Cheers Trevor
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
I did see (and 'like' ) your comment on the The Book of Face
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
I'm keeping my ears to the ground regarding the Brostreaks - as soon as I hear I'll let you know
Martin Down 25-05-2024
Up the down and over the top, down through Broadchalke and up over Hogger road before crossing the dual carriage way and turning right after a short way into Martin Down. That was the route that we took for the final part of the saga worthy trio of trips. When we pulled in the sun was still shining unlike on our previous visit and as we wandered along the side path making for the start of the Dyke we could actually feel the warmth. The butterflies were responding and taking to the wing rather than dropping moribund to the floor. However slightly worrying was the dearth of butterflies despite the seemingly ideal conditions. In the Dyke, in past times possibly the only place to visit as it was the microcosm of the whole site, we didn’t see a single butterfly amid the tall grass. Perhaps this is responsible as it chokes out the wildflowers and nectar sources? Eventually we found something, right at the end of the part of the Dyke a single Dingy and possibly only here as it was able to take advantage of the trampling as butterfly enthusiasts had clambered out of the Dyke at this spot in the past.
We carried on following the track and then it joined up with one of the larger ones than ran from the car park. Along the way we notched up three Dingies and there was the briefest of sightings of a Marshie – literally ‘Marshie, click-step, click-step’ and then it was gone. About half way along as we stopped as a Greenstreak at flown weakly and low to the ground across the track. It seemed a little lost as there were no obvious Hawthorns nearby, only some slightly taller and thicker leafed vegetation. As we were working out where it had gone we were joined by Ben and his Dad, the last time I’d seen them was at Shipton when we ‘magic-ed Brostreaks’ into existence. We had a bit of a chat and then wishing them well returned our attentions to the Greenstreak which somehow we’d managed to relocate.
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Carrying on we checked out the fields on the car park side of Bug Butt but all was quiet. When we rounded the corner to check out the the other side my hopes of the butterflies taking advantage of the shelter were dashed and we only saw a single butterfly the whole time that we were in this spot; a single, tired looking Greenstreak right at the edge of the thin turfed field. As we climbed back out a Marshie flashed past leaving a chequered pattern emblazoned on my retina but only two butterflies after this amount of searching was a very poor return. I couldn’t work out why things were so quiet but the dearth continued as we made out way along the Dyke-side track. We got all the way to the Burnt-tips without another butterfly sighting. Luckily the Burnt-tips were still going strong so we had something to show for our efforts at least.
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Ordinarily I’d cut through and check out the cross-path at this, the Half-way point but there was a small group on the other end of the track examining the ground on the edge of the diagonal path that cuts across the site. This piqued our interest and so we mooched over and moved to see what they were looking at. As it turned out they were having a chat in between photographing and so we were free to have a look around for ourselves. In a few minutes I notched up a Marshie, Grizzlie, Brown Argus and in the taller grass along the edge of the track a brace of Small Blues. So it seemed like all the butterflies were vacating the usual sheltered hotspots and venturing out into the exposed wilds of the main fields.
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Having pointed out where everything was we started on the walk back which was equally as quiet as the walk out. Things only picked up once back at the Big Butt when there was another little flourish of butterflies. On the steps up Big Butt a Small Blue appeared amidst the taller grasses, a Dingy held its territory and a little apart from these two a pair of Small Blues were busy making sure that there was the possibility of more of them later in this season or the next. Again it served to remind me that the pattern of this was a lot of walking and nothing doing and then a mad five minutes where everything turned up. It kinda reminded me of roving tit flocks in the winter. The woods will be silent and then there is a cacophony of ‘ticks’ and ‘churrs’ and ‘whistles’ as an unruly band of birds descend on the tees and pick them clean. Perhaps this was why the butterflies seemed to be in clumps – they were trying to avoid getting to a flower that had already been drained of nectar?
After this final flurry of activity the sands of time were exceedingly low and so we decided to beat a hasty retreat back to the car and then back to Salisbury. As is often the way however the butterflies had other ideas and so having left the mating pair of Small Blues behind we were accosted by one final Marshie. Unluckliy it played too hard to get and so with no snaps a quicker step to the car and some very careful driving (staying just on the right side of every speed limit) I eventually strolled through the door with seconds to spare! Exhausted from walking, butterfly chasing and concentration I collapsed into the chair to reminisce and mull over the day. It was a cracker by all accounts, good people well meet, a great constant companion and a delectable array of species. The only bit of negativity nagging slightly round the edges of my consciousness was whilst the diversity was there the numbers were quite limited - where were they all?
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A few and then nowt
That’s how the butterflies flew
At slow Martin Down
Have a goodun
Wurzel