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Bentley Wood 25-05-2019

So with the Pearls well under way, the Marshies almost 3 weeks into their flight and Dukes almost over I reckoned that the Small Pearls should surely be out? I checked in with the Oracle who pronounced that indeed I’d be adding another species to the Yearly Tally. A quick check on UKB added a further affirmative. It being Saturday I had a few jobs to do but with them done and dusted I was away; Iron Maiden on and the sun shining…which was a bit of a concern. If the sun carried on shining so then getting underside shots could pose a problem.

When I made it down into the EC I wandered into the middle of the site and there flying fast was a dark ginger Small Pearl, ace! It was really easy to differentiate between the Small and the Pearls which by now were faded to a pale marmalade colour. They also flew with a slower, less direct flight than the recently emerged Small which was full of vim and vigour searching lustfully for females. After a bit of meandering along the narrow trackways in this middle section I found another small Pearl and before I knew it I was through the break in the stand of trees into the bottom tussocky section. Once here and ensconced by the surrounding trees I felt strangely calm after the frenetic antics of the butterflies in the main part of the clearing. I dawdled more and listened intently to the Tree Pipits and various warblers singing. In the far corner a tired Duke held a territory. He was still able to flit out and chase off anything that came within eyeshot. This included the occasional Pearl or Brimstone and then a third Small Pearl. This one settled on the Bracken allowing me to get some shots in between watching the Duke. I then wandered back into the relative chaos of the main part of the clearing. There were more people here by now and so I chatted now and again whilst various butterflies buzzed around us including two Small Coppers – a smaller and more addition to the larger and varying shades of the colour offered by the Pearls and Smalls. My meandering took me back to the tussocky corner. The Duke was still in place occasionally joined by the Small Pearl and on one foray out from this spot I stumbled cross a Bee Hawk Moth. It was really difficult to photograph as it was constantly on the move, stopping for an in-flight fuelling regularly but only for a second or two at a time. When I did manage to be in the correct orientation various blades of grass were in the way. Due to the difficult nature of the subject though I was still pleased to have gotten anything. I was even more chuffed when checking the images back as there were golden hairs splitting the black band up that made this a Narrow Bordered Bee Hawk Moth, and so a lifer. Chuffed to bits with this I carried on back to the main clearing but the butterflies were solar charged by now, so pumped full of juice that they seemed to fly ceaselessly. Even the tired Pearls were flying all over the place, this way and that, and when they did land it was generally in a forest of grass. I settled with following a Small Pearl, keeping my distance and then nipping in while it refilled its fuel tanks. After a brief view of the Bee Hawk Moth and a few more conversations I made my homewards knackered but happy! Have a goodun

Wurzel

Kingston Lacey 27-05-2019

Another reasonable Bank Holiday Monday weather wise? What’s going on – is this Climate Change in action – I didn’t realise that the largest negative impact was to freak me right out! So to make the most of it and in preparation or K’s upcoming Birthday we made a family visit to Kingston Lacey along with my folks.

It being still early here for Common Blues and Meadow Browns I wasn’t surprised by the dearth of butterflies. In fact if it wasn’t for a cracking Red Admiral that showed itself half way along the Woodland trail I mightn’t have even done a report from today. As it was the Red Admiral put on a great show; slowly fluttering about low down on the first growth from recently coppiced/ cut back shrub. It showed well eventually clambering over a cut stock. This butterfly unfortunately wasn’t the first of many. Over in the Kitchen gardens and allotments which have now been decimated a lonely Small White flew through quickly looking for somewhere hospitable. A further 2 Small Whites in the Pacific Garden completed the tally for the day. So it was almost a case of nothing to write home about but butterflying can be like this sometimes; one thing that is always great is spending time with the family.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi! Wurzel, I really like the Red Admiral in your shot they always look regal and bossy
On my first visit this time to Blean Woods one landed on me, I think they liked my white jacket because the White Admiral landed on me in East Blean Woods, Do you think they were saying" Glad to see to you" !!!!!

Cheers Goldie Red Admirals are a bit haughty - I've often wondered if they were named Admiral because of their manner as well as their livery? I reckon that they saw the white jacket and thought that you were a Steward and so were waiting for you to dish out the drinks Hope you're knee deep in butterflies by now

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Great Small Pearl images from Bentley Wurzel. It's good to see they are hanging on in there after the rather poor showing last year, so maybe they'll now recover. When you see them together with the Pearls, you can see how different te two species actually are. A Duke as well - you did have a good day!

Cheers,

Dave

Cheers Dave Fingers crossed for the re-expansion of the Small Pearls - there were several there this year which was a better showing than on my first visit last year so hopefully the area they cleared a couple of years back will provide the required conditions for them

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Great reports again recently Wurzel with some cracking species but I am really jealous of that Bee Hawk Moth ...I have yet to see either species in the wild.

Cheers.

Neil.

Cheers Neil The Bee Hawks seem to be one of those species that you can try for time after time and then when you give up and forget about them "Pop" there they are

Duke Site 30-05-2019

So all three of the girls were visiting a friend who happens to live on the route to my Duke site. Would I mind dropping them off and picking them up two hours later? Ex-squeeze me? Baking powder? Well I might be able to fit it in…

So I had just over two hours to get to my Duke Site, have a look round and get back. I was only 20 minutes away according to Sheila my SATNAV so I reckoned that by accelerating to the speed limit as quickly as possible I could shave a few minutes off and then I’d have 1 hr 20, plenty of time for a mooch around my Duke site. However I didn’t bank on Mr Slow who insisted on driving at between 5 and 10 mph below the speed limit…When I eventually got onto site I’d lost an extra 10 minutes due to Mr Slow farting about.

Mind you I didn’t mind as when I got out of the car there were Common and Adonis Blues everywhere. I strolled across the springy turf they would erupt from my footfalls vertically like little Harrier jets, then the wind would catch them and they were gone from view. I managed to get my eye in so that I could easily make out the males and the almost black butterflies were female Adonis whilst the more Royal Blue or browny coloured were female Commons. Then there were the grey little blurs (Grizzlie), orange flappy things (Small Heath) and silver bullets (Brown Argus). The most obvious though were the miniscule slate coloured ones that were located at the bottom of the springy turf slope in among the tussocky grass (Small Blue). After spending a while just watching and breathing it all in I set about trying for a few shots. I managed somehow to find a couple of unusual looking Blues amid the multitudes. The first was a female Adonis which only had the faintest of white spots on the underside and the other was a strikingly marked Brown Argus (no cell spot). After spending a while here I set off across the site towards the Cypresses. On the way there were more Blues and butterflies pretty much crawling over all of the site. Anywhere there was a showing of yellow flowers there were butterflies and 5/6 spot Burnett Moths. It was a joyous sight to behold. A little further along the main track a couple of Small Coppers played in the long grasses near Copper Corner and I located a Brown Argus with white rings around the disc spot. A Marsh Fritillary, still looking reasonable flew across the path and enticed me to follow it. It added a little bit of variation to the Lycaenid fest! Things did get back to normal though with a faded, two tone Greenstreak in a similar spot to where I found the pair of Grizzlies on my last visit. On up the track Forester Moths were very abundant and there was the occasional Brown Argus or Dingy Skipper as well as a really fresh Greenstreak. As I reached the Duke spot there was a/the Duke waiting for me – looking very faded and a pale reflection of its former glory. It didn’t want to stop for any photos, fluttering from flower top to flower top before disappearing up high and settling out of reach and sight in a tree. Perhaps it felt embarrassed by its unkempt state? On up the hill and carrying on up the little valley the Common Blues were replaced by Brown Argus as the main butterfly. A Wall did a fly by as I clambered over the stile. I had half a mind to reverse and see if I could follow it but I thought that I would try and locate the one that had been holding a territory here last time. So I finished getting over the stile and worked up the hill. At the top a medium sized dark butterfly took off from just ahead of me. It was a rich chocolate brown uni-coloured butterfly. It was my first Meadow Brown of the year but as I tried to keep it in sight I didn’t look where I was treading and went straight down into a hollow jarring my back and jolting my knee backwards. After a few moments of shock I realized that I was actually okay and so carried on – there will be plenty more Meadow Browns I’m sure. At the cross-tracks where the Wall had been holding territory all was quiet and so I worked along the hillside and then back along the path. For the briefest of moments I thought that I’d found one basking but then the sun broke through the trees and the butterfly stayed down on the deck and also a dark brown colour. It was one of three Specklies that followed me along the path, jostling each other this way and that.
I realized that my time was running out so after a quick check in at the Duke spot (no luck) I hightailed back to the car noting another Small Copper and a scattering of Common Blues on the way. Luckily Mr Slow wasn’t making the return journey at the same time as me and so I got back to do the pick-up in good time.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Bentley Wood 31-05-2019

The last day of Spring and tomorrow Summer; not that you would have known that from the weather. I set out under grey skies with moisture in the still air and feeling more comfortable in my Hoodie than without. “Hopefully…” I thought “...I might be able to find some of them roosting or some flying if the sun actually breaks through for a few minutes?” Them being Small Pearls as I wasn’t happy with my under side shots from my last visit. To be honest I shouldn’t have even been setting out. Today was supposed to be a day of chores and errands. I was also supposed to be on Kid Duty. However yesterday I’d managed to get the lime plaster touch up jobs done and reshuffled things so I would be able to take the girls to Bentley and meet Philzoid. Then when I came downstairs the girls had decided that they wanted to go swimming (the joys of having a daughter old enough to babysit!) so I set off on my own. As I drove the sky brightened and there were even patches of blue sky…

From the carpark I dove straight into the Clearing mainly hanging around in the middle area where the rushy grass grows. Straight away I got onto a Small Pearl, a delightfully ginger male. It was swiftly followed by a Common Blue. Chuffed I carried on down to the bottom area and managed to find the Duke that is holding a territory in the corner closest to the road. By now the sun was disappearing for longer and longer spells so the butterflying became a little more stop-start following the lead of the passing clouds. I found another Small Pearl – this time a female and followed her around for a bit as she bimbled form flower to flower, nectar source to nectar source until she finally gave in, perched and refused to come out. Luckily I’d seen where she landed and so as the sky darkened further and a few spots of rain started to fall she was shut up and locked into place. By lying down I could get level with her but unfortunately she’d chosen the flimsiest of plants to perch on and so the slightest of breezes set her off like a toddler on a rocking horse! I found a few twigs and tried to sue these to support the weedy weed and this did work reasonably well. So Small Pearl read on a plate I just needed Philzoid to arrive now… I took another walk around discovering a third Small Pearl and a tired and worn Pearl and after catching up with the Duke (still in the same place) I followed a Small Pearl (either the first or the third) during the briefest of returns by the sun. It didn’t fly far and as the sun hid away again it landed and closed its wings in an even more photogenic pose. I found a few twigs to make into a cross to mark where it was and set off back to check the female was still there. As I did I happened to glance behind me and the male I’d just marked flew for about a metre along the path before finally realising that the conditions weren’t quite right for flight when it dropped onto a Bracken frond. I marked it and carried on round finding a Straw Dot and a Cream Wave at the top part of the Clearing near the entrance. I marked these as well in readiness for Philzoids arrival. I then made my way back to the female and settled down with my Extra Hot Lime Chilli Pickle sandwiches and a coffee. Occasionally I’d take a few shots of the female just to make sure that there was definitely a good one in there and also to help pass the time and I also kept an eye on the male as the sun was starting eat away at the thickest part of the cloud. When Philzoid arrived I quickly got him onto the female and then to the male. Butterfly Imperative met we then carried on looking around to see what else we could find an with the continued brightening things started appearing - another Small Pearl and a lovely male Common Blue before Philzid found a really fresh Marshie, a gravid female from the look of the abdomen. She was a beauty, one of the lighter more chocolate and cream/yellow variety and not as dark and orange as those I’d seen at the Hill. The Common Blue distracted us again and was soon joined by a Small Pearl and we finished off the little sojourn by looking for the Duke which was still in the same place. We then too to strolling further afield and making over to the Bracken lined path and the newly cleared area which had been so good for Pearls. All was quiet and despite a few moths there was very little activity. As we strolled we talked about this and that and our meandering eventually brought us back to the central area of the Clearing. By now the sun was making a return and o the butterflies were getting more and more active. The Small Pearls were getting harder to follow in flight and they were moving at a noticeably higher rate of knots. The number of Common Blues doubled and a Mother Shipton put in an appearance, for once not hanging about down at the lowest level of the turf but instead happy to show off its wonderful visage markings. I was getting close to leaving time when a tiny orangey ‘Moff’ erupted from the grass. It landed and I had it pegged as a Burnet Companion Moth which we’d already seen a few of. But when it landed on the path and tilted its wings towards the sun I could see that it was a Small Heath. I can’t recall seeing one of those here before and so is yet another species to add to the burgeoning Clearing List. After this I had to bid Philzoid farewell and started back. I’d left with enough time so I’d be there to pick the girls up from the pool with about 10 minutes to spare. However due to the joys of the Southampton Road, the new set of traffic lights on the ‘back route’ and another selfish driver stopping people getting off the bridge at Laverstock I actually got to the pool 10 minutes late !
Later on my wife and I visited Garston Wood. The sun had arrived and we strolled through the dappled wood enjoying the birdsong and feeling the suns warmth. It was lush and I almost forgot about butterflies. I say almost as Specklies would appear at junctions on the paths or in the small scallop clearings caused by a larger tree having fallen. I also saw another Large White. This one let me approach and I got some nice close shots as he opened up his wings. There is something mightily pleasing about the contrasting black edges and tips against the crisp, pure white of the wings. All in all a brilliant day made even sweeter as it was all very spontaneous.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Lulworth Cove

With an upturn in the weather I was keen to get out and see some butterflies but with a big trip on the cards for the following day I didn’t fancy pushing my luck. However fate stepped in and as the vernacular of ‘youff’ goes; “Did me a solid”. My wife wanted to take advantage of the sun and go to the beach. So we were off to Lulworth. I was heading ‘back home’ and even better a sneaky check on the Dorset branch website had revealed that a small local denizen was flying . The start of the morning took the usual fashion; walking amongst the Grockles, choosing left or right and then finding the sandiest spot. As we’d taken out time setting out and driving down by the time ‘basecamp’ was prepared we were ready for lunch.

Having previously turned right and with lunch eaten I was now at liberty to investigate my favoured hotspot of old. So I was up the gully/collapsing path as fast as a Whippet. I’d only just reached the first ‘step’ when a tiny golden blur shot across the path and buried itself in the low growing yellow flowers. It was a Lulworth Skipper and with a couple of record shots on the memory card the job was done. I carried on up the track and checked the reed filled depression on the right of the track. Along the edges 2 Dingies had a scrap as did 2 male Common Blues but nestled down deeper in the reeds were another couple of Lulworths showing well and looking anything but drab. Further up another Dingy added itself to the tally as did a further three Lulworths. They were a joy to watch, tinier than I remembered and because they were fresh much, much tidier. As I was enjoying the Lulworths buzzing this way and that something caught my eye. It seemed out of place in the flower heads, the wrong shape, colour and pattern. It took me a moment but then I realised it was the wing tip of a Painted Lady. It took off and I followed it, scrabbling, to the top of the cliff. I was worried that despite keeping a close eye on it, it would suddenly change gear and bomb away out of sight when it reached the top. Luckily it went down on to the deck and stayed still long enough for me to get my first shots of 2019 and also guess that it was freshly arrived from the continent. I carried on round criss-crossing and traversing the cliff face along the trackways adding Lulworths each time I came to a patch of the yellow flowers. There was also another fresher looking Dingy. Back at my starting point the same group of species put on a show although there was a nice addition with a really fresh female, her crescent moons reflected the sun almost as effectively as Luna herself. It was then back to Basecamp and I had to keep watch of the valuables so the girls (all three of them) could go off exploring. It was a hard job; sitting in the sun with the sound of waves breaking on the beach, cup of coffee at hand and reliving/remembering past butterfly trips as I scribbled away in my notebook. A pair of Dragonflies looked out of place as they quartered the small islands which the low tide had revealed. Before I knew it the girls were back and I had to take Little L for a toilet run. While I waited for her to negotiate the queue that is a feature of the Ladies I checked the little area of scrub but it didn’t produce anything. We were heading back when I spotted a Red Admiral behaving oddly. It was fluttering weakly around the sparsest of flowers that were somehow growing through a brick wall and concrete path combo. It would land face on, wings open and then curve its abdomen round and up. I manged a few shots before the spectacle was ruined by a passing family who were encouraging their little lad to catch the Red Admiral. Luckily it evaded them but unluckily it was gone. I checked one of the leaves it had been making a fuss over and there was a delicate fresh ova. After a bit more beach activity I was off or round 2 so I was able to see the same species again and add a Brown Argus to the list. After I got back we packed up and made our way over to Stairhole. To get there we ascended the cliff using my hotspot path and the same two males were still on the right in the reedy depression and further up there were another 2, a male and female. The male tried his luck, bending his abdomen around in a flurry of wings. Unfortunately for us both his advances were rejected and the female climbed stoically up the grass stem and then took to the air when she reached the top. Over at Stairhole a Wall shot past us and a Common Blue followed us as we scrambled down to the beach. While the girls played with Tess, a puppy that had befriended us, I went up the slope at the other end of the beach. In an around the yellow flowers I counted a single Common blue female, 2 Dingies and at least 4 Lulworths. There were probably more but a more accurate count was unattainable as by now the little blighters were very hyperactive whizzing around all over the place and only stopping for a few seconds at a time. A larger, slower flying butterfly appeared and I clambered over to it finding it to be a female Large Skipper, my first definite of the season and unusually a female. I made my way back down to the beach and did some rock-pooling showing the girls various molluscs and seaweeds, then we gazed for a while at the Lulworth Crumple before enjoying another coffee in the sun. We left by the slope that I’d previously investigated and I managed a few shots while people stopped every now and again; Common Blue, a male Large Skipper, but before I could contemplate going after any more Lulworths we were off away home. Still I’ll be back I’m sure. A cracking ‘trip to the beach’… Have a goodun
Wurzel

Real nice shots of the RA egg-laying Wurzel - and the egg Love how you've captured the colours on the underwing. Do you know what the plant is?

Pauline wrote:Real nice shots of the RA egg-laying Wurzel - and the egg Love how you've captured the colours on the underwing. Do you know what the plant is?

Pellitory-of-the-wall Parietaria judaica, a plant in the nettle family that's often used further south in drier parts of it's range where nettles are less common.

A cracking selection of Lulworth Skippers Wurzel I have missed these for a few years now.
I will be in Dorset again at the beginning of September, I wonder if there will be any still hanging on at Durlston this year.

Cheers,

Neil.

Fantastic shots Wurzel of the Lulworth Skipper, it's another Butterfly I've yet to see, I think I'd have trouble working out the difference between the SK's and the Lulworth, I struggle with the essex. love your shots of the Fritillaries has well in your previous post. Goldie

Cheers Pauline I had no idea what the plant was...cue Bugboy
Cheers Bugboy for the plant ID, I don;t know how concerned to be as there were only a few of the flowers as they were growing out of the wall - hopefully the larva will be able to crawl to some more food
Cheers Neil They seem to have emerged slightly later this year so you could be good for some September Lulworths I'd check the reserves website before hand though
Cheers Goldie The females are easy as they have obvious crescent moons on them - the males could be confused for Smalls but they're more olive and also much smaller - it'll be a case f when you see them you'll know

Big Trip 02-05-2019

This was going to be the first Big Trip of the year. So very early on Sunday I set off for Chez Philzoid, managing to shave 14 minutes off Sheila the SATNAVs estimated arrival time by getting to the speed limits as quickly as possible and sticking to them for as long as possible. The fact the Iron Maiden Killers was a blaring also helped I’m sure. After a quick car change at Philzoid’s we were off again heading towards Wrecclesham. As we got out of the car Dave pulled up and so we three set off across the cricket pitch looking for Narnia. The directions from Maximus and Ernie were spot on and after finding our way through the hedge we were on site. As we stood in the Eastern corner, milling about and trying to work out where to head a Glanville flew past and landed just ahead of us. Brilliant! It was swiftly joined by a jovial gent who it turned out was Ernie. After this a second joined it and we set to following them about, calling with information about what they were doing and whether they were the first of second. A third appeared and so there we ended splitting up for a bit what with having one Glanville each. The one I was following flew into a little clearing amid some Gorse bushes and scrub. It landed in a few places in then finally settled. I waited and watched with bated breath as it started winching its wings up, ever so slightly as if it wasn’t really sure. Eventually though the wings were fully raised and there before me was possibly my best ever chance for an underwing shot for this species. With this in the bag we strolled further along the track noting a few more Glanvilles some of which were immaculate and must only be a day or possibly even less emerged. I loved the contrast between the dark marmalade and black markings with the blinding white fringes. This was even more noticeably when contrasting against some of the very swarthy individuals that were around. All told the first little section along the path held possibly 7 Glannies. The events of the morning were starting to blur due to the delights of the Glannies. Dave and I strolled and watched and set out to see what else there was to see. To be honest excepting the Glanvilles there wasn’t much else. There were a few Common Blues, a single Brown Argus and a Mother Shipton. So we ended up back in the first corner of the site where there were now a few more visitors and the morning now took on a bit of a party atmosphere. I managed to get my stained glass shot and then somehow Philzoid and I tore ourselves away from thrall of the Glanville and found our way back through the wardrobe/hedge. Next stop Botany Bay where, in the form of Wood Whites, we would enjoy less showy and more subtle beauty… Have a goodun

Wurzel

Big Trip Part 2 02-05-2019

The cross country drive was great and before we knew it we were pulling up in the car park/lay by at Botany Bay. We quickly set off and started down the hardcore path. On my previous visits the Wood Whites didn’t show until after the little bridge crossed the roaring torrent that is the River Lox. We’d been walking for about 15 seconds and were still on the first straight bit of the track when we saw a small and dainty white butterfly making its way towards us. Both Philzoid and I wondered if it was a small Green-veined White and shock our heads in disbelief when it got close enough to identify – it was a Wood White. After the first bend in the path we came across another two which seemed intent on chasing each other about – it was probably the slowest chase in the butterfly world, more a dawdle to be frank. There were a few Specklies here and also a quite unusual moth. As we approached the Lox a couple more showed up and then they turned up with such regularity that I gave up trying to count. At one point I looked up one side of the path and the verge held 7 all slowly flapping about. It was a great sight to behold and worth the early morning and also dragging myself away from the Glannies. As we carried on along the path we’d stop occasionally for a few more shots particularly the face-off courting behaviour. I’d seen it before and read about it recently in other people’s diaries but to see the same strange act played out time and again was quite surreal. It has to rank as one of the most civil and tender of courtships. I’d recently seen Pearls and Marshies court – well if you can call it courting it’s more ‘wham bang’ as well as failed attempts by Brimstones which just made the unsuccessful male look like a pathetic loser but here it felt like I was watching an intimate tete-a-tete, a candle lit seduction over a fine dinner with excellent wines. We carried on along the track hearing Woodlark and Nightengales and seeing small moths, Brimstones, more Wood Whites and Longicornis bees and then we broke through into the small triangle field and started looking around. It was now that we started seeing a few other bits and bobs in amongst the Wood Whites. There were a few moths – Burnet Companion, Mother Shipton, a couple of Common blues and a Large Skipper. A Small Heath also turned up and in between following the Wood Whites we also came across a couple of different types of Dragonfly – one had the look of a Hawker and another paused long enough for a few shots – an immature Scarce Chaser. Chuffed we started the slow walk back to the car still accompanied by Wood Whites at almost every step of the way as well as the occasional Brimstone and Specklie. The Wood Whites were starting to bet a bit hard work now as they would lfy ceaselessly, always looking as if they were going to land but never actually doing so. As we crossed back over the Lox they thinned out until we saw what I thought would be our last on just before the final bend in the track. When we came round the corner a Red Admiral bombed past us and settled down on the track. A nearby Hoverfly annoyed it and it took off, flew past us, flew back towards us and then landed down on the side of the path. It then started walking about, proboscis waving and looking for some salts. Not much longer and its larger and much sought after cousin will be flying in these woods – get yer Tuna ready! As we ate lunch and flicked Ticks off, drank our coffee and packed the car a sole Wood White flew ceaselessly at the edge of car park. Seemingly sensing that we were departing it carried on across the road hopefully spreading to more areas of the wood. A fantastic Big Trip!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Some big trip!. Fresh Glanvilles ( without paying Wightlink sixty plus quid ), and a
good selection of Wood Whites, not all fresh but in good condition.
Some excellent photography too. I love days like that.

Trevor.

That was a great morning, Wurzel - very sociable, some splendid butterflies and you achieved some terrific shots of them as well. One of the particularly memorable days of the year so far. Adding a Chiddingfold visit later on turned out to be a successful idea as well by the look of it - more great shots of that daintiest of butterflies.

Cheers,

Dave

Cheers Trevor It was one of those days when things sort of clicked into place - great company, great chat and great butterflies
Cheers Dave It was a cracking morning I think one year it might just be possible to get Heath, Glanvilles and Wood Whites in one day...

August 2019

I know this is even later than usual but I've just got back from the Wurzel family holiday so please excuse the tardiness
Have a goodun

Wurzel

I concluded from your recent ' silence ' that the Wurzel family hols were underway!.
Hope you managed to escape with the camera when no one was looking, or even before they were up.

Will try Tilshead early am Mon, Tues & Weds if you can make it, weather permitting. + Walls in Church grounds.

All the best,
Trevor.