Cheers Goldie
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Yeah it's turning into a desert out there - I just hope there's something left for the butterflies that are still to emerge
Cheers Trevor
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
I found the trick was to hang around the thistles and eventually they'd view me as part of the scenery
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
Fingers crossed for tomorrow
Grovely Wood 19-06-2022
Choices, choices but not the choices I wanted to be making! The weather had taken a turn for the worse so Daneways seemed out and further East the forecast was for wall to wall cloud and so was further West for once Salisbury was in the enviable position of having reasonable weather while all around had worse. Whilst I was appreciative of this exceedingly rare occurence it meant that my options were limited. In the end I plumped for a visit to Grovely Woods as I would be able to visit all the little hotspots discovered during the time constraints of family walks and properly explore them as well as hopefully picking up some White Admirals...
When I arrived there were a few patches of blue in the distance so I set off under a pallid sky and so that I could reach the best bits quickly I worked in reverse order ducking under the tree branches lining the car park and climbing up the curtained hill behind. The normally narrow pathway was even more so as it was now overgrown and a couple of times I had to climb over fallen trees on my continued ascent. At my first stop I spotted a couple of Large Skippers sitting in the gloom on green bridges formed form the large grass leaves. A Red Admiral didn’t hang about and a couple of Specklies sat at different junctures of the path. The main reason for stopping here was a Ringlet, sitting wings wide open trying to absorb the little sun that was infiltrating through the cloud. As second one popped up and gave me an opportunity for a few underwing shots.
![19-06-2022 3.JPG (1.39 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 3.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_c1487a815bc40112121ed32da432b9b0)
![19-06-2022 4.JPG (1.59 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 4.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_6cb0b73c05e372b068714b64c7a55ac0)
I carried on wending my way along the narrow path and slightly further on in the next more open area there were four Large Skippers dotted about amid the grasses, a couple of Ringlets flitted about and the Specklies were again down holding a certain stretch of the path as their own. As I continued I started seeing Meadow Browns entering the mix and with each set of 15 or steps I’d enter another Specklie territory. The butterfly would invariably be down on the path, wings held out resting flat on the ground and as I approached it would take to the air, buzz me a couple of times before climbing rapidly upwards to an elevated perch from where it would peek over the edge down at me. When the wood opened up near the top of the rise the margins along the side of the path widened and getting more light offered a greater range of vegetation. In the mix of this were clumps of Garlic Mustard bereft of leaves. I had a little look and managed to find a couple of Cats which I’m pretty sure were OT cats – if only there was a field guide which covered all the various stages of a butterflies lifecycle?
![19-06-2022 6.JPG (675.24 KiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 6.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_7ff9d56f9bc2004f91a2175d01e9ca7c)
![19-06-2022 8.JPG (1.83 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 8.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_54f25fa15180a12942f7487a0ea4dd95)
![19-06-2022 9.JPG (1.25 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 9.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_1b5bfe4005979efca9c5d7f4d972eaa6)
After this I left the woodland and climbed over the stile into the field at the top of the Down. Wandering around in the grey I slalomed in between the stands of thistles hoping for something ginger atop one of them. It didn’t seem to be though and apart from a Small Heath and the odd Meadow Brown all seemed quiet. And then out of nowhere a ginger beastie shot up out of the grass in front of me and hared off across the field. I did my best to follow it as it swerved this way and skimming the tops of the grass. As I walked to the far corner another DGF went up (or it could have been the same one?) and this time I was more successful in following it. It also led me on a merry dance but eventually I managed to get something of it as after a while it started landing in little cleared patches from where I presume it was soaking up and warmth radiated back from the thin soil.
![19-06-2022 10.JPG (1.75 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 10.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_2ea4ab5c369f9e944931db9000774de4)
![19-06-2022 11.JPG (1.8 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 11.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_f1feed5b526afc35ceb14c836ddcf81a)
The next stop of the Highlights of the Grovely walk was the cleared side of the hill which is arranged in a series of terraces each demarked by a strip of Bramble. As I wandered back and forth along each terrace before dropping down to the next and repeating my procession I picked up a smattering each of Meadow Browns, the odd Ringlet and Marbled White. There were also a few Large Skippers and amid them their more diminutive cousins the Small Skippers. At one stage a Red Admiral took off from within the Bramble and sailed down the hill, rising slightly each time it crossed over the threshold of the following terrace. I watched what I thought were a pair of Ringlets rise up form the vegetation in what I hoped was a courtship dance but when I approached it became clear that it was in fact a Ringlet and a somewhat confused Meadow Brown. The later followed the former, dropping down and waiting near the former looking a little pitiful as it couldn’t understand the resistance from the object of its affections. I left them in peace wondering about the outcome of a successful pairing – would a hybrid be possible and would it be viable? I soon forgot these musings though as I got back on the hunt for any one of the 6 or so DGFs that were zooming about the terraces. The Bramble was an obvious attraction for them and I had my best success from waiting for the sun to go in a little and then scouring the Bramble tops for out of place ginger bits.
![19-06-2022 14.JPG (1.51 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 14.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_0f0f92a83340af3f5c17df31f1e03bee)
![19-06-2022 15.JPG (1.62 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 15.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_4af6c62f3dcf242e44175a8c2a157abe)
![19-06-2022 16.JPG (962.98 KiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 16.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_b7beb2e15587162cc599e5c6893e374f)
![19-06-2022 17.JPG (1.73 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 17.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_fe81d3ec19607079fde02d3894c528c0)
I continued onwards in reverse and so the next was usually the precursor to the Terraces, the path curves round and at the centre of the arc the trees have been cleared. The grasses here were almost above my head and in the centre a huge Bramble bush overtopped them all as it sprawled half way down the hill. It was into this that a vivid orange H.Comma dropped down. It though it had got the better of me but little did it realise that just round the other side the grass was shorter and so too was the Bramble. Chuckling that I’d gotten one over on it I set off, stepping over a mass of Peacock cats as I did so and grabbing a few shots of a Red Admiral on the way.
![19-06-2022 18.JPG (1.89 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 18.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_32917fdf8085bac74af79696105ab81a)
![19-06-2022 20.JPG (1.38 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 20.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_39bb5c313b7bcab36a020499236171d1)
The path rose steeply and then when I turned off left at the crossroads levelled nicely. Whoever is responsible for the Wood had been having a bit of a tidy up and the usually hemmed in ride was opened up considerably and seemed even more level then usual without the variation in the sward height of the path grasses. As I started along the ride a Red Admiral buzzed me, flew around me a couple of times and then landed down on the track. As I watched it closed up and disappeared from view. As I walked along the recently manicured track the cloud thickened and the temperature declined so the number of butterflies wen the same way as the temperature, only more so and I kept trudging away while the wind was whipping the treetops whilst whispering down below. A few Red Admirals towards the end of the Ride where the only thing of note and then the Ride arched around and joined onto the main track that runs the length of the wood shaded by the tallest trees that the wood has to offer. I cut across through the wood to one of the smaller, parallel rides that in the past has seen me right for Silver-washed and White Admiral but I now, what with the grey holding on, I spent most of my time walking with nothing to show butterfly wise even though the little bursts of sunshine occurred when I was in the best spots.
![19-06-2022 21.JPG (1.84 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 21.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_875a8adfa0e6900355d8e82152ef7439)
![19-06-2022 22.JPG (1.54 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 22.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_e030f3114d3f5e989551266b246d116c)
Eventually the Psykhe took heed of my mumblings mistaking them for prayers and so the cloud cleared and the butterflies flew. I’d reached a part of the wood I’d not visited before and as I approached a muddied puddle some Specklies took off, whose behavior annoyed a few Meadow Browns which did similar until finally they royally p*$$ed off a Red Admiral. I watched as it glided into a small clearing and settled down on the thick layer of sawdust which carpeted said clearing. As I approached for a few shots I spotted another two also taking advantage of the well-insulated flooring. I only managed to capture shots of two of them but it made a nice break from the monotony of walking and fruitlessly scanning the vegetation.
![19-06-2022 24.JPG (1.82 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 24.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_28a52e1399b41f63d37ff1e180f7e4ba)
After this little interlude I returned to walking and not stalking as I reached the main track, wide as a road and tarmaced too but dark under the thick canopy. From this point on I was walking the usual route and so reenacting plenty of family visits to this site. I turned left and then got onto the ride, turned right at the cross roads and down the hill, past the cleared curve with it’s tall grasses and huge Bramble and on along towards the Terraces. It was at this point that the machinations of the weather finally reached the zenith of their evil plan and it started to rain. Luckily a fir tree (a bit like a wider Leylandii) offered me perfect cover and I took the moment to write up my notes and enjoy a coffee. As if sensing that I wasn’t the least bothered by the rain the clouds gave up and as I strolled onto the first Terrace the sun burnt away the cloud and the butterflies floated up amid the evaporating water vapour. My trawls along the Terraces brought me more of the same that I’d previously encountered but I noticed that the DGFs were slightly fewer in number but much better behaved in the afternoon sun and so I filled the memory up.
![19-06-2022 25.JPG (1.78 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 25.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_a95f46ec650bf82370842718dda3cf1f)
![19-06-2022 26.JPG (1.24 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 26.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_4939b3bd66d4af5a4a0d565651a70334)
![19-06-2022 27.JPG (956.04 KiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 27.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_813a3f8aeac448b666fd8f5ed54e06a2)
![19-06-2022 29.JPG (1.18 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 29.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_e96c12ec1145cc313475eb5d290d89b0)
![19-06-2022 30.JPG (1.64 MiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 30.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_7de46d29eb4e18ae94022347cf68b18b)
Chuffed I made my way back to the top of the Down and into the field. The DGF here did another strafing run and was gone at a dizzying speed but I did find an addition to the Tally here, a solo male Common Blue. The sun had passed and once again the cloud covered the sky and so I made my way back down the steep woodland track where it had all begun. I was accompanied on the way by the Meadow Browns, Ringlets and Large Skippers I’d come to expect. I was almost done walking when I glanced off to my right and there a trouser shredding distance into the Brambles was a Silver-washed, my first of 2022. I tried a few distant shots, stretching my arms out over the carpet of Briar and Bramble hoping to get something when out of nowhere a Jay shot through the trees and the Silver-washed went up into a nearby tree. Now it was settled and ‘safe’ I risked my jeans and slipping one foot after the other through little holes in the Brambles I managed to get just underneath it and fired off a few record shots. Fingers crossed I’ll be able to get much closer views soon. A pleasant morning, good to get a couple of Frits onto the year list but it would have been nice to have gotten my White Admiral…
![19-06-2022 31.JPG (640.4 KiB) Viewed 12496 times 19-06-2022 31.JPG](./files/thumb_9821_2b8b1c7e4a2e49901f9e2cdb79c3615f)
Off to Grovely
Not a case of Black and White
More a Dark Green day…
Have a goodun
Wurzel