Cheers Mike
Bentley Wood
Hearing reports and reading posts about Purple Emperors made me realise that the silly season is upon us and so I headed over to Bentley Wood with the girls in tow and a tin of Polish fish paste tucked in my man bag. We started off in the Eastern Clearing hoping to find some Dark Green Fritillaries which would save me a trip later in the week. As it was a single White Admiral glided around without stopping in that frustrating way that they do when we arrived in the clearing proper. It was joined very briefly by a Silver Washed which bombed past amongst the numerous Ringlets, Meadow Browns and Marbled Whites.
We then walked through the woodland path to the track stopping on the way for my first 2 gatekeepers of the year. My obsession has started again and I couldn’t help noticing that the first one had 6 white spots on the under wing, which I think is a new one for my collection. The other was multiocellata (if that is the correct term) with a diamond marking on the fore under wing just below the “eye”. A great start to my Gatekeeper variation records for 2013!
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After a brief stop back at the car we then took main track down to the crossroads bumping into the same chap from my Small Pearl visit. As we walked long the baking track there seemed to be surprisingly few butterflies about – the odd Ringlet, Large Skipper or Meadow Brown but not the usual large numbers of Frits gliding over the fern tops, silvery Purple Hairstreaks flying around the tops of the Oaks and definitely no sign of His Nibbs despite seeing 3 and an Empress along this stretch last year. Is it too hot for butterflies – it was still just after 8am but already the temps were in the high 20’s?
At the crossroads we took the left hand track (opposite direction to the White-letters) and to left of the path I found a large clump of bramble just off the path hidden behind a screen of Ferns. In here there was another SWF and a WA and this one allowed closer views. It always seems odd to me that when at rest WAs are black with white markings yet when they are gliding and flying they appear almost white/silver.
Distractions over we continued along the path then bent round to the right towards Donkey Copse. The girls set up camp and at the junction they took great delight in laying down some fish paste. I’m not sure now that it was the right stuff as the women in the Polish deli didn’t speak great English and I have only 3 Polish phrases, none of which work outside of a pub! While we waited the girls read their books and drained all the life out of my iPod and I settled for a few Silver-washed Fritillary shots.
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As we were watching a WA He finally appeared, His Nibbs. It was as if he’d just materialised. After a few glides by He went again but those few circuits around the wood were a joy to behold. Big and very fast, powerful and much more stocky than a WA in flight and the wings looked broader too. He returned and landed briefly on a tree so I got a distant shot, I watched as he opened his wings and blue shone through, ace. Unfortunately one of our number was too keen and He was spooked. He shot off not to be seen by me again.
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- Nothing but a record...but I have the memories
The girls decamped and we worked our way further round adding more Skipper, Meadow Browns and the occasional Silver Washed to the days tally along with a “wave” moth. At one point I watched a small silvery butterfly fly across from one Oak to another, the wings looked almost square – a definite Purple Hairstreak. There were a few more SWF’s bombing along but we didn’t have any more joy with Purple Emperor despite checking the same area later in the afternoon. So hot, tired and sticky from sweat and sun cream we wandered back to the car park, stopping occasionally en route for a few more Silver-washed. Once in the car park I tried leaving the doors to my car open in the vain hope that it might encourage any Purps to come down and have a try. As well as a brief fly-by WA and a few Silver-washed a H.Comma also put in an appearance. After a brie
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Just as we were leaving we bumped into Rob H he’d had a grounded individual on the first track we’d been on (groan) but by then we’d been out of the house for almost 7 hours so I did the decent thing and took the girls. Well after a quick stop off at Figsbury to check out where the site actually is (Skippers, Small Tort and Red Admiral all in the car park).
I have to confess that during the day it was amazing but on reflection I’m slightly disappointed after last year’s fantastic party atmosphere and sightings aplenty included grounded individuals. Perhaps they’ve all been invited to Fermyn? Still seeing His Nibbs was still an honour and a privilege...
Have a goodun
Wurzel