Tuesday 21st June - Part 1
Another pre-breakfast wander, this time to the High Brown Fritillary lay-by. To be truthful I was search of Him, but it wasn’t to be. It looked promising yesterday, with other woodland species, a sunny track, fresh dog poo etc but I think a lack of sallow proved my downfall. However, present were: 2 White Admiral, 2 Dark Green Fritillary, 1 Heath Fritillary, 3 Marbled Fritillary, 5 Marbled White, 1 Meadow Brown, 1 Small Blue, 1 Large White, 1 Green Veined White, 2 Large Skipper and 1 Small Skipper.
![IMG_2876.jpg (452.1 KiB) Viewed 757 times Dark Green Fritillary, male](./files/thumb_6364_ae01fc083bd3cc641fafc6efde6fbba6)
- Dark Green Fritillary, male
![IMG_2878.jpg (493.34 KiB) Viewed 757 times Dark Green Fritillary, male](./files/thumb_6364_6dc796151ecba6384dce18c4a700e028)
- Dark Green Fritillary, male
With today being our last full day, I had return to my two favourite places of the holiday. I wanted to say goodbye to the Apollos and headed for the last time over the iron bridge to the Alpine meadow. It was sunny at first but after an hour it clouded over and a strong wind blew.
My last view from the meadow:
This male Spotted Skipper gives an idea of how strong the wind was blowing at one point!
![IMG_2906.jpg (423.68 KiB) Viewed 757 times Spotted Fritillary, male](./files/thumb_6364_a442ec3742346250455691f4527f0824)
- Spotted Fritillary, male
These mating Small Skippers clearly show the difference in antennae colouring and eye size in the male and female (female left, male right).
![IMG_2891.jpg (415.15 KiB) Viewed 757 times Mating Small Skippers](./files/thumb_6364_7582bd3f4b1689cf3f35a049fa723603)
- Mating Small Skippers
I’m still not sure if this is Heath or Meadow…probably Heath but he is a beauty.
![IMG_2964.jpg (383.08 KiB) Viewed 757 times Heath Fritillary, male](./files/thumb_6364_5d9ab9669751e7528bb9b76babee413f)
- Heath Fritillary, male
![IMG_2971.jpg (439.98 KiB) Viewed 757 times Heath Fritillary, male](./files/thumb_6364_fbddd3749a91aed7be04c54413be6584)
- Heath Fritillary, male
This one I think was Heath.
![IMG_3017.jpg (366.28 KiB) Viewed 757 times Heath Fritillary, male](./files/thumb_6364_2b327747db7b9ab7bf9aca9c44a29a29)
- Heath Fritillary, male
![IMG_3020.jpg (358.81 KiB) Viewed 757 times Heath Fritillary, male](./files/thumb_6364_6f8fed35f73330c7bd81bb31b086eaf3)
- Heath Fritillary, male
This female Spotted Skipper had a lovely lilac hue.
![IMG_3012.jpg (418.93 KiB) Viewed 757 times Spotted Fritillary, female](./files/thumb_6364_c624a3fc6ff10db6ed6335436f7545ac)
- Spotted Fritillary, female
While this female Red Underwing Skipper was busy egg laying.
![IMG_2913.jpg (433.71 KiB) Viewed 757 times Red Underwing Skipper, female](./files/thumb_6364_8cb33f4a20c1e702359b098a93032280)
- Red Underwing Skipper, female
![IMG_2918.jpg (457.64 KiB) Viewed 757 times Red Underwing Skipper, female](./files/thumb_6364_16717b86d364827b4905adac1359e687)
- Red Underwing Skipper, female
Another new species was this rather worn Green Underside Blue.
![IMG_2983.jpg (440.72 KiB) Viewed 757 times Green Underside Blue, male](./files/thumb_6364_ebd4119f45eb4279a014319d1fd953c3)
- Green Underside Blue, male
![IMG_3000.jpg (397.96 KiB) Viewed 757 times Green Underside Blue, male](./files/thumb_6364_a5d27303ef63943345336aef90a9e7ef)
- Green Underside Blue, male
And these beauties were why I came back.
![IMG_2937.jpg (377.99 KiB) Viewed 757 times Apollo](./files/thumb_6364_fdd9031758409dcc07e63a5b9578d06a)
- Apollo
![IMG_2945.jpg (359.46 KiB) Viewed 757 times Apollo](./files/thumb_6364_399bd576db565fc4a37e824f8b9d8b60)
- Apollo
For my last visit to the Alpine meadow, I saw: 5 Apollo, 1 White Admiral, 1 High Brown Fritillary, 1 Dark Green Fritillary, 2 Silver Washed Fritillary, 15+ Weaver’s Fritillary, 5 Meadow Fritillary, 6 Marbled Fritillary, 20+ Heath Fritillary, 3 Spotted Fritillary, 1 Knapweed Fritillary, 2 Common Blue, 1 Chapman’s Blue, 2 Small Blue, 1 Brown Argus, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Green Underside Blue, 1 Mazarine Blue, 1 Clouded Yellow, 15+ Black Veined White, 2 Large White, 1 Green Veined White, 40+ Marbled White, 10+ Meadow Brown, 1 Pearly Heath, 15+ Ringlet, 10+ Small Skipper, 10+ Essex Skipper, 1 Tufted Marbled Skipper and 2 Red Underwing Skipper.
I waited and waited for the clouds to pass in the wind for one final look at the Apollo and eventually the wind dropped and the sun returned. I went to where I’d found an Apollo roosting from the cloud and wind, but it had gone. So I walked about the site one last time and was about to leave when this one literally landed at my feet! But it was time to say farewell.
![IMG_3005.jpg (405.33 KiB) Viewed 757 times Apollo](./files/thumb_6364_f54b0dc76c5018b165792a38322d6d45)
- Apollo
To butterfly meadows, chalk downlands and leafy glades; to summers eternal.