Larkhill
08-09-2014
As September progressed I began to lower my expectations from Larkhill as whilst it is really fantastic during the stage of the year when the season is waxing, the lack of decent nectar sources mean that as the seasons wanes butterflies are harder to find. In fact on some days rather than being pleased about the range of species or the numbers see I’m just glad to see any. That being said sometimes the final part of the season can still produce the goods. And so it felt today...
The morning wasn’t particularly great with the mist hanging round and only a single Brown Argus but my afternoon stop-off was much better with the main activity centring around the Golden Rod. I thought it would be good as there were plenty of Whites fluttering along the hedge on the drive there as well a Red Admiral by the Enford bus stop and a Small Tortoiseshell at Durrington. So I pulled into the car park and eagerly scanned around.
A quick walk up the Northbound path didn’t produce anything so I made my way back to the car and went straight back to the Golden Rod. A Red Admiral and a UFW both fluttered by, the former skimming over the tops of the tall yellow flower heads almost to draw my attention to the other butterflies that were all very busy feeding here. A Brown Argus was acting in its usual boisterous and rum bumptious manner hassling what appeared to be about 5 Common Blues that kept nipping into its airspace. Also here were a couple of Small Heath still clinging on later than I thought they would.
09-09-2014
Again the morning stop-off didn’t produce anything and I’m tempted to stop these but I was hoping to see something in the afternoon.
I tired the Northbound path again willing the patch of Michalmass Daisies (I think that’s what they are) to flower but it looked like I would draw a blank again. But there on the way back was a gorgeous female Common Blue clinging to the dead grass stems and glittering in the sun. She was stunning to look at and I almost used my full allowance of time in her company.
Over by the Golden Rod (I risked being late for a quick check) there were a further 3 males and 2 females all flitting about and taking on nectar as if there was no tomorrow. I suppose for these insects there could well be no tomorrow so I didn’t mind that all I was seeing was closed wings.
To finish up I cut across to the Westbound path and then back to the car and here there was only Small Heath today...
10-09-2014
Again there was nowt around during the morning stop-off but the dew covered spider webs looked stunning in the pale morning sun. There was also a jewel encrusted bee clinging to the Golden Rod which would hopefully thaw as the morning warmed up.
The afternoon visit was much better as things had warmed up nicely. The Golden Rod was focus of most of the activity and produced a nice surprise with two Meadow Browns still looking good for September. Flitting around them were 4 Common Blues (3 males and a female) and a Brown Argus was holding its own as usual. I did check the Northbound path and it added a further two male Common Blues and a fly over Brimstone as well as a Red Admiral. I was just making my way back to the Golden Rod when something caught my eye – a Specklie which for Larkhill is quite an unusual sighting.
11-09-2014
I was driving towards Larkhill trying to decide if I should make a stop-off or not and as I’d just pulled off the mini roundabout I was travelling slowly enough to glance out of the passenger side window at the wire fence. This has had Wheatears, Goldfinches, Corn Buntings and on one memorable occasion a Merlin sitting on it. But today it wasn’t the birds on the fence that grabbed my attention but a pair of massive ones in the field. I pulled over as soon as I was able to, grabbed my camera and trained it on the brown blobs amongst the green.
As I focused in the blobs became a pair of Great Bustards (the Wiltshire bird). I checked the wings for orange tags and one was the number “15” so was part of the re-introduction programme. Even more interestingly the smaller one lacked wing tags - could this be a Wiltshire born Bustard? Whatever the providence it was great to see these colossal birds back in their former range.
I felt kind of guilty that I had neglected Larkhill that morning and so I stopped on the way home. Despite looking in all the usual haunts I could only muster an aged Common Blue female on the Golden Rod. So a quiet end to a topsy-turvy week.
Have a goodun
Wurzel