return leg and watching a herd of deer cross the track. Once in the car park we ate lunch serenaded by a Cuckoo and, what I now know to be, a Firecrest. It had turned into one of those memorable spring days and as we ate we recollected that this is often the way here at this time of year; a slow start but we get there in the end.
As the first Pearls from Bentley had come from a different part of the wood a few days prior to our visit I reasoned that there might be a few more there now so we packed up and did some rally driving over to the Farley side of the Wood with a brief pause at the rail crossing. Soon we were driving up a wider ride and pulling into a bijou car park. The main track we walked down was very reminiscent of the one from the Switchback to Donkey Copse with ribbon of verge on either side. A few Oil Beetles were crossing the path and then I spotted first a Green-veined and then something a little different. It was a peachy colour and as it flashed past I realised that it was a Painted Lady. After a few record shots it was away leaving feeling quite chuffed – for that was the third ‘Year Tick’ of the day and not one that I’d expected this early in the season and definitely not expected in the middle of a mature woodland.
After a very short walk, only about 5 minutes or so, the trees on the right stopped abruptly and ahead the track curved to the right at ninety degrees. Between the end of the trees and the track was a triangular area of dead Bracken and tussocks of grass with lots of Bugle and the odd Blue Bell poking up between the brown and green. Things suddenly went a little manic as there seemed to be Pearls everywhere. I’d watch where one would land only for a second to fly in and spook it before a third passed by in the opposite direction and then a fourth distracted me. Sometimes they’d sit on the side of the drainage ditch along the track but they were increasingly sitting atop the flowers and nectaring which allowed for a few more closed wings shots. In the end I managed to count a minimum of 6. There were probably more because often when they would fly they would head off into the woods on the other side of the track.
Intermingled with the Pearls a few other butterflies showed up including a Green-veined White and a Comma but the main attractions were obviously the Pearls. We thought that we’d have a look a little further along the path to see if there were any other similar cleared spots. Round the next bend we saw a slightly wider verge which had a female Large White fluttering about. She perched for a short time and we were able to get a few shots before a passing Brimstone shooed her away. As he did so something else flew up from deeper in the vegetation onto the trunk of one of the trees at the edge of the wood. It was a female Red Admiral looking resplendent in the golden afternoon light. Slightly further on a Pearl flew away into the distance which prompted me to head back and make the most of the Pearls at the woodland edge; they were what we’d come for after all.
Back at the Pearly Patch they were still going pedal to the metal, zipping about and upsetting the very Pearl that you were trying to photograph. Again we were visited by a larger, peachy coloured butterfly; a second Painted Lady, this one looked in much better nick than the first, much brighter. My time was almost up and so we made our way back to the car park. What a cracking little find, what a cracking day! Brilliant; “If only…” I thought “the weather would hold for another day?” But one visit/day is all we seem to be allowed at the moment!
Off to Bentley Wood
At last the sun eats the clouds
Then out come the Pearls
Finally after much traipsing and lots of discussion (the world had been put to rights several times over in fact) the sun finally started to eat its way through and there were an increasing number of sunny spells – oddly enough when the app was forecasting it to become more cloudy! This was what we’d been looking forward to as the sun drove off the dew and the temperatures rose and hopefully with it the butterflies would arise too. So it came to pass. We were half way along the back track at the far edge of the clearing when I spotted a Pearl sitting atop a Blue Bell. It didn’t hang around for long and was soon flying through the valleys of dead Bracken and then over the other side of the wire fence (I still don’t see the point of this?). We both managed to get over without losing a limb or damaging our clothing and after a quick sweep there it was again. As we were moving in for some more shots a second appeared and so Philzoid and I divided them up. We spent the next 10 minutes or so keeping a close eye on our Pearls occasionally swapping them and at one point a Brimstone made a pass as did a female OT on the other side of the fence. In the final moments of Pearl photography a male OT dropped in and distracted us. It flew away just as we were lining up the shot so we reverted our attentions back to the Pearls.
Satisfied that we’d gotten what we’d come for we decided to have a final walk around before ending up at the car park and trying a new spot in the wood. So we set off, first crossing the large cleared field and then making back to the Clearing proper hoping that the sun would have brought out the butterflies here too. On the way our suppositions were supported by a few Brimstones that had suddenly ‘bloomed’ from the foliage. In the end little section we caught up with a Large White (albeit a distant one) and a lovely looking Red Admiral before adding a few more Brimstones on the return leg and watching a herd of deer cross the track. Once in the car park we ate lunch serenaded by a Cuckoo and, what I now know to be, a Firecrest. It had turned into one of those memorable spring days and as we ate we recollected that this is often the way here at this time of year; a slow start but we get there in the end.
As the first Pearls from Bentley had come from a different part of the wood a few days prior to our visit I reasoned that there might be a few more there now so we packed up and did some rally driving over to the Farley side of the Wood with a brief pause at the rail crossing. Soon we were driving up a wider ride and pulling into a bijou car park. The main track we walked down was very reminiscent of the one from the Switchback to Donkey Copse with ribbon of verge on either side. A few Oil Beetles were crossing the path and then I spotted first a Green-veined and then something a little different. It was a peachy colour and as it flashed past I realised that it was a Painted Lady. After a few record shots it was away leaving feeling quite chuffed – for that was the third ‘Year Tick’ of the day and not one that I’d expected this early in the season and definitely not expected in the middle of a mature woodland.
After a very short walk, only about 5 minutes or so, the trees on the right stopped abruptly and ahead the track curved to the right at ninety degrees. Between the end of the trees and the track was a triangular area of dead Bracken and tussocks of grass with lots of Bugle and the odd Blue Bell poking up between the brown and green. Things suddenly went a little manic as there seemed to be Pearls everywhere. I’d watch where one would land only for a second to fly in and spook it before a third passed by in the opposite direction and then a fourth distracted me. Sometimes they’d sit on the side of the drainage ditch along the track but they were increasingly sitting atop the flowers and nectaring which allowed for a few more closed wings shots. In the end I managed to count a minimum of 6. There were probably more because often when they would fly they would head off into the woods on the other side of the track.
Intermingled with the Pearls a few other butterflies showed up including a Green-veined White and a Comma but the main attractions were obviously the Pearls. We thought that we’d have a look a little further along the path to see if there were any other similar cleared spots. Round the next bend we saw a slightly wider verge which had a female Large White fluttering about. She perched for a short time and we were able to get a few shots before a passing Brimstone shooed her away. As he did so something else flew up from deeper in the vegetation onto the trunk of one of the trees at the edge of the wood. It was a female Red Admiral looking resplendent in the golden afternoon light. Slightly further on a Pearl flew away into the distance which prompted me to head back and make the most of the Pearls at the woodland edge; they were what we’d come for after all.
Back at the Pearly Patch they were still going pedal to the metal, zipping about and upsetting the very Pearl that you were trying to photograph. Again we were visited by a larger, peachy coloured butterfly; a second Painted Lady, this one looked in much better nick than the first, much brighter. My time was almost up and so we made our way back to the car park. What a cracking little find, what a cracking day! Brilliant; “If only…” I thought “the weather would hold for another day?” But one visit/day is all we seem to be allowed at the moment!
Off to Bentley Wood
At last the sun eats the clouds
Then out come the Pearls
Work 03-05-2023
Another lunchtime and another trip out…at least this is what I’d be writing in a normal year. So far 2023 has not been like previous years and trips out have been few and far between and often with a poor return for the input of effort. However today had a feeling of ‘just like old times’ to it and so I took the opportunity for some lunchtime exercise. I was rewarded for my efforts mightily quickly as a Small Tort flew up and over the large Bramble at the Pits. From here I wandered past the corner, still with no Specklie on guard, and on down the boundary hedge. As I wandered I watched a Brimstone as it flew diagonally out across the pitch and then the Meadow before it became a pin speck and eventually disappeared from view.
Further on another couple of Brimstones were fluttering in the unmown Meadow and one put up a smaller white. There was something about the silhouette that suggested ‘Green-veined’, possibly a squarer cut or angular outline, so I made off amongst the tussocks and hillocks after it. It played really hard to get, only pausing at each Dandelion long enough for me to catch-up with it and get glimpses of shading and streaks (which confirmed my suspicions) before flying once again the minutes I was in a decent position. Eventually I ‘legged it’ towards it and fired off a few rapid record shots before it finally finished feeding and was off again. I watched it go down a couple more times before it too flew off into the distance and disappeared from view over into the neighbouring gardens.
By this stage I’d almost reached the far corner of the field but before I set off down the back path along my usual transect route I had a brief look into the strip of nettles and cooch grasses. Almost shining out from the deep greens as a second Small Tort which I took plenty of photos off despite an errant blade of grass that did its best to obscure one of the forewings. There’s always one isn’t there? Hopefully come Father’s Day they won’t be a problem anymore as I’ll have my pair of long-nosed secateurs and I’ll be able to do a little light Topiary! I then followed the usual route and back with only a single Brimstone for my troubles.
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After work I found that I’d arrived a little over 10 minutes too early to pick L up from school. Usually I’d sit out the rain or drear and continue listening to Radio 4 but this afternoon the sun was shining and the car park is the same that I use when visiting Five Rivers so I grabbed my camera and set off down the riverside path towards the Glades. Once I got there I immediately saw a Peacock but it insisted on feeding on the blossom far too high for the reach of my lens. As I was bemoaning this fact a really fresh looking Red Admiral revealed itself. I had a moment to admire the black appearance of the ground colour (as opposed to a dark brown of more ancient Admirals) as it contrasted with the vivid red and white flashes and spots. It too did one before I could get a shot off. In fact this was pretty much how my time passed…
When I reached Specklie Intersection I stood on the path and looked along the bank to the Banks. I watched first a Small White go about it’s business and then a brace of Holly Blues drifted down from separate trees before meeting and then spiraling upwards locked in fierce fighting. Observed but not photographed. A Speckled Wood flew across the path to another vantage point closer to the river, a Brimstone fluttered by seemingly aimlessly whilst an Orange-tip patrolled past purposefully. Again observed but not photographed. Finally the duck was broken when a Green-veined White arrived. It flew along the tops of the whites flowers seemingly investigating each and every one before passing me by. It then did a U-turn and plopped down mid-way up the bank allowing me to finally get a photo memento of the trip.
Time had eked away from me and so I started back. I’d just left the Glades and was crossing the grass ‘lawn’ when I spotted another White ahead of me. This one too settled long enough for an approach, identification (Green-veined) and also a few shots a fair bit closer than the previous ones. Chuffed I completed the walk back just in time to greet L and load the car up.
Green-veined like buses?
Nil for an absolute age
Then three in a day
Further on another couple of Brimstones were fluttering in the unmown Meadow and one put up a smaller white. There was something about the silhouette that suggested ‘Green-veined’, possibly a squarer cut or angular outline, so I made off amongst the tussocks and hillocks after it. It played really hard to get, only pausing at each Dandelion long enough for me to catch-up with it and get glimpses of shading and streaks (which confirmed my suspicions) before flying once again the minutes I was in a decent position. Eventually I ‘legged it’ towards it and fired off a few rapid record shots before it finally finished feeding and was off again. I watched it go down a couple more times before it too flew off into the distance and disappeared from view over into the neighbouring gardens.
By this stage I’d almost reached the far corner of the field but before I set off down the back path along my usual transect route I had a brief look into the strip of nettles and cooch grasses. Almost shining out from the deep greens as a second Small Tort which I took plenty of photos off despite an errant blade of grass that did its best to obscure one of the forewings. There’s always one isn’t there? Hopefully come Father’s Day they won’t be a problem anymore as I’ll have my pair of long-nosed secateurs and I’ll be able to do a little light Topiary! I then followed the usual route and back with only a single Brimstone for my troubles.
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After work I found that I’d arrived a little over 10 minutes too early to pick L up from school. Usually I’d sit out the rain or drear and continue listening to Radio 4 but this afternoon the sun was shining and the car park is the same that I use when visiting Five Rivers so I grabbed my camera and set off down the riverside path towards the Glades. Once I got there I immediately saw a Peacock but it insisted on feeding on the blossom far too high for the reach of my lens. As I was bemoaning this fact a really fresh looking Red Admiral revealed itself. I had a moment to admire the black appearance of the ground colour (as opposed to a dark brown of more ancient Admirals) as it contrasted with the vivid red and white flashes and spots. It too did one before I could get a shot off. In fact this was pretty much how my time passed…
When I reached Specklie Intersection I stood on the path and looked along the bank to the Banks. I watched first a Small White go about it’s business and then a brace of Holly Blues drifted down from separate trees before meeting and then spiraling upwards locked in fierce fighting. Observed but not photographed. A Speckled Wood flew across the path to another vantage point closer to the river, a Brimstone fluttered by seemingly aimlessly whilst an Orange-tip patrolled past purposefully. Again observed but not photographed. Finally the duck was broken when a Green-veined White arrived. It flew along the tops of the whites flowers seemingly investigating each and every one before passing me by. It then did a U-turn and plopped down mid-way up the bank allowing me to finally get a photo memento of the trip.
Time had eked away from me and so I started back. I’d just left the Glades and was crossing the grass ‘lawn’ when I spotted another White ahead of me. This one too settled long enough for an approach, identification (Green-veined) and also a few shots a fair bit closer than the previous ones. Chuffed I completed the walk back just in time to greet L and load the car up.
Green-veined like buses?
Nil for an absolute age
Then three in a day
Garston Wood 01-05-2023
It was one of those days when the weather report looked less than ideal but we decided to risk it and go anyway. Luckily it was also one of those rare days when the forecasters of various ilk that are normally so accurate at predicting dire weather actually got it wrong and the threatened showers never arrived, the cloud dissipated more than expected and the sun when it shone felt stronger and so warmer than they reckoned. The Bluebells had been pushing their heads above the parapets for a while and so I reasoned that this would be the week to go to witness the carpet of blue at Garston Wood. As we walked the narrow paths Celandines, Anemones, Ransoms and the occasional Primrose broke up the blue and green and the calls of the birds rang and reverberated richly. My hunch had proved roughly correct for round at the old log where we usually picnic the Blue Bells produced a sea of deep blue-violet.
Once we’d enjoyed the scent and sight of this spectacular display we carried on with our walk. As we strode down the path an Orange-tip appeared and flew ahead of us down the ride. At one point he veered off into the vegetation on the side and then two butterflies went up; the Orange-tip behind harrying the purer white, square cut butterfly. I moved ahead of the group and watched intently as it went down and then within a couple of strides I had my first Green-veined White of the year, at last. It flew ahead and then posed for some more photos a few times before the Orange-tip arrived back on the scene and chased it off.
We carried on down and then round the path that follows the edge of the reserve and back up again into the Butterfly Enclosure (sadly now dismantled as the hoped for Pearls never materialised here) and on and out of the reserve. On the way there was, what I at first thought was a Large White but turned out to be a female Brimstone that had bleached out in the sun as well as sightings of various whites including a male OT. At the top of the reserve we cut out across the farmers field and then turned left taking the track down towards the farm itself. During a brief pitstop to distribute toffees a watched a Holly Blue fluttering about on the other side of the field and a couple of whites flew amongst the piglets and Guinea Fowl on the corner of the farm itself. The path then led down towards Deanland and the high hedge on the way with its young trees must have been enough to pass as a ‘Wood’ or at least a spinney as a Speckled Wood stopped in front of me and allowed itself to be photographed.
Normally we’d carry on through Deanland, into the woods there and out and around the surrounding hills in a massive loop but today as we hadn’t carried our lunch with us so instead we took the shorter way back across the fields eventually meeting up with the initial track from when we could dive back down into Garston. A Brimstone sent us on our way at the start of the path and when we’d almost rejoined the original trackway that we’d walked earlier a Green-veined White and Small Tort both put in an appearance. We then made it back to the car park and grabbing the lunch we headed back to the old log to enjoy our lunch surrounded by blue. While we ate I kept my eyes open but all there was to see butterfly wise was a single Holly Blue and that was on the walk back.
When we arrived home the sun was still out and it had warmed up considerably. So in order to make the most of the clement weather I made my way over to Five Rivers. As I strode along the riverside path I chanced a glance upwards thinking that it would be all blue sky and sun. What I hadn’t reckoned on was that the sun was in danger of being swallowed up by a large body of cloud which had sprung up unawares. As the cloud bore down on me the effects started to be noticeable for as the light intensity dropped the number of visible butterflies started to dwindle. As I walked throught eh Glades and across to Comma Corner the best I could come up with was a Specklie and two distant Small Whites. I spent the next 40 minutes wandering forward and back along the Banks and for all my efforts the best I could come up with was a brace of Small Whites on the side of the hill at the far end of the Banks. I spotted a Small White fluttering weakly from one Blue Bell to another and just as I’d worked my way into position it spooked a second and they both hared off in opposite directions down the side of the hill to disappear into the damp copse below.
I strolled back to Comma Corner with a view to making a retreat but as I looked back along the Banks the way that I’d come there was a slither of hope. In the distance there was some blue sky visible through a selection of tears in the blanket of cloud. So I waited for the sun to come to me and when it eventually started to near the butterflies became active again in the form of two Small Whites – one on the large Bramble patch and the other further round and slightly behind the copse. I ambled up one side of the Bank and down the other and round to Specklie Intersection ready for when the sun came out proper. When it finally did and we were bathed in its warmth it was as if a switch had been thrown and there were butterflies where previously there had been none. The little area around the Intersection was particularly productive with a Specklie holding its territory and a Comma doing its best to reclaim what it viewed as its birthright. A brace of Small Whites patrolled forward and backward along the bank occasionally breaking off from their duties to have a bit of a scrap with one another or one of the two male Orange-tips that were also ceaselessly patrolling.
After I’d taken in all the action I set about trying for some shots. One of the OT’s dropped down momentarily confused it seemed so I got a few grab shots whilst he sat there bemused. The Comma and Specklie were slightly harder work as they were quite flighty and as for the other OT and the whites they were long gone while I’d been getting into photography mode. Or so I thought for as I looked along the Banks I spied the OT flying towards me, racing a band of shadow. We’d reached the other side of the hole in the cloud and this particular sunny interval was coming to an end. As the cloud overtook the OT it kept n flying as best it could but eventually it succumbed to the cooler temperatures and it dropped down onto the unfurled fronds of a Bracken. Finally I found the cloud over useful and I clicked away.
As the next break in the cloud arrived I found that I didn’t need to look up to become aware of its arrival. The butterflies seemed to sense its’ coming and became more active before the sun actually arrived on the scene. The OT started to show more orange and I thought that I’d get to see it opening up but no, instead it sprang away almost as soon as the first sunbeam fell from the sky. Still slightly smarting from its rude departure I pressed on back to the Glades where I found a Specklie and a male Holly Blue. But they were playing hard to get so I turned my attentions back to the OTs. And ended up following one all the way to Specklie Intersection and back but it didn’t stop once. Back in the Glades I gave up on it and the found that in the interim both the Specklie and Holly Blue had duplicated themselves. The Specklies were having far too much fun tearing chunks out of each other to deign coming down to my level but the Holly Blue was much more respectful. Pleased I looked up and watched a male Orange-tip making steady progress in my direction. It eventually passed me by and then this little sunny interval ceased and with it the OTs patrolling. I looked up and saw that the cloud was now looking like a mass of ribbons so the sunny and cloudy intervals would be much shorter in duration. With this in mind I fired off plenty of shots and then waited for the creaking door moment as the OT started to incrementally open up. This time the OT followed the rule book and I left the Glades with the glare of orange still stimulating my retinal cones.
On the return to the car I spotted a Specklie and then a female Brimstone hanging about near the entrance to the Glades and there was another Brimstone just beyond the Red Admiral cruising spot, where the tree was uprooted. I was just considering whether I’d enough time left to try for a few shots when an OT flew in and scared the Brimstone away. I wondered if he’d settle and as I did so the tiniest wisp of cloud passed over the sun. It was enough to slow and eventually halt the OT. With all the appropriate perchs accessible I was a little surprised and extremely delighted when he chose to alight on a Dandelion clock. I think I made my most cautious approach to date and used the click-step to make sure that I didn’t spook him and also that I actually had some shots but I needn’t of worried as even the wispiest bit of cloud was effectively grounding the butterfly. I clicked away and moved in and round so as to get to a better angle and then as the sun shrugged off the flimsy cloud he started to open up in increments until he was there, wings akimbo. What a way to finish the outing, a proper grand finale! I then somehow found my way back to the car with my eyes mostly closed so as not to ruin the narrative with any further sightings WINK.
First the Green-veined one
Then Orange-tip on the clock
What a cracking day
Once we’d enjoyed the scent and sight of this spectacular display we carried on with our walk. As we strode down the path an Orange-tip appeared and flew ahead of us down the ride. At one point he veered off into the vegetation on the side and then two butterflies went up; the Orange-tip behind harrying the purer white, square cut butterfly. I moved ahead of the group and watched intently as it went down and then within a couple of strides I had my first Green-veined White of the year, at last. It flew ahead and then posed for some more photos a few times before the Orange-tip arrived back on the scene and chased it off.
We carried on down and then round the path that follows the edge of the reserve and back up again into the Butterfly Enclosure (sadly now dismantled as the hoped for Pearls never materialised here) and on and out of the reserve. On the way there was, what I at first thought was a Large White but turned out to be a female Brimstone that had bleached out in the sun as well as sightings of various whites including a male OT. At the top of the reserve we cut out across the farmers field and then turned left taking the track down towards the farm itself. During a brief pitstop to distribute toffees a watched a Holly Blue fluttering about on the other side of the field and a couple of whites flew amongst the piglets and Guinea Fowl on the corner of the farm itself. The path then led down towards Deanland and the high hedge on the way with its young trees must have been enough to pass as a ‘Wood’ or at least a spinney as a Speckled Wood stopped in front of me and allowed itself to be photographed.
Normally we’d carry on through Deanland, into the woods there and out and around the surrounding hills in a massive loop but today as we hadn’t carried our lunch with us so instead we took the shorter way back across the fields eventually meeting up with the initial track from when we could dive back down into Garston. A Brimstone sent us on our way at the start of the path and when we’d almost rejoined the original trackway that we’d walked earlier a Green-veined White and Small Tort both put in an appearance. We then made it back to the car park and grabbing the lunch we headed back to the old log to enjoy our lunch surrounded by blue. While we ate I kept my eyes open but all there was to see butterfly wise was a single Holly Blue and that was on the walk back.
When we arrived home the sun was still out and it had warmed up considerably. So in order to make the most of the clement weather I made my way over to Five Rivers. As I strode along the riverside path I chanced a glance upwards thinking that it would be all blue sky and sun. What I hadn’t reckoned on was that the sun was in danger of being swallowed up by a large body of cloud which had sprung up unawares. As the cloud bore down on me the effects started to be noticeable for as the light intensity dropped the number of visible butterflies started to dwindle. As I walked throught eh Glades and across to Comma Corner the best I could come up with was a Specklie and two distant Small Whites. I spent the next 40 minutes wandering forward and back along the Banks and for all my efforts the best I could come up with was a brace of Small Whites on the side of the hill at the far end of the Banks. I spotted a Small White fluttering weakly from one Blue Bell to another and just as I’d worked my way into position it spooked a second and they both hared off in opposite directions down the side of the hill to disappear into the damp copse below.
I strolled back to Comma Corner with a view to making a retreat but as I looked back along the Banks the way that I’d come there was a slither of hope. In the distance there was some blue sky visible through a selection of tears in the blanket of cloud. So I waited for the sun to come to me and when it eventually started to near the butterflies became active again in the form of two Small Whites – one on the large Bramble patch and the other further round and slightly behind the copse. I ambled up one side of the Bank and down the other and round to Specklie Intersection ready for when the sun came out proper. When it finally did and we were bathed in its warmth it was as if a switch had been thrown and there were butterflies where previously there had been none. The little area around the Intersection was particularly productive with a Specklie holding its territory and a Comma doing its best to reclaim what it viewed as its birthright. A brace of Small Whites patrolled forward and backward along the bank occasionally breaking off from their duties to have a bit of a scrap with one another or one of the two male Orange-tips that were also ceaselessly patrolling.
After I’d taken in all the action I set about trying for some shots. One of the OT’s dropped down momentarily confused it seemed so I got a few grab shots whilst he sat there bemused. The Comma and Specklie were slightly harder work as they were quite flighty and as for the other OT and the whites they were long gone while I’d been getting into photography mode. Or so I thought for as I looked along the Banks I spied the OT flying towards me, racing a band of shadow. We’d reached the other side of the hole in the cloud and this particular sunny interval was coming to an end. As the cloud overtook the OT it kept n flying as best it could but eventually it succumbed to the cooler temperatures and it dropped down onto the unfurled fronds of a Bracken. Finally I found the cloud over useful and I clicked away.
As the next break in the cloud arrived I found that I didn’t need to look up to become aware of its arrival. The butterflies seemed to sense its’ coming and became more active before the sun actually arrived on the scene. The OT started to show more orange and I thought that I’d get to see it opening up but no, instead it sprang away almost as soon as the first sunbeam fell from the sky. Still slightly smarting from its rude departure I pressed on back to the Glades where I found a Specklie and a male Holly Blue. But they were playing hard to get so I turned my attentions back to the OTs. And ended up following one all the way to Specklie Intersection and back but it didn’t stop once. Back in the Glades I gave up on it and the found that in the interim both the Specklie and Holly Blue had duplicated themselves. The Specklies were having far too much fun tearing chunks out of each other to deign coming down to my level but the Holly Blue was much more respectful. Pleased I looked up and watched a male Orange-tip making steady progress in my direction. It eventually passed me by and then this little sunny interval ceased and with it the OTs patrolling. I looked up and saw that the cloud was now looking like a mass of ribbons so the sunny and cloudy intervals would be much shorter in duration. With this in mind I fired off plenty of shots and then waited for the creaking door moment as the OT started to incrementally open up. This time the OT followed the rule book and I left the Glades with the glare of orange still stimulating my retinal cones.
On the return to the car I spotted a Specklie and then a female Brimstone hanging about near the entrance to the Glades and there was another Brimstone just beyond the Red Admiral cruising spot, where the tree was uprooted. I was just considering whether I’d enough time left to try for a few shots when an OT flew in and scared the Brimstone away. I wondered if he’d settle and as I did so the tiniest wisp of cloud passed over the sun. It was enough to slow and eventually halt the OT. With all the appropriate perchs accessible I was a little surprised and extremely delighted when he chose to alight on a Dandelion clock. I think I made my most cautious approach to date and used the click-step to make sure that I didn’t spook him and also that I actually had some shots but I needn’t of worried as even the wispiest bit of cloud was effectively grounding the butterfly. I clicked away and moved in and round so as to get to a better angle and then as the sun shrugged off the flimsy cloud he started to open up in increments until he was there, wings akimbo. What a way to finish the outing, a proper grand finale! I then somehow found my way back to the car with my eyes mostly closed so as not to ruin the narrative with any further sightings WINK.
First the Green-veined one
Then Orange-tip on the clock
What a cracking day