Thank you, Trevor. I shall study page 350 with interest...
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
To be honest, the position and the setting reminded me of Silver-washed Fritillaries, which are of a similar size.
Thanks, Wurzel. Yes, by the time I can confidently work this out and determine the sex, they'll be gone for another year.
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
Still a few more weeks of Orange Tips left, I hope.
Saturday 22nd April. (Part One) Despite unpromising cloudiness earlier on, I decided to go out further afield today. Right decision without a doubt. I headed for Noar Hill and arrived at about midday, and the sun was beginning to gain the upper hand.Within only a few minutes, I had seen a Peacock, a couple of Dingy Skippers and a Duke of Burgundy.
I wandered on through the cowslip-covered chalk pits, and saw more Dukes and Skippers, and the occasional Brimstone and Orange Tip.
I ended up in the last pit, where I found a like-minded enthusiast concentrating on another Duke.
There were at least three here, as at one point all three of them were within a foot of each other - this of course lasted a mere second before two took off skywards. My new acquaintance also discovered a Green Hairstreak and mentioned she had been told others were around. On my way back down, I did find a little group of then sharing a large holly tree with several Holly Blues. They were all high up and very active, almost impossible to photograph. One perched for a second or two.
I also found a Holly Blue low down while the sun was in, and waited... As it warmed when the sun returned, it opened beautifully.
I saw further Dukes on the way back to the gate.
On reaching it, I spotted a much lighter orange butterfly fluttering over a damp patch of ground and eventually settling on it and sucking up moisture. I was very surprised to discover this was a female Duke of Burgundy.
Firstly, I don't recall seeing any female butterfly do this, and it is the first Duke (Duchess!) I have seen "puddling". But it is very dry out there at the moment... The butterfly itself was very lightly marked, even for a female - is this within normal variation? It's quite striking.
An excellent visit, but there was still time for a trip somewhere else.
Dave