August sightings

[jenks]

I`ts time I contributed by adding my August sightings. Sorry for the lateness-work always gets in the way !
ALNERS GORSE OS GRID REF ST736100 1/8/10
Ringlet (6), Meadow Brown (20+), Small Copper (3f ), Small White, Green veined White (large numbers), Large White (3), Gatekeeper (6), Peacock (2), Small Tortoiseshell (2), Brown Hairstreak (2f), Purple Hairstreak (1 extremely worn), White letter Hairstreak (1, worn, on the bramble at the bottom of the main path).

ABERBARGOED GRASSLANDS OS REF ST163992 15/8/10
Common Blue (c80+), Small Copper (8), Small White (c30), Large White (4), Meadow Brown (c60+), Gatekeeper (10), Grayling (c30+), Peacock (3). Most of the butterflies were among the flowers and grasses surrounding the coal waste tip, the Graylings were ALL on the waste tip itself, taking the warmth from the bare earth. This site is probably 25 miles inland from Cardiff.

FONTMELL DOWN OS REF ST880177 15/08/10.
A walk led by Paul Butters of Butterfly Consvtn. Speckled Wood (4), Gatekeeper (2), Small Blue (2m in the small quarry down the right hand track from the car park ) , Common Blue (c30), Adonis Blue (c30+), Chalkhill Blue (c30+), Small White (8), Large White (2) , Small Heath (15), Silver spotted Skipper (7 of which 4f) , Small Tortoiseshell (3), Small Copper (3), Peacock (1), Brimstone (c30+, mostly m). I missed the Dark Green Fritillaries seen by others as I had returned to the car at that point.
An excellent site to visit & good to put a face to some names (re. a previous message on the sightings page). In particular Zonda. I was the chap in the baseball cap who parked opposite you in the crowded car park. I recall your musings over the best way to have a pee when faced with a 1 in 6 slope, i.e, facing uphill or down ?. As this is probably not the right forum I shall not enquire whether you were successful in learning the answer ! Hope to see you again at some future butterfly site (why are the best sites so far from S. Wales ?).

[Zonda]

An excellent site to visit & good to put a face to some names (re. a previous message on the sightings page). In particular Zonda. I was the chap in the baseball cap who parked opposite you in the crowded car park. I recall your musings over the best way to have a pee when faced with a 1 in 6 slope, i.e, facing uphill or down ?.

hya jenks i remember you well, a very butterfly knowledgeable chap. I too returned to the car park early after getting some decent SS Skipper shots, and also missed the DG Frits . I did have a pee later, when alone,,,, hidden by a small gorse bush. Nice meeting you, and many thanks to Paul Butters for showing us the SSSs. Quite a good day eh?

[Lee Hurrell]

Surely it depends on which way the wind is blowing....

[Michaeljf]

I did have a pee later, when alone,,,, hidden by a small gorse bush.

Now this is the sort of additional detail to the Butterfly site ID'ing that we need. Adds a certain feeling of 'being there' and bringing it that bit closer

[jenks]

Bringing "what" a bit closer ?

bringing it that bit closer

.

Dragging this conversation back to butterflies (I know I`m a spoilsport but in deference to any women, children and those of a sensitive disposition ), I`m off to Norfolk then Suffolk next week. I`ve been told that Queen of Spain Frit breeds/has bred at Minsmere. Can anyone give me any info on this ?

Thanks in advance.

Jenks.

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Jenks,
That was in the mid/late 1990s. But you can always hope for an invasion of Camberwell Beauties!
Neil