Cheers Wurzel, five headed locals in the depths of the Dorset countryside, surely not....I always thought the limit was three heads
Thanks Mike, I am glad you like them
Wednesday 2nd July – Lulworth Cove
Arriving at Lulworth I remembered the heads up (hmm...is that the right phrase considering my comment above about the locals
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
) from Wurzel regarding the path by the ice cream kiosk being closed due to a cliff collapse so I was prepared to find another way up onto Bindon hill. Whilst visiting here in previous years I had noticed a path by the fenced off MOD range area that went down some steps towards the far side of the cove so I headed straight around the pebbly beach and found this path.
This way up passes through the grassy slopes which seem to be one of the best spots here for Lulworth Skippers. There were loads of them in sight of the path and steps, which is just as well as the slopes themselves here are quite steep.
![Weymouth 2014 832 resize.JPG (665.52 KiB) Viewed 1110 times Path up the hill from the beach](./files/thumb_10101_02bee81c00683f11bdac9e0d8d70853c)
- Path up the hill from the beach
![Weymouth 2014 846 resize.JPG (662.81 KiB) Viewed 1110 times These steps are pretty steep](./files/thumb_10101_864b33053c31b73f3021d67b00af7529)
- These steps are pretty steep
![Weymouth 2014 834 resize.JPG (612.65 KiB) Viewed 1110 times Lots of Lulworth Skippers on the way up](./files/thumb_10101_76ff547624fdacccfedee7e95dff2c99)
- Lots of Lulworth Skippers on the way up
![Weymouth 2014 855 resize.JPG (685.38 KiB) Viewed 1110 times Male Small(left) and female Lulworth(right) Skippers](./files/thumb_10101_4896b13a51c3b68de42b62d807a20b74)
- Male Small(left) and female Lulworth(right) Skippers
![Weymouth 2014 880 resize.JPG (659.53 KiB) Viewed 1110 times A pair of Lulworth Skippers (male top, female bottom)](./files/thumb_10101_cc4015b1b58f8de1e4515a5248fe24f9)
- A pair of Lulworth Skippers (male top, female bottom)
During my ascent of this path I stopped a number of times to admire the view and watch the numerous butterflies which included the usual Marbled Whites, Meadow Brown and Ringlets along with Large and Small Skippers as well as the Lulworths. I also spotted a couple of Dark Green Fritillaries skimming at high speed across the slopes.
Reaching the gate at the top of the steps I turned left along the path towards the area of the hill that I usually go to. I soon saw more Dark Green Fritillaries which I watched in the hope that one might settle long enough for a photo. At first this was a pretty futile exercise in the warm conditions which meant that they were seldom settling and very skittish when they did. I did however manage to eventually sneak up close enough to get shots of a couple of individuals.
![Weymouth 2014 828 resize.JPG (568.4 KiB) Viewed 1110 times Dark Green Fritillary - Bindon Hill 02.07.2014](./files/thumb_10101_25063c0f6302e8ce08ef025c39bdc930)
- Dark Green Fritillary - Bindon Hill 02.07.2014
![Weymouth 2014 891 resize.JPG (610.88 KiB) Viewed 1110 times Dark Green Fritillary - Bindon Hill 02.07.2014](./files/thumb_10101_51e727312d3f3efcd24f9523334c2fc0)
- Dark Green Fritillary - Bindon Hill 02.07.2014
Walking around to the sheltered dip where the closed path comes out onto the hillside, I saw a blue butterfly that at first I took to be a Common Blue but on a second look something seemed a bit different about it. As it settled I took a couple of record shots and was amazed to see that it was a faded male Silver-studded Blue, not a species that I expected to see up here and one that I don’t remember seeing any other sightings of in this location.
![Weymouth 2014 888 resize.JPG (572.5 KiB) Viewed 1110 times Silver-studded Blue - Bindon Hill 02.07.2014](./files/thumb_10101_a28a260ae11a5833fb699097031eed2f)
- Silver-studded Blue - Bindon Hill 02.07.2014
Searching this area a bit more turned up a couple more and I took photos of three different males in total plus I also saw a suspected female which disappeared before I could be 100% sure.
![Weymouth 2014 927 resize.JPG (574.26 KiB) Viewed 1110 times Silver-studded Blue - Bindon Hill 02.07.2014](./files/thumb_10101_ae3d64cc4582d8edfc60361ff1a68280)
- Silver-studded Blue - Bindon Hill 02.07.2014
![Weymouth 2014 934 resize.JPG (609.3 KiB) Viewed 1110 times Silver-studded Blue - Bindon Hill 02.07.2014](./files/thumb_10101_7819e6f7d000a111ef754f8a3da1cff5)
- Silver-studded Blue - Bindon Hill 02.07.2014
These are the ones that I reported in the UKB July sightings thread last week and as stated there I reported these sightings to Dorset BC and was informed that apparently a SSB had been sighted on the transect here as well. I cannot help but wonder where these have originated from, one of the heathland colonies perhaps, or could a female have been blown over from Portland at some point?
As the late afternoon/early evening cooled down a bit (but not much) the Marbled Whites started to gather to roost and I watched some bickering going on for the best spots,
![Weymouth 2014 969 resize.JPG (619.7 KiB) Viewed 1110 times Marbled Whites - Bindon Hill 02.07.2014](./files/thumb_10101_1df0c721a01c9e50431c2360d3cc8fdd)
- Marbled Whites - Bindon Hill 02.07.2014
![Weymouth 2014 976 resize.JPG (567.29 KiB) Viewed 1110 times Looks like the male came out on top](./files/thumb_10101_7c4017ca5ae91e90ac2e5571ac06f99b)
- Looks like the male came out on top
![Weymouth 2014 982 resize.JPG (565.09 KiB) Viewed 1110 times Marble White and Small Heath sharing the bed](./files/thumb_10101_e739fdb0c5eb924e05c3f6fdabb66e20)
- Marble White and Small Heath sharing the bed
I also watched the DGFs to see if they would slow down a bit but their behaviour was different, basically one minute they were still very active and the next they had disappeared. I did see one individual heading into the tree line below the path, maybe that’s where they go to roost here?
I had earlier found another path down the hill and around 6.45pm headed down it, coming out by the row of cottages a hundred yards or so up the road from the visitor centre and car park.
Another great day with a fantastic few hours spent up on what is one of my favourite butterfly spots
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
. I have been here for the past couple of years in early September and it was interesting to see the different species here at this earlier time of year. I also noticed how many of the butterflies were carrying the small red mites that a lot carry here, more so than I have noticed before.
Bye for now,
Neil.