CJB wrote:Looking forward to your next reports gents!
I wasn't planning to write much about Sunday merely post a few pictures. However, by popular demand
NBA continued ...
After a murky Thursday it turned into an even soggier Friday
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
. A good part of that day was spent planting my sister's wedding present of a half dozen or so Herbaceous perennials in a banked raised garden. Below the first 8 inches or so the soil could best be described as solid clay. It broke two of the spades I was given (rusty wrecks granted) and in the end I had to resort to digging with a hand trowel while the rain worked its way into every crevice of my clothing. The weather was starting to get me down again
![Exclamation :!:](./images/smilies/icon_exclaim.gif)
.
Saturday came and the weather improved drastically
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
. Unfortunately Saturday was also the day of the wedding
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
, and so a whole day was spent trying to socialize and make myself useful.
As it happened the wedding went well apart from the best man's laddish speech which went beyond risqué
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
(squirming in our seats we were
![Embarassed :oops:](./images/smilies/icon_redface.gif)
). At the end my sister was compelled to make her own unplanned speech to redress the occasion
![Cool 8)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
.
Anyway the good weather held for Sunday the day of our drive back. I'd made sure not to drink too much
![Idea :idea:](./images/smilies/icon_idea.gif)
so that I could be up bright and early, chivy the girls along to get ready and make sure we'd got all our stuff together without leaving half of it behind. On setting off I made sure to take the
A1 route to Thrislington. On arrival despite the sunshine there were threatening grey clouds and the wind was cold and troublesome. Because of this it took longer to find our quarry although it didn't seem to bother the Common Blues were more numerous than before. Eventually I did manage to find some Northern Brown Argus and get off one or two good shots.
A Ringlet led me a merry dance as did a a male Meadow Brown both firsts for me this year.
![D 2013.06.30 IMG_3127 Meadow Brown (male), Thrislington NR.jpg (155.1 KiB) Viewed 379 times Male Meadow Brown a "proper thug" copyright Wurzel](./files/thumb_10062_188fdffb3b89afd7bd626374f384278d)
- Male Meadow Brown a "proper thug" copyright Wurzel
Moths abounded too. Seen and identified were Silver-ground Carpet; White Ermine; Grass Rivulet and Chimney Sweeper the last one a lifer.
![E 2013.06.30 IMG_3139 orchid, Thrislington NR.jpg (175.32 KiB) Viewed 379 times Orchids en masse at this site](./files/thumb_10062_0550cc4af1153cfb2e86b6e753b0657a)
- Orchids en masse at this site
![F 2013.06.30 IMG_3155 Common Blue Damselfly, Thrislington NR.jpg (124.16 KiB) Viewed 379 times Common Blue Damselfly (?)](./files/thumb_10062_dbd08aca37038c2e773be52f48828324)
- Common Blue Damselfly (?)
![G 2013.06.30 IMG_3151 Chimney Sweeper Moth, Thrislington NR.jpg (165.78 KiB) Viewed 379 times Chimney sweeper moth difficult to get near to hence only record shot](./files/thumb_10062_3e48ff91d0ad85578df2960aa3556e91)
- Chimney sweeper moth difficult to get near to hence only record shot
The weather then got sunny and we found a nice little sheltered spot. Soon the butterflies started showing up with lots of CB's NBA salmacis and a couple of Large Skippers
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
. However, my daughter Francesca made the best find with a mating pair of arguses
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
.
While we photoed the pair in action another male NBA arrived and tried to muscle in on the act
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
. The interloper put in some considerable effort to oust the male and link up with the female but the pair were not going to be split so in the end the intruder had to give up. Although this behavior is quite common in butterflies I can only recall having seen it in Wood Whites (Chiddingfold) and Heath Fritillaries at East Blean some years previous. I assume that the tactic is sometimes successful otherwise it wouldn't be employed
![Question :?:](./images/smilies/icon_question.gif)
Another great thing about the site was the relative solitude and lack of dog walkers (in comparison to the way some of the 'used to be good' places are going in Surrey). We would've happily stayed longer but we had to make our way back to Woking. Travelling down the M1 I hit hold ups near Northampton caused by Silverstone Grand Prix traffic and then nearer to Luton the "variable speed limit" gantries which in my opinion go some way to causing the congestion
![Mad :x](./images/smilies/icon_mad.gif)
. The M25 by comparison was relatively easy
![Surprised :o](./images/smilies/icon_surprised.gif)
. We eventually got back at 09:10. a tiring end to a long but succesful day
Phil