Today was a day of firsts...I decided that having been in since last week (shudder) it was time to get out there again and try to blag a female Brown Hairstreak - I've already managed a male but why not be greedy
The first "first" of the day was the actual site - Alners Gorse. Thanks to Zonda
for some simple directions that made my visit really easy. This really is a cracking reserve, nice gentle walk, loads of good habitat and some real crackers of butterflies
. Started off strolling down the hill noting plenty of activity along the hedges. Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns aplenty, a few whites around and various shades of Speckled Woods (some really fresh, others on their last legs!). Following the advice I turned left at the bottom and checked out ever thistle on the way. The last couple of times I've been after the Brostreak I've almost given myself a headache staring high up into the branches or analysing the brambles so to look for the contrast of orange against purple made it much easier. I certainly paid off as by the time I'd reached the gate I'd found my first female
. She seemed to have had enough nectar and decided to have a break and so headed for the safety of a bush but I managed to follow and relocate her.
- First of the day
- You can't hide there!
I then spent the next hour just wandering up and down the hedge from the gate to the large bramble bush at the bottom of the approach path. It was here that I got another first - a male that decided to flash me his wings
He was a bit tatty but allowances can be made so long as he's been involved in providing some photo subjects for me next year
- Tatty old male - hopefully this is a sign that he's been hard at work...
.
Back down at the gate I found another tatty old male. The fact that he is still around seemd to be because of the confusion caused by his tails - which he was lacking!
- Male - it seems the "tails" might confuse predators
After this I thought that I should have a look around to see what else the Gorse has to offer. So far it had felt very autumnal with all the butterflies being brown and orange in colour - but we're in summer (just) so I sought out some more colour. I managed to find a Purple Hairstreak, a Red Admiral, a couple of Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshell as well as a couple fo Smessex Skippers and at least 4 male Common Blues which brightened the day up to match the warming sun. From the edge I wandered back along the main path winding my way back to the first hedge and the gate. Something caught my eye...far too yellow to be a White, too yellow to be a Brimstone and as it flew towards me at head height I could make out the black tips and edges to the forewings. A clouded Yellow
well I hadn't expected that today...to be honest I hadn't expected to see one ever really! I watched it land and then overcame the urge to catch a photo, letting it settle. As I clicked away I hoped that it would open it's wings but it seemed that it wasn't going too and was adamant that it wasn't going anywhere else!
- Surprise of the day
Shock over and another first, I headed back to the gate and had my lunch (lime and chilli pickle this time with cucumber ends and tomatoes from the garden) and waite for the sun to come back out. When it did I found a few more males and one or two more females. I clicked away almost in a daze having got the yellow...
- Pristine female
- Open wing female
- One last shot...
This really is an amazing site - even without my "tick" from today - and I'll be back here again.
That could well be it for this year
- unless I can find a good site for Wall in this locale, but if it is then what a way to go - out with a bang!
Have a goodun
Wurzel
I saw a female today with no spots on either wing - yet another variation, I imagine. (Posted on the July sightings thread)
) - the lower black spot had a white spot in the centre which made the individual female? I was unlucky not get a shot of one nectaring on bell heather but it was such a brief occurance, almost like a plane refueling in mid air - land, drink, off, all in 2 seconds!
Love their crytic markings and the way they use them and position themselves to just blend in with the background. And, if you get a bit too close out comes the eyespot flash 
). Over the lunch there were a few fly-bys from a Red Admiral; Gatekeeper and Small Tortoieshell nectared up in a small patch of herbs but the whites provided the entertainment. One of the plots was obviously into cabbages in a big way, with 2 thirds dedicated to the brassica! The whole plot was well weeded and surrounded by netting. But this didn't stop the whites, they just flew into it and then squeezed through, and then had a little party in there - presumably safe from their predators! When we left; sweat on the brow, hands dirty and boot laden down with many kilos of spuds; there were at least 7 whites all in the net 
? Still there was a new site to explore and Chalkhills all over the place. Found a good little place half way up the path where the hedge provided a wind break. Sat down and waited and htey came to me. Managed to find one two aberrants...
