Bentley Wood 29-04-2018
After a weekend of very strong winds and cool dull cloud it was no great surprise to wake on Monday to blue skies and an upsurge in the temperature. After being ‘locked in’ over the weekend I decided to take advantage of the favourable conditions and do a drop in at Bentley Wood on the way home as it would only add about 10 miles to my journey. So at the end of the day I changed in the loos and set off across country cheered by the large number of whites (OTs, Brimstone, Whites) that were flying along the verges on the way but grinning ruefully at the increasing cloud. One highlight of my rally drive was the sight of 8 or more Red Kits soaring around one field near Middle Wallop. Another highlight was that the road to the car park is in a much better state than I can recall.
Once freed from the car I noted a pair of spiralling Specklies and then I legged I down to the Clearing which I had all to myself. The book had mentioned Pearls at the ‘end’ so I made my way down to the bottom part, the tussocky little field enclosed apart from two breaks in the trees. There was only the slightest breeze but here it was still and warm. A Peacock does a fly-by, Brimstone, Small White and a female Orange-tip fluttered round the Bluebells near the bench pausing long enough for some shots on occasion. On the other side the Peacock went up again and dislodged a Comma. So far it was all very typical so I wandered back to the bench to have a snack and there was a Pearl. It was joined very quickly by a second which flew in from where I don’t know and couldn’t say. One minute there was an airspace minus a Pearl the next ‘Pop’ there was an airspace occupied by a Pearl. A third appeared flying more obviously along the fence teasing and tempting me to climb over after it. This little purple patch ended with a fly-by Holly Blue and then it clouded over – still 3 Pearls ace.
The cloud had dulled the butterflies as well as the vista but I reckoned I could find some more awaiting the sun so I crossed the steam and made my way to the other side of the clearing taking the other track back down to the bottom end. As I did I scanned the piles of dead Bracken on either side of the path. Yep – there was a Pearl, then a Peacock which took off spooking the Pearl so I followed it, watched it land first on the barbed wire fence and then on a sapling. The cloud settled it nicely and I was able to spend a lot of time with it although I had to adopt ‘horse pose’ remembered from many a year ago when I studied Kung-fu so as to be stable and at the same level as the butterfly.
With aching thighs I bade it goodbye and set off back down the path to see if I could locate any more Pearls sitting out the cloud. It seems like I’d gotten my eye in as I managed to find a second and a third sitting still and awaiting the return of the sun. I actually looked up and could see that there was one huge cloud directly overhead and only overhead. I could make out the halos of brightness marking the edges of the clearing on the outside there was gorgeous sun bu in the confines of the clearing just cloud…So after checking in with the original roosting Pearl I made as if to leave.
I’d gotten as far as the little triangle near the information board when another Pearl flew weakly before me and landed in a sapling. I wondered if it was newly emerged because it looked immaculate and also it was flying so weakly flopping down here and there. It eventually settled at the foot of the sapling, closed up and provided me with some lovely views of the underside. Close by a Specklie bombed away but I was almost as settled as the Pearl so I let it go. In my reverie; Pearl in front of me, pleasantly warm, Tree Pipits and Garden Warblers adding a musical backdrop; I’d missed the fact that was a slight break in the cloud. The light hit the Pearl and off it went. I followed and waited for it to sit, open winged and bask before moving in for some shots.
Chuffed I made for home wondering if I’d seen a maximum of 7 or a minimum of 4.
Have a goodun
Wurzel
