As for cardinals, they are just magnificent creatures. Still today, 22nd September, they were putting on a performance, though I visited the site only in the afternoon (about 15h00), when only females fly. So no open aggression and dog-fights - just aerial elegance!
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/pandora22sep2017j.jpg)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/pandora22sep2017k.jpg)
This is a different female ...
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/pandora22sep2017d.jpg)
... and this a third:
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/pandora22sep2017b.jpg)
I only saw one individual with significant wing damage. It was about a kilometre from the main site, nectaring on Buddleia at the edge of a village:
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/pandora22sep2017a.jpg)
I got surprisingly few glimpses of undersides:
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/pandora22sep2017h.jpg)
Before visiting the cardinals I spent some time further east along the valley. Here are a few pictures from there:
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/onopordi22sep2017b.jpg)
(rosy grizzled skipper)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/alceae22sep2017a.jpg)
(mallow skipper)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/thersites22sep2017a.jpg)
(Chapman's blue)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/coridon22sep2017a.jpg)
(chalkhill blue)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/bellargus22sep2017a.jpg)
(Adonis blue)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/statilinus22sep2017a.jpg)
(tree graylings)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/semele22sep2017a.jpg)
(grayling - that individual in fact from the cardinal road, though they were flying further east too)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/statilinusjurtina22sep2017a.jpg)
(tree grayling with meadow brown)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/artaxerxes22sep2017a.jpg)
(presumed artaxerxes - Aricia is a bit of a mess here - all gradations of wing-shape and strength of markings)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/didyma22sep2017a.jpg)
(female spotted fritillary)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/didyma22sep2017b.jpg)
(male spotted fritillary - he seemed quite happy despite having just one antenna)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2017/alfacariensis22sep2017a.jpg)
(Berger's clouded yellow)
It's been a cold September so far but clearly the butterfly season is not over yet.
Guy