Wurzel

[Goldie M]

HI! Wurzel, still not seen a Small Tort, you've taken some lovely shots of them, awful weather here today ,cold wind, no Sun till 4pm, I went to Sea Salter in the afternoon and nearly got blown away Not a Butterfly seen, hope fully tomorrow will be better. Goldie

[trevor]

All those Small Torts! Apart from Halnaker I've only seen two around here so far.
Enjoyed your OT shots, they seem to have had a good year locally.

Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Bugboy Just goes to show the poor state of the start of the season Bugboy Normally by now I've got so much to post I'm a least 2 months behind
Cheers Goldie I hope your Sunday was better for butterflies Goldie The Small Torts do alright over here in the West probably because it's a bit wetter?
Cheers Trevor In a normal year I'd have seen even more but I haven't been able to get out as much due to the inclement weather Still things are heating up now so fingers crossed the worst is behind us

Five Rivers 13-04-2023

As I still had an hour or so until I needed to be back I decided to make the most of it and so I fair jumped in the car and was away across the city to Five Rivers. As I walked along the riverside path towards the Glades I felt buoyed up by that wonderful feeling of anticipation that comes from the first sighting of an Orange-tip. I don’t know what it is about this particular species but I look forward to it in a different way from any other species, its appearance on my Year List means more than any other too. However despite hoping that I would add another to the Tally the Glades remained empty and my jovial mood was dispatched quickly. Not by the lack of butterflies but by an aggressive dog, off its lead, growling and snarling at me while its owner pathetically told it ‘no’. Eventually, and somewhat reluctantly the owner put its lead back on and pulled it away. I’m sure that the number of responsible dog owners easily outweighs that of the lacklustre but how come most of the ones that I meet are of the irresponsible type? Shrugging it off I carried on my way and my mood was soon reverted back to the ‘pre dog’ setting with a Small White up at Comma Corner looking stunning against the white blossom.

I worked my way down the denuded part of the bank and round to what has been renamed Specklie Intersection. As I stood in the sun and scanned across the foliage looking for the little aggressive brown blur of a Specklie a Small White drifted past. A tiny, almost blue butterfly crossed paths with it, dropping down to the deck. As I worked towards it unfortunately it took off again but not before I could positively identify it as a Holly Blue. A few steps on and another tiny, bluish-white butterfly drifted down and jinked left and right while it flew at a lower elevation. I watched its progress with bated breath, hopping slightly from foot to foot as I tried to predict if and where it would land. Somewhat unceremoniously it suddenly just dropped down among some nettles and so I gingerly made towards it, snaking my feet along so as not to trample but with my eyes firmly locked on where I’d seen it go down. I wasn’t in the best of positions to start with but as if sensing my disappointment it took a little walk around and along the leaves before it got comfy. Again I waited and watched in between clicking away and sure enough it started to open up. The sunbathing eventually did its job and with a quick flick and jump it was off jinking away into the sun.

I kept wandering along the bottom of the Banks accompanied by a brace of Whites which spooked a Peacock near the fallen Hawthorn. I waited and watched the activity for a bit and the Peacock (at least I think it was) returned to claim its perch and so I clicked away. Sated for Peacock shots (finally) I pressed on along the Lower Banks. As I was working to the final section behind the line of trees down to the river a Comma erupted up from the ground. It spooked a second Peacock and both flew on away from me through the little gaps and towards the final section of Lower Banks. I followed and the Comma was waiting for me on the other side of the tree line, but only for the briefest of grab shots. There were also a few more Peacocks here seemingly evenly spread along the tiny track ways that run along the side of the Banks and I watched as one Small White became two. So things were shaping up nicely here. I followed on of the Small Whites out across the more mown section towards the end of the Banks hoping that it would tire and possibly seek sustenance and it did briefly pause but only once I was almost at the end of the Banks. As with a lot of the butterflies it was also really twitchy and even the most cautious of stalks would put it up so after three attempts I left it in peace and started to retrace my footsteps. As I did so I realised that I’d not seen any Small Torts; could they have already been and gone from this early site?

On the return journey along the Banks three Whites all flew in the same view so I knew they were different individuals, the Peacocks still flew along the Banks and back at the line of trees the Comma was back on guard duty. It sat for much longer this time so I was able to get in much closer. After this I decided to head home but spent a few moments at Specklie Intersection which was where all the action was! One or two of the Whites drifted by in their incessant sweeping of the Banks, 2 Holly Blues jinked down from the trees and promptly disappeared from view the minute that I’d worked out what they were but instead of the hoped for Specklie a second Comma was in residence at the Intersection itself. Debating about whether to change the name back to the original my decision was made for me when a grey brown blur viciously zoomed in like a rocket ending the Comma packing. Job done it settled itself down, master of all that it surveyed; it was a/the Specklie! Feeling that this was a fitting end for the visit I made my way back to the car the quickest way but also the least butterfly friendly way possible so as not to ruin the narrative.

With variety
And with greater numbers too
This is more like it!
Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

That's a lovely shot of the Peacock Wurzel, I think it looks great

I've missed the Torts but I did manage to get some shots of them last year, hope fully at Temple Ewell this year Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie The good thing about butterflies like the Small Torts is that you get a second chance at them later in the year

Kingston Lacey 15-04-2023

It was a cold and breezy spring day, the sun wasn’t out for very long and when it did come out it was still relatively weak and so of course we were walking round the grounds of Kingston Lacey House. We managed to walk all the way round the first half of the woodland walk without seeing anything despite the Wild Garlic, Bluebells and Celandines all putting on a good display. The last little bit of the walk before it opens up into the ‘wild play area’ is usually where I spy the first butterflies of the day and as we started down the hill I found myself scanning the Bluebells more intently in case there was an Orange-tip weaving its way through the petals. Alas no such sight greeted me and I sat down to lunch somewhat despondently while Nuthatches trilled overhead. As I settled down to much something moving along the surrounding trees caught my eye so still chewing I picked my camera up and had a closer look. It was a Red Admiral so I grabbed a few record shots and got back to my luncheon.

Repast complete we got back on the trail and took the shorter path pack to the House and from there along the drive, through the wood and to the kitchen garden. Sadly the main source of butterflies is now gone as the allotments had been moved behind locked gates so no more late summer Painted Ladies from here then. In fact the whole area was bereft of butterflies and it was only once we’d left and were crossing the road back into the grounds that I spied a Brimstone quartering the hedge. It didn’t get any easier once we were back ensconced in the gardens. The Pacific Garden had been cleared and all I could find for the rest of the visit was a Peacock which of course chose to feed right in the middle of the fenced off bank! All I could do was point the lens in the correct direction and hope to crop the living daylights out of anything that found its way onto the memory card.

Despite the almost total lack of butterflies I still enjoyed my time with the girls running on ahead (not really girls anymore what with K off to Uni this year) while my wife and I walked hand in hand relishing the colours and scents of spring. On the way home things warmed up a little and so I saw a few Brimstones fluttering along the country roads on from Blandford. I suggested that we call in on my Sister in-laws’ and cadge a cuppa as we’d not seen them since before our trip to Corfu. As we were chatting in their conservatory, sipping coffee and looking out across their garden what should drop in? Only the butterfly I’d been secretly hoping to find throughout the visit to Kingston Lacey; a male Orange-tip. When I say “drop in” I really do mean “drop in” as one minute it was flying across the garden from one line of fence panels to the others and then all of a sudden it was a metre or so lower. I watched it and took a few more sips of coffee thinking that it would soon be off again but it just sat there. Perhaps the breeze had chilled it and so it needed to warm up before it could resume its flight? Whatever the reason here was a sitting Orange-tip, still and with wings wide open. So I put my coffee down and asking “do you mind?” I grabbed my camera, slipped on a handy pair of Crocs (at least 3 sizes too small but what the hoo) and gingerly approached it. Fearing that it would be gone the minute it got a sniff of me I started the quick-step but even this didn’t send it on its way and so I was able to get in really close. Shots in the bag I retired to the Conservatory and took up my coffee and only then did it take to the wing again; the most well behaved Orange-tip ever!

Kingston was quite poor
A good natured Orange-tip
Saves the day for me

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

Your OT is so fresh it could be it's maiden flight, hence the long pause.
For an OT shot they don't come better than that!

Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Trevor It did seem a little floppy round the hind wings I've not done too badly for them this year although I haven't photographed a female in the UK

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Jones’s Mill 20-04-2023

The minute hand clicked round to the 12 but still the meeting continued. I stared out of the window, the sun was still shining but the wind had picked up. I spent the next 20 minutes gritting my teeth in frustration and willing the others to speak quickly. When it was my own turn I rattled out bullet points so quickly it sounded like I was reading aloud from a Kerouac novel. My eyes darted from the room to the clock to the window with a growing sense of annoyance. It shouldn’t have been this way; the meeting should have ended at 4…

When it finally did end I was away, cutting and bobbing and weaving through the village and along the narrow road to the little lay-by come car park. Then I threw my boots on, grabbed my camera and I walked/ran along the top of the hill to the gate on the far side. A Small Tort went up and was whipped away and out of sight by the wind. Once I’d climbed over the gate I slowed and started scanning. A Peacock erupted from the sea of Dandelions that bubbled up from the greenery but it too was caught by the wind.

When I got into the reserve one section of the Boardwalk was closed so I started off clockwise around instead. The trees and shrubs stopped the wind in its tracks so the air was still which was handy for as I rounded a corner on the path two butterflies went up. Outside of the wood they’d have vanished but here I could watch where they fluttered and eventually landed. The Specklie spiralled upwards striving for height so I turned my attentions to the second which appeared tiny and white – a Holly Blue. Unusually it fluttered around and about never venturing above waist height and so I was able to get some shots from a couple of locations before I moved on. I followed the Boardwalk track round; the Fen Filed was bereft of life, all the nooks and crannies were white-less and when I emerged back into the breeze and out onto the Fen proper I was deeply disappointed. Instead of a sea of delicate Cuckoo Flowers there were the usual yellow florets but I saw only a single Cuckoo Plant. This didn’t bode well for Orange-tips and whilst I walked to where the Boardwalk was blocked and back I didn’t see a single butterfly.

Somewhat despondently I walked back into the wood and clomped my way back round. As I was passing the gate to the Fen Field a Comma shot past. I followed it as it flew parallel to the path and went through the next gate. There it was having a bit of a scrap with a Peacock. They paused for a breather between bouts a short distance away from each other and so I started trying to stalk them. The Peacock was very, very flighty and so I spent more time with the Comma. In between posing for it’s photo it would fly up and have a go at the Peacock. Eventually with my time slipping away I moved off and suddenly there were two Commas leaving me to wonder if I’d photographed both of them?

As I was completing the penultimate stretch of the walk (up the hill to the gate) having left the wood another Holly Blue appeared. This one was keeping down low to the ground as well, rarely flying above the tops of the Bramble. Again I didn’t mind as, again, I was able, with a little careful foot placement, to get in reasonably close.

I drove home happy that I’d managed to make the most of the time even though the hoped for Whites had been a no-show. I just had a nagging concern – where was all the Cuckoo Flower?
Visit Jones’ Mill
No Green-veined nor Orange-tips
Trapped in a time warp
Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

Great Holly Blues. At my local spot they aren't as co-operative as yours and Dave's.
Wiltshire was great!

Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Trevor I swear that no Holly Blues were whispered at in the making of this PD post But only because I haven't mastered the technique yet

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Great shots Wurzel, of the Holly Blues, they're in my garden every day, but don't settle for long before flying off It's the Comma I've yet to see and the Red Admiral, like you say though plenty of time yet for them. Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie I've noticed a few more Red Admirals about recently so there could be one your way soon

Five Rivers 22-04-2023

One of my least favourite activities during Spring is the almost continual game of ‘Race the Clouds’ because inevitably they always win because they don’t play fair, sneaking up on you out of the blue or tracking slowly across the sky right up to the point when you arrive at your destination when they hurtle across the heavens at breakneck speed. As I drove towards The Devenish I was once again competing and the nimbi (is this the plural of nimbus?) were gathering and looming large. As I drew near to the little roundabout I made a snap decision to play the clouds at their own game and so rather than visiting The Devenish I was soon parked and then wandering along the riverside path at Five Rivers.

My cheer didn’t last for long as the clouds dealt their final hand, a seemingly impenetrable blanket rolled across the sky smothering the sun. Ruefully I averted my gaze from the ground and instead scanned the sky looking for little points of weakness; little patches of blue or brightness against dull murk. There looked to be one or two spots that, so long as I was careful, I might be able to take advantage of and so I pressed on instead of retreating. Unsurprisingly all along the river side path and Glades all was quiet. It felt like the cloud wasn’t just smothering the sun but was almost dulling the sounds as well. When I got to the Banks just past Specklie Intersection finally a butterfly raised its head above the parapet and there was what I hoped would be the ‘first butterfly of the day’ and not the only one! It was a Comma sitting on a leaf and looking like it was desperately trying to bask.

As I clicked away at the Comma I felt a strange sensation on my neck. It took me a moment but then I worked out that it was the sun. One of the ‘weak’ spots in the blanket of cloud was working its way along the Banks. I looked back down at the Comma but it had gone, the extra 0.5 of a degree had made the difference. And not just to the Comma; as I looked about a Peacock took off from some hidden perch and then the Comma revisited. The sun had arrived by this time but looking towards the end of the Banks I could see that it wouldn’t last long so I sharpened the eyes. An Orange-tip came towards me and a White went up from a Bramble bush behind me. A/the Peacock flashed past in a near Kamikaze run. All of this in a matter of 30 seconds or so! “Hmm what to follow?” I mused and without thinking grabbed a few shots of the Peacock while I thought things through. It had to be the Orange-tip of course but it didn’t play fair for as the cloud crept along the Banks re-exerting its strangle hold on the sun the butterfly kept flying. I kept following it and the stinging nettles that lined the narrow trackways continually managed to penetrate through my jeans which made it fell like the 2 minutes that it kept flying was actually much longer. Then the cooler temperatures must have caught up with it and it settled. I got a fair few shots before it seemed to get a second wind nd flew a whole 2 metres away before it again plunged down into the vegetation. So I settled down with it but unfortunately the cloud lingered so I decided to risk leaving it and try further along the Banks.

I needn’t have bothered. As I worked my way along the Banks the cloud held sway over the reserve. The blue sky in the distance that had prompted me to try further afield stayed the same distance away, just out of reach as a huge block of cloud stubbornly sat directly over Five Rivers. When I got to the end of the Banks it became clear that the cloud wasn’t going anywhere fast and so I tried to work out the range of influence it had over Salisbury; was it only Five Rivers that was effected or would the sun be out at Middle Street? I decided to risk finding out but tarried a little longer as when I retraced my steps I ran into the Orange-tip still in the same place. I settled down and waited for the slightest break in the cloud – in the end there was just a slight rising in the light levels and it was only enough to make the OT lift its fore wing slightly showing the beautiful patterning on the underside tip. As the light faded once again it hunkered down and so I left it in peace.

The drive over to Middle Street was really pleasant and sun filled but as I parked I could see that there was another huge swathe of cloud ready to swoop in and wreck things. As I walked onto the reserve I was accompanied by the falling light levels and the dropping temperature that has been the hallmark of my season so far this year. I can’t seem to get the timing right; the conditions are always perfect as I get tot eh right spot but then they change so I end up in the right place at the wrong time. I pressed on regardless and kept a close eye on any flowers with white petals just in case there was another Orange-tip caught out by the cloud and my travels took me along the Back Path and round the Pond before arriving to check out the Dips.

I worked into Dip 1 via the side entrance, a little trackway between the large Bramble hedge that lines one of the paths to the river and flying amid the pale grey of last seasons’ grasses was a Small Tort. Pleased that the butterflies were putting in an appearance despite the grey I climbed back out and onto the Bank Path. From this raised elevation I spotted another Small Tort down on the football pitch and there was another down in Dip 2. From the different notches and markings I was able to be certain that these were three different individuals but after this promising start the walk along the rest of the Bank Path didn’t yield any further butterflies, not even the scrubby little hollow. Still three Small Torts on a less than reasonable weather day wasn’t too bad.

As I worked back the way I’d come but from the lower path I was able to scrutinize the actual Bank bit of the Bank Path better and I didn’t have to wait long for my observations to bear fruit as a couple of steps along the track I could make out the eyes of a Peacock. For such a tired and bedraggled looking specimen it certainly still had some ’umph’ left and it did play hard to get before eventually running out of steam and plopping resignedly down. After this I found a Small Tort, then another and then another followed by a side dish of Small Tort back in Dip 2. I was having great fun but couldn’t help but check on the cloud periodically. The situation was getting less and less conducive to butterflying and so I decided that I’d had a good run and now was the time to leave the table. As I drove homewards I reckoned that the Law of Sod would see to it that the sun finally came out as my key hit the lock once home…

Yet despite the cloud
Dynamic duo of sites
Produce some goodies
Have a goodun

Wurzel

P.S. Of course when I was right. When I returned the sun finally came out and stayed out and so I went for a walk round The Close with my wife. I was about to bemoan the Law of Sod when I spied a large mass of cloud still sitting over Middle Street

[Wurzel]

Martin Down 23-04-2023

As I made my way down the much smoother Sillen’s Lane to the car park I was greeted by an errant Specklie that flew across the entrance to the car park and as I drew to a halt a brace of Brimstones criss-crossed across the scrape and roofs of the other cars. I took this to be a positive sign – three butterflies and I hadn’t even gotten out of the car. However it then went very quiet, so quiet in fact I was left wondering whether I’d seen all the butterflies that were actually at Martin Down. It was only when I reached the little field just behind the Hollow Hotspot and I’d started examining the usual stand of Gorse for Greenstreaks that I found my next butterflies; two more fly-by Brimstones.

To cut a long story short this was how the morning progressed; a lot of walking to get to the ‘usual hotspots’ generally in the sun but with only the odd Brimstone. Then when I get to the place the sun goes in and I end up waiting around before deciding to move onto the next spot only for the sun to come out on the way but again not the butterflies. In this way I covered the aforementioned ground from the Car Park to the Greenstreak spot, round to the Hollow, along the Dyke to the Half-way spot before the Butts, all the way back and then up to the Island of vegetation in the middle of the Down. All of this walking produced a grand total of…3 Brimstones!

Once at the Island I hoped that things would pick up slightly and that did indeed become the case. As I picked my way along the tiny track that led to the little clearing in the middle of the Island a Specklie flew ahead of me and in the clearing itself a couple of Brimstones dropped in whilst I was searching. Not a great improvement but slightly better at least. Upon leaving I retraced my steps back up and then walked round to the back of the Island adding a further four Brimstones, a couple of which were females and also another species for the day – in the form of a brace of Peacocks.

As I rounded the corner at the back of the Island I spied a few more Brimstones fluttering along the hedge line. One broke off from the feeding line and was swiftly followed by a second. I watched a little more intently as the first had been a female and the pursuer was a male. The female dropped down to the ground and the male followed suit and started fluttering about her. He was making his intentions perfectly clear as was she. Unfortunately for him they were coming form opposite sides and she was opening her wings wide and raising her abdomen in rejection of his advances. He gave up after a couple of passes but the female sat with wings open just in case he pulled a fast one and doubled back to try and catch her unawares. Finally I got some luck as the cloud that had plagued me all morning covered the sun at exactly the right time. As it covered the and moved sun the temperature dropped, only slightly, but enough to make the female keep her wings open. Perhaps she was trying to bask or maybe she was too cool to close her wings? Whatever the reason it let me get some of the best open wing Brimstone shots so far. At one point she opened up fully and moved into a perfect position.

The slight warming sensation on the back of my neck informed me that the cloud was dispersing again and all too quickly the Brimstone shut up shop and moved on. After this things slowed down again as I climbed all the way to the top and then back down through the Tunnel tracks to the car. On the journey up to the top there were singletons of Peacock and Brimstone and the best the Tunnel Track could offer were two Peacocks each at either end. Apart from the one highlight a poor showing over all, I mean three species from Martin Down. Three! Shocking!

Three species all day
Very poor for Martin Down
Hardly worth the trip
Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

WOW! Say no more!

[millerd]

Those are terrific shots of the female Brimstone, Wurzel. Did you get to try the technique on any Cleopatras in Corfu? Ever since the first time I saw one %@ years ago I've fancied a photo of an open-winged male...
(By the way, more for the Small Tortoiseshells - almost non-existent round here this spring.)

Cheers,

Dave

[Wurzel]

Cheers Trevor I got lucky with that shot, everything worked out perfectly
Cheers Dave Here's a few more Small Torts - looking a little past it some of them I would have tried that with the Cleopatras but none of them seemed inclined to mate, they were just kicking back, drinking nectar and enjoying the sun

Work 25-04-2023

I tried a slightly different route during my lunchtime transect, mainly because I’d seen a few Specklies around and I wanted to see if there were any hanging out in the corner of the field beyond the Pits. So instead of turning left and following the boundary hedge down to the corner and then the back path I kept walking and I was soon wading through the longer, unkempt grasses of the Pits. On the way a female Brimstone fluttered weakly along the other hedge line and at the second Long Jump run up a Small Tort went up from its basking spot on the ancient and neglected concrete. I watched it as it flew and then set off towards it. As I neared the spot I slowed my progress and started scanning about for the bright orange amid the sandy coloured tuffs of grass. I caught sight of it but then a second, unseen Small Tort that had been hunkering down deeper in the grasses spooked sending both butterflies upwards. One shot away over the large mound of Bramble disappearing out of sight but luckily the other did a few circuits and came back down so I was able to approach it.

I carried on but the little corner spot was Specklie-less and so I made my way diagonally across the football pitches and unmown ‘meadow’ to the other corner of the field and the back path. All the way along this I scanned ahead at the often productive hidey-holes but there was nothing to show for my efforts. I was starting to lose heart when at the Half-way Point a Peacock took off from nectaring and did a few passes. Each time it went by I willed it to come down and then eventually it did, but on the wrong side of the fence of course! It sat there mocking me but I had the last laugh as I was able to lean over the wire fence and lower my camera into position so I got some shots of it anyway.

I only had to wait until I was almost at the Parrots for my next butterfly as a Small Tort was busily feeding in a little clump of Dandelions on the corner. I grabbed a few shots of it and then managed to walk all the way to the end and back without spying another butterfly. The Small Tort was still flying around on my return but time was against me so I had to make a hurry up back to work. As I cajoled my legs into their fastest gait without actually running I wondered where all the butterflies were?

So few butterflies
A late start to the season
Or have I missed out?
Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Katrina]

Good that you saw a Small Tort - I have barely seen any all year.

[Goldie M]

Just seen your Female Brimstone , fantastic shots Wurzel Here's an extra for the Torts Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Katrina They do seem to e doing okay over herein the wetter West
Cheers Goldie I've found them courting a few times since but alas still not seen a pair 'do the deed'

June 2023

Maybe with such a slow start to the season we won't have the June gap this year?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Work 28-05-2023

This was one of those days that deceives to flatter! All morning I watched the sun beat down (if that is a thing in April?) as I was trapped in my classroom and intermittently staring mournfully out of my window. Then during my free before lunch the cloud held itself back while I sat and marked, and prepared and did four things at once so that I would be free come lunchtime to head out with my camera…

Cometh the hour cometh the cloud! And as I stepped out of the building and started across the field to the Pits sure enough the cloud took off the brakes and rolled across the sky. I pressed on hopefully but the Pits were silent as were the corner of the field so beloved by Specklies and the majority of the boundary hedge. I set to taking photos of the dog walkers trespassing and cussing in muttered tones. My curses were cut short as a white flew across the desert like meadow before plumping down on a Bramble in the hedge exhausted. I leant in and my cursing switched to praising the weather gods as the sun still managed to get some light though the cloud but not too much so I ended up with some nicely balanced and non-bleached out shots of a Small White.

Chuffed I pushed my luck a little further and followed the path to the bottom of the fields and then round to the other corner where the line of nettles is usually my first port of call when completing my early season transect. My luck held as there was a Small Tort sitting backing in what little sun was eking through the cloud cover, the orange colour contrasting nicely with the bluey green cooch grass it had chosen to perch on.

Later in the afternoon work was finished and I’d arranged to pick the girls up from Waitrose car park; a short walk and a lift for them, a chance to get one set of shopping done and grab a free coffee for me. Win, win! If got even better as I’d been extra speedy round the shop and so now as my coffee cooled (I like to gulp it down rather than sip) I had a few moments spare before the girls arrived. So I grabbed my camera and made over to the little patch of lawn opposite the Delivery depot. I’ve had OTs, Small Torts, Brimstones, Holly Blues and Red Admirals here before but today it was the turn of a Peacock to enter the ‘fastest trip’ record books. A stroll across the car park followed by a lift of the camera, a quick scan and then click away for a minute and the job was done.

When will the Spring stick?
It comes in fits and in starts
Round up what I can.

Have a goodun

Wurzel