Five Rivers and Middle Street 28-02-2021
Having visited Middle Street it was now the turn of Five Rivers to get a check out. When I first started this was my favourite ‘early site’ but in recent years it has turned into a late bloomer. I started in usual fashion strolling along the river bank and up through the Glades before traversing the Banks. All was quiet and it was still cool which perhaps explained the lack of butterfly action? I’d left this visit until after lunch hoping that the temperature would have increased enough but there was still a bite in the air. The chill was soon forgotten though as the sun peaked out from the cloud as I reached the first third of the Banks and with it, as if by magic, appeared the first butterfly – a Small Tort. He looked a bit battered but was very welcome none the less.
I carried on and a Peacock went up from the grasses at the half way point but it was very flighty and didn’t sit for long. I left it in peace and carried on hopeful that there would be a few more but I walked further and further without any additional sightings. Eventually my wanderings had taken me right round the reserve and back to the Banks where the Small Tort was still holding its territory – from whom I wasn’t too sure to be honest but he was doing a very good impersonation of the Black Knight, the chunks missing from his wings were merely scratches or flesh wounds…
Things didn’t seem to be happening here and so to make the most of the weather I decided to cut my losses here and move over to Middle Street in the hope of finding a Comma. As I headed back through the Glades I found me second Red Admiral of the year which did a strafing run before banking and turning in a wide glide out over the river.
At Middle Street it again looked like it was going to be hard work as the sun kept dipping behind the cloud but I pressed on regardless. A Peacock hung around in the usual little nook just a short distance into the reserve but just as I’d focused it took to the air so I carried onto Dip 1. Scanning down I watched a brownish butterfly glide about a little before plopping down. Noting where it was I approached and it was a Small Tort and then I settled down to wait for the sun to reappear. As it did so and its rays crept across the ground the butterfly, tentatively at first, started to flick its wings open, each time it would open them slightly more until eventually with a final flourish it opened its wings wide to tarp the full warming effect of the sun.
I then moved over to Dip 2 and this section is usually the quietest despite having much more lush vegetation (or perhaps because of this – fewer basking spots?) and being well sheltered by the banks and surrounding trees. However this afternoon there were a courting pair of Small Torts playing kiss chase. I’d photographed them separately on the edges of the Dip but then they’d gravitated towards each other and now the male was being very persistent in his persuasion whilst the female remained very prim and proper.
Dip 3 was quiet and so I worked to the end and back without adding anything to the list. Then back in Dip 3 I saw a pair of Small Torts – the same pair as before. The smaller and more ravaged looking male again spied out the female and again attempted to court her. This time however he was more nuanced in his approach, patiently waiting for her to except him and only occasionally flicking his wings (to waft pheromones in her direction?). I settled down, the sun feeling nice on my back, and hoped that things would come to fruition. However after a little over 20 minutes later they were still in exactly the same position and I needed to get home at some point so I left them to it.
As if to compensate a ginger butterfly showed itself against the verdant green grass. It was my first Comma of the year, finally, although to be fair it was still only February! I got a few shots and then climbed back out of the Dip as time was really against me now so I quickly made my way back to check the Hotspot which so far had been neglected. On the way I picked up a Small Tort between Dips 2 and 1 –a different one as I’d not seen this set of markings before but that was it as the Hotspot produced zilch butterflies. I quickly made my way back to Dip 3 where the Small Torts were still in exactly the same place and then I had to hotfoot it home. As I did so I wondered if that was it for our Spring?
Quiet Five Rivers
A ‘compensation’ Comma
Is Spring now over?
I carried on and a Peacock went up from the grasses at the half way point but it was very flighty and didn’t sit for long. I left it in peace and carried on hopeful that there would be a few more but I walked further and further without any additional sightings. Eventually my wanderings had taken me right round the reserve and back to the Banks where the Small Tort was still holding its territory – from whom I wasn’t too sure to be honest but he was doing a very good impersonation of the Black Knight, the chunks missing from his wings were merely scratches or flesh wounds…
Things didn’t seem to be happening here and so to make the most of the weather I decided to cut my losses here and move over to Middle Street in the hope of finding a Comma. As I headed back through the Glades I found me second Red Admiral of the year which did a strafing run before banking and turning in a wide glide out over the river.
At Middle Street it again looked like it was going to be hard work as the sun kept dipping behind the cloud but I pressed on regardless. A Peacock hung around in the usual little nook just a short distance into the reserve but just as I’d focused it took to the air so I carried onto Dip 1. Scanning down I watched a brownish butterfly glide about a little before plopping down. Noting where it was I approached and it was a Small Tort and then I settled down to wait for the sun to reappear. As it did so and its rays crept across the ground the butterfly, tentatively at first, started to flick its wings open, each time it would open them slightly more until eventually with a final flourish it opened its wings wide to tarp the full warming effect of the sun.
I then moved over to Dip 2 and this section is usually the quietest despite having much more lush vegetation (or perhaps because of this – fewer basking spots?) and being well sheltered by the banks and surrounding trees. However this afternoon there were a courting pair of Small Torts playing kiss chase. I’d photographed them separately on the edges of the Dip but then they’d gravitated towards each other and now the male was being very persistent in his persuasion whilst the female remained very prim and proper.
Dip 3 was quiet and so I worked to the end and back without adding anything to the list. Then back in Dip 3 I saw a pair of Small Torts – the same pair as before. The smaller and more ravaged looking male again spied out the female and again attempted to court her. This time however he was more nuanced in his approach, patiently waiting for her to except him and only occasionally flicking his wings (to waft pheromones in her direction?). I settled down, the sun feeling nice on my back, and hoped that things would come to fruition. However after a little over 20 minutes later they were still in exactly the same position and I needed to get home at some point so I left them to it.
As if to compensate a ginger butterfly showed itself against the verdant green grass. It was my first Comma of the year, finally, although to be fair it was still only February! I got a few shots and then climbed back out of the Dip as time was really against me now so I quickly made my way back to check the Hotspot which so far had been neglected. On the way I picked up a Small Tort between Dips 2 and 1 –a different one as I’d not seen this set of markings before but that was it as the Hotspot produced zilch butterflies. I quickly made my way back to Dip 3 where the Small Torts were still in exactly the same place and then I had to hotfoot it home. As I did so I wondered if that was it for our Spring?
Quiet Five Rivers
A ‘compensation’ Comma
Is Spring now over?
Middle Street 27-02-2021
To take advantage of the Fools Spring I stepped out for a stroll over to Middle Street. As I crossed the bridge and carried on along the Town Path there was still a chill in the air and the sun was hidden behind the cloud. I looked at the state of the sky further afield and there was definitely some blue and a little brightness coming my way so I pressed on zipping my fleece up all the way to my chin. I completed a full circuit of the entire reserve, starting with a hopeful spring in my step and finishing at a dejected traipse with not a single butterfly seen…”What to do now?” I wondered and as I wondered I wandered, letting my feet take me where they wanted to go. I ended up out on the road and heading towards the corner of Upper and Middle Street to the little bank which has been so fruitful in seasons past. So it proved again today for as the sun crept out from behind the clouds and I approached the bank a Small Tort went up from the grass and momentarily landed on the side of a bin. I carefully approached and managed to get off a single shot before a passing family barged past me (displaying some really excellent Anti-social Distancing) spooked my quarry and left me facing down their growling and gnarly looking dog which was of course off the leash and despite the flecks of rabid saliva running down its canines was ‘just a softy really’.
So I’d seen a butterfly but ‘one shot doth not a post maketh’ so I headed back to the reserve reasoning that if the Small Torts were out here then maybe they’d woken up there now that the sun had got its hat on. Plus we were past midday so the temperatures should be fast approaching their maximum. As I entered from the back entrance I cut straight across the football field and scanned down into Dip 1. As my eyes darted this way and that looking for any coloured objects that stood out against the pale beige and browns a Brimstone did a fly-by on the far side of the Dip. Cheered by this I took the raised path that runs between the pond and the vegetation around the hotspot. As I was half way along I spotted a Small Tort down among the tangle of vegetation so I spent a bit of time with it and at one point it went up into the tree so I was able to get a few stained glass shots.
Pleased that I had something better on the memory card I carried on along the path, turned right and walked round to the Hospot. There were another pair of Small Torts here but they didn’t hang about for a photo so I decided to do a thorough search of the Dips. As I made to go a Peacock glided past me and settled momentarily on the mud of the quagmire (giggity) path. It obviously didn’t like it there as it took off and flew off in the direction I was heading. I managed to relocate it and get a few more shots as it flitted from one basking site to another before finally settling down on what looked like an old Yarrow stalk. I didn’t mind about its rough and ready appearance as it was my first Peacock of 2021 and brought my Year List up to 5 species – not a bad haul by February!
Leaving the Peacock to soak up some rays or sit and wait for warmer weather I carried onwards towards the Dip, a Brimstone briefly accompanied me as I walked up the low rise to the central banked path from which I could look down into the Dips. At Dip 1 climbed down and zig-zagged my way across the area, following little trackways made by some unknown mammal but my searching proved fruitless. The same went for Dip 2 but at Dip 3 there was the wondrous sight of two Small Torts. As is often the way the pristine butterfly was chased away by the ragged and mangled looking old timer but I fired away regardless. As I did so I got another first for the year, not a butterfly but as I knelt to take a shot I got my first Nettle Sting…how come they’re so much more painful at this time of the year?
The years first Peacock
And first, painful, nettle sting
A price worth paying
So I’d seen a butterfly but ‘one shot doth not a post maketh’ so I headed back to the reserve reasoning that if the Small Torts were out here then maybe they’d woken up there now that the sun had got its hat on. Plus we were past midday so the temperatures should be fast approaching their maximum. As I entered from the back entrance I cut straight across the football field and scanned down into Dip 1. As my eyes darted this way and that looking for any coloured objects that stood out against the pale beige and browns a Brimstone did a fly-by on the far side of the Dip. Cheered by this I took the raised path that runs between the pond and the vegetation around the hotspot. As I was half way along I spotted a Small Tort down among the tangle of vegetation so I spent a bit of time with it and at one point it went up into the tree so I was able to get a few stained glass shots.
Pleased that I had something better on the memory card I carried on along the path, turned right and walked round to the Hospot. There were another pair of Small Torts here but they didn’t hang about for a photo so I decided to do a thorough search of the Dips. As I made to go a Peacock glided past me and settled momentarily on the mud of the quagmire (giggity) path. It obviously didn’t like it there as it took off and flew off in the direction I was heading. I managed to relocate it and get a few more shots as it flitted from one basking site to another before finally settling down on what looked like an old Yarrow stalk. I didn’t mind about its rough and ready appearance as it was my first Peacock of 2021 and brought my Year List up to 5 species – not a bad haul by February!
Leaving the Peacock to soak up some rays or sit and wait for warmer weather I carried onwards towards the Dip, a Brimstone briefly accompanied me as I walked up the low rise to the central banked path from which I could look down into the Dips. At Dip 1 climbed down and zig-zagged my way across the area, following little trackways made by some unknown mammal but my searching proved fruitless. The same went for Dip 2 but at Dip 3 there was the wondrous sight of two Small Torts. As is often the way the pristine butterfly was chased away by the ragged and mangled looking old timer but I fired away regardless. As I did so I got another first for the year, not a butterfly but as I knelt to take a shot I got my first Nettle Sting…how come they’re so much more painful at this time of the year?
The years first Peacock
And first, painful, nettle sting
A price worth paying
Work 26-02-2021
I was getting a bit nervous that I would get into March without a February sighting. I’d been carrying my camera around with me for over a month since my first sighting back in January but today was the first time I was going to use it ‘properly’ – i.e. focus it on some butterflies. I’d prepared well – lens cleaned, memory card cleared, battery charged, sign in/out app ready on my iPod and lunch eaten for elevenses so when the bell rang I punched the ‘sign out’ button and I was away…
I walked along the edge of the field scanning the bottom of the fence ahead of me an occasionally sweeping my eyes across the field to my right paying particular attention to any yellow flowers. Things weren’t looking great and the usual set of doubts started feeding themselves through my brain; it was too early, not quite warm enough, the breeze would keep them down etc. But then as I reached the far corner of the field there was a sight to lift even the heaviest of hearts – a medium darkish butterfly fluttered up out of a nettle bed. I followed it with eyes crossing my fingers that it would settled again. It did and so I cautiously approached and started the ‘click-step’. Brilliant my first Small Tort and my second species of the year!
I then worked my way along the usual track again scanning the field to my right but this time also scanning the gardens on my left when I was able to. I’d almost reached the half way point when I spotted my second Small Tort in a garden. Slightly further along, at the actual half way point, a Red Admiral erupted from the sparse vegetation on the bank, circled me a couple of times (possibly so that I was able to confirm its ID?) and then disappeared out across the field. I didn’t mind it buggering off like that though as that’s a fairly usual sighting for this time of the year and it was still a sighting so I was now on three species for the year.
Where the path kinks, up by the ‘Parrot Garden’, I thought that I was onto my fourth species of the year as I spied a Brimstone like yellow triangle on the ground. I slowed and crept towards it and surprisingly it didn’t spook. I was just beginning to compliment myself on my amazing stalking skills when I realised it wasn’t moving at all and was pretty big. Giving up stalking I strolled up to it and discovered the reason for its lack of response (please excuse the next part and put it down to a combination of stress and vicinity to the ‘Parrot Garden’) you see it was dead, it was pushing up the daisies, gone to meet its maker, it was an ex-butterfly, it was no more, it had shuffled off its mortal coil. I took a few shots anyway…
Still on 3 for the year I progressed to the end of the track without any further sightings and so started the walk back. As I got the kink once again I spied another yellow Brimstone like blob and this one was very much alive – yay! I never feel like the season has properly begun until I have a collection of shots detailing shrubs, twigs, fence wire and all with a blurry yellow blob somewhere hidden in the image! So I set my camera to Sports mode and set about getting some of those same blurry yellow “it’s a Brimstone – honest” shots.
So four for the year - what a brilliant 15 minutes! Chuffed I started back spotting another Small Tort in the field. As I watched it flew nearer and nearer until eventually it settled within reach. Well I had to carefully stalk, kneel down and hold my camera through the fence but you know what I mean. After a long winter these are the lengths I’ll go to for some butterfly shots. I cut up though the housing estate adding a fourth Small Tort to the days tally but it was too far in one of the gardens so goes down as a paper record and not a visual one. Nonetheless three species for the year list within 20 minutes isn’t to be sniffed at!
The seasons begun
Green and a blob of yellow
The years first Brimstone
I walked along the edge of the field scanning the bottom of the fence ahead of me an occasionally sweeping my eyes across the field to my right paying particular attention to any yellow flowers. Things weren’t looking great and the usual set of doubts started feeding themselves through my brain; it was too early, not quite warm enough, the breeze would keep them down etc. But then as I reached the far corner of the field there was a sight to lift even the heaviest of hearts – a medium darkish butterfly fluttered up out of a nettle bed. I followed it with eyes crossing my fingers that it would settled again. It did and so I cautiously approached and started the ‘click-step’. Brilliant my first Small Tort and my second species of the year!
I then worked my way along the usual track again scanning the field to my right but this time also scanning the gardens on my left when I was able to. I’d almost reached the half way point when I spotted my second Small Tort in a garden. Slightly further along, at the actual half way point, a Red Admiral erupted from the sparse vegetation on the bank, circled me a couple of times (possibly so that I was able to confirm its ID?) and then disappeared out across the field. I didn’t mind it buggering off like that though as that’s a fairly usual sighting for this time of the year and it was still a sighting so I was now on three species for the year.
Where the path kinks, up by the ‘Parrot Garden’, I thought that I was onto my fourth species of the year as I spied a Brimstone like yellow triangle on the ground. I slowed and crept towards it and surprisingly it didn’t spook. I was just beginning to compliment myself on my amazing stalking skills when I realised it wasn’t moving at all and was pretty big. Giving up stalking I strolled up to it and discovered the reason for its lack of response (please excuse the next part and put it down to a combination of stress and vicinity to the ‘Parrot Garden’) you see it was dead, it was pushing up the daisies, gone to meet its maker, it was an ex-butterfly, it was no more, it had shuffled off its mortal coil. I took a few shots anyway…
Still on 3 for the year I progressed to the end of the track without any further sightings and so started the walk back. As I got the kink once again I spied another yellow Brimstone like blob and this one was very much alive – yay! I never feel like the season has properly begun until I have a collection of shots detailing shrubs, twigs, fence wire and all with a blurry yellow blob somewhere hidden in the image! So I set my camera to Sports mode and set about getting some of those same blurry yellow “it’s a Brimstone – honest” shots.
So four for the year - what a brilliant 15 minutes! Chuffed I started back spotting another Small Tort in the field. As I watched it flew nearer and nearer until eventually it settled within reach. Well I had to carefully stalk, kneel down and hold my camera through the fence but you know what I mean. After a long winter these are the lengths I’ll go to for some butterfly shots. I cut up though the housing estate adding a fourth Small Tort to the days tally but it was too far in one of the gardens so goes down as a paper record and not a visual one. Nonetheless three species for the year list within 20 minutes isn’t to be sniffed at!
The seasons begun
Green and a blob of yellow
The years first Brimstone
The next day…23-01-2021
In between the main shop and a walk round town to pick up the ‘odds and sods’ we took a quick walk around the Devenish. Whilst it was nice to blow the cobwebs away it was pretty parky so I was quite glad to get back home and have a coffee.
After a night and morning of wondering how my charge would fare I had a quick peak around the tarpaulin once I’d warmed up sufficiently. He’d moved on the woodblock and was now roosting vertically wings pointing downwards. It was still pretty cold so after leaving a small amount of nectar (sugar dissolved in a little warm water) on the block within reach of his proboscis I left him in peace sitting there and carried on with the routine of the day.
As the day progressed the weak winter sun managed to eat away at the cloud; so much so in fact that it was actually quite warm and blinking in the brightness I carefully lifted out the block and left it for a bit on the top of the wood store just in case the suns’ rays warmed him enough that he could fly off and find somewhere more suitable to sit out the cool weather. Alas the temperature didn’t get any higher and so I returned my charge back to his accommodation in the wood store.
The next couple of times that I checked in he was still there on the block although in different positions and then on Wednesday when I went out to restock the wood baskets he was gone, the block was empty. I couldn’t see him on the logs so hopefully he managed to find somewhere comfy to wait for the better weather…probably not but I’d prefer to have happy thoughts!
Weak sun eats the cloud
Yet not enough for its flight
But then…he is gone.
After a night and morning of wondering how my charge would fare I had a quick peak around the tarpaulin once I’d warmed up sufficiently. He’d moved on the woodblock and was now roosting vertically wings pointing downwards. It was still pretty cold so after leaving a small amount of nectar (sugar dissolved in a little warm water) on the block within reach of his proboscis I left him in peace sitting there and carried on with the routine of the day.
As the day progressed the weak winter sun managed to eat away at the cloud; so much so in fact that it was actually quite warm and blinking in the brightness I carefully lifted out the block and left it for a bit on the top of the wood store just in case the suns’ rays warmed him enough that he could fly off and find somewhere more suitable to sit out the cool weather. Alas the temperature didn’t get any higher and so I returned my charge back to his accommodation in the wood store.
The next couple of times that I checked in he was still there on the block although in different positions and then on Wednesday when I went out to restock the wood baskets he was gone, the block was empty. I couldn’t see him on the logs so hopefully he managed to find somewhere comfy to wait for the better weather…probably not but I’d prefer to have happy thoughts!
Weak sun eats the cloud
Yet not enough for its flight
But then…he is gone.
First for the Year 2021…22-01-2021
Many years ago on a very cold and dark January day a very good friend, colleague and mentor of mine pointed out some odd little yellow flowers. There were growing around the trunk of a Birch tree near to one of the entrances to the school. He informed me that they were Aconites and that he always looked forward to them appearing each year when the weather was worst and the days seemed to struggle to lengthen. My friend is sadly no longer with us but each year I find myself now awaiting the appearance of the Aconites just as he had done and while their stand out gold brightens the drear I say a quiet thank you to my friend for pointing them out to me and have a moment to remember him. And that was why on this day I’d dusted off my camera, checked that it still had some juice left and dragged it to and from work. No butterflies though obviously…then I got home.
Who’s says that lightening doesn’t strike twice? In 2020 my first butterfly of the year came in February which is fairly typical for me – in some years I’ve seen Red Admirals in January and the first Small Torts have often come by the second week of February. What was unusual was that it wasn’t one of those hibernating Aristocrats but a Small White which suddenly appeared on my window while I was teaching a class. It was nice to get a possible first for the county but it was very early.
Well this year something similar occurred. I’d gotten back from work and with my eyes itching from a full day of remote learning on Teams I offered to take my wife’s parcels up to the post box by the sorting office. Having negotiated the road crossings and with the box in sight something white fluttered towards me. At first I thought it was just a manky bit of tissue caught on the breeze but when it dropped onto the tarmac it looked remarkably like a butterfly. Thinking that my tired eyes were playing tricks on me and reasoning that it was far too cold and grey for any type of butterfly to take to the wing I ignored it. With the parcels safely deposited I started back and the bit of white caught my eye so I walked towards it to investigate. It was a butterfly – a Small White which had emerged approximately 3 months too early!
I didn’t know what to do now as left here at the side of the footpath exposed to the elements it would definitely perish but even with a huge dollop of luck and my intervention its prospects weren’t great. In the end I let the butterfly decide and placed my finger in front of it and it crawled on. So it had decided, it wasn’t going to give up, so holding it inside my cupped hands I carried it back to the house. After a couple of shots for the record I took it round the back to our courtyard. It flew weakly towards the wood store but the cold got to it again and it glided to the deck where it looked a sorry sight against the concrete. I was going to place it in the small patch of weeds but at this point a sower set upon us, a nasty mix of hail and huge stinging raindrops. The weeds were taking a battering and so I again offered it my finger and transferred it to a piece of timber safe and dry in our wood shed.
I checked in on it when it was dark and there I left it hoping that it would make it through the night…
What are you doing?
You should be tucked up in bed
Early rising White…
Who’s says that lightening doesn’t strike twice? In 2020 my first butterfly of the year came in February which is fairly typical for me – in some years I’ve seen Red Admirals in January and the first Small Torts have often come by the second week of February. What was unusual was that it wasn’t one of those hibernating Aristocrats but a Small White which suddenly appeared on my window while I was teaching a class. It was nice to get a possible first for the county but it was very early.
Well this year something similar occurred. I’d gotten back from work and with my eyes itching from a full day of remote learning on Teams I offered to take my wife’s parcels up to the post box by the sorting office. Having negotiated the road crossings and with the box in sight something white fluttered towards me. At first I thought it was just a manky bit of tissue caught on the breeze but when it dropped onto the tarmac it looked remarkably like a butterfly. Thinking that my tired eyes were playing tricks on me and reasoning that it was far too cold and grey for any type of butterfly to take to the wing I ignored it. With the parcels safely deposited I started back and the bit of white caught my eye so I walked towards it to investigate. It was a butterfly – a Small White which had emerged approximately 3 months too early!
I didn’t know what to do now as left here at the side of the footpath exposed to the elements it would definitely perish but even with a huge dollop of luck and my intervention its prospects weren’t great. In the end I let the butterfly decide and placed my finger in front of it and it crawled on. So it had decided, it wasn’t going to give up, so holding it inside my cupped hands I carried it back to the house. After a couple of shots for the record I took it round the back to our courtyard. It flew weakly towards the wood store but the cold got to it again and it glided to the deck where it looked a sorry sight against the concrete. I was going to place it in the small patch of weeds but at this point a sower set upon us, a nasty mix of hail and huge stinging raindrops. The weeds were taking a battering and so I again offered it my finger and transferred it to a piece of timber safe and dry in our wood shed.
I checked in on it when it was dark and there I left it hoping that it would make it through the night…
What are you doing?
You should be tucked up in bed
Early rising White…
