Re: Neil Freeman
Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2019 8:12 pm
Cheers Wurzel... I managed to get it done in the end.
Dorset part 2 – Monday 2nd September.
For our first full day in Purbeck we decided to have a look around some local spots that we had not visited before. In previous visits we had usually passed straight through Corfe Castle on our way to Swanage and Durlston or maybe Ballard Down or Studland and not turned off the main drag apart from an occasional visit to RSPB Arne.
After breakfast we started off with a look at Kimmeridge Bay which was just five minutes down the road from our B&B. The bay is a designated marine wildlife reserve and known more for snorkelling than butterflies but is a nice scenic area with some good views, particularly from Clavell's Tower up on the cliffs to the east side of the bay. The South-West Coast Path passes along here although the section going west towards Lulworth through the MOD ranges is usually closed during the week when live firing is happening.
We had a look around here for about an hour during which I noted large numbers of Small Whites everywhere I looked.
Other butterflies seen here were a couple of faded Painted Ladies and singles of Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral which stayed defiantly out of reach of my camera.
We left Kimmeridge and drove up to a viewpoint car park just north of Steeple that I had spotted on the map and from where there are good views across towards Portland.
I noticed a bridle path here leading down the hillside from the car park and explored a little way along it, again finding lots of Small Whites and a single Red Admiral. Other butterflies around this spot were Meadow Browns, Small Heaths and a Painted Lady.
There was also a solitary female Adonis Blue. Being high up and exposed to the blustery wind, I wondered if she had blown over from some likely looking habitat which could be seen a little way to the west, just inside the MOD ranges which were closed at this time.
From here we headed back through Corfe Castle and turned off towards Kingston and Worth Matravers. At Kingston I turned towards Swyre Head which is the highest point around here but our arrival at the car park coincided with a large cloud covering the sun which made the blustery wind feel quite nippy and so we chose to move on. We headed back though Kingston and on to Worth Matravers and by the time we pulled into the car park there the cloud had moved on and the sun was out again making it feel pleasantly warm. Also being lower down again there was more shelter from the wind. We had a little wander around the village and sat for while by the duck pond enjoying an ice cream from the tea rooms.
Once again Small Whites were everywhere along with a few Painted Ladies and at least one Red Admiral.
I also spotted a Hummingbird Hawk Moth on a clump of valerian growing out of a stone wall and spent some time trying to get some shots.
As I was doing this Jane pointed out a second one on another clump a few feet along the wall so for a while we were watching both at the same time although this second one was more lively and I didn't manage to get any photos of it (well, not any that weren't too blurred)
We then headed back towards Kingston and stopped briefly in a lay-by to take in the view down over Corfe Castle.
By this time we were into the afternoon and Jane was getting tired after doing what was for her a fair bit of walking. She did not want to overdo it on our first day so she suggested that we head back to the B&B and she would chill out for a bit whilst I popped back out for another hour or so (worth saving those brownie points).
Before heading down to Dorset I had looked on the map and noticed Stonehill Down, a Dorset Wildlife Trust nature reserve up on the Purbeck Ridge not far from our B&B. I reckoned this might be worth a look and so after dropping Jane off I headed up there.
I parked up in a lay-by by the gate into the reserve and headed off across the hillside, immediately feeling the wind which was blowing strongly from the east. This cool wind which was blowing for most of our stay was especially noticeable blowing across south facing hillsides and this site being high on the Purbeck Ridge was particularly exposed.
The first thing I noticed was a good number of Autumn Ladies Tresses growing along the hillside.
The road by the reserve does a sharp turn and I headed for a part of the slope that looked to be a little sheltered by the roadside hedge. I had already seen numerous Meadow Browns and Small Heaths battling against the wind and on this slightly more sheltered part of the slope I found both male and female Adonis Blues. The males in particular were mostly looking quite worn, not surprising really in this exposed habitat. There were a few fresher looking ones around but sods law meant that the best ones were quickly whisked away in the wind.
A few faded Common Blues were also present in this area along with a couple of well worn Brown Argus. At least two Small Coppers were there as well and one of them found a sheltered spot on some brambles to bask for a while.
Small Whites were again seen in good numbers and I had a flypast by a Clouded Yellow which vanished rapidly into the distance.
I also saw a nice big female Great Green Bush Cricket. I must admit that despite it's size I would probably have missed her if she hadn't moved and shuffled around on the brambles she was sitting on.
After a while the intermittent clouds built up into a thicker overcast which made the wind feel quite nippy so I made a move back to the B&B.
A cracking day visiting some beautiful spots that were all new to me.
To be continued...
Neil.
Dorset part 2 – Monday 2nd September.
For our first full day in Purbeck we decided to have a look around some local spots that we had not visited before. In previous visits we had usually passed straight through Corfe Castle on our way to Swanage and Durlston or maybe Ballard Down or Studland and not turned off the main drag apart from an occasional visit to RSPB Arne.
After breakfast we started off with a look at Kimmeridge Bay which was just five minutes down the road from our B&B. The bay is a designated marine wildlife reserve and known more for snorkelling than butterflies but is a nice scenic area with some good views, particularly from Clavell's Tower up on the cliffs to the east side of the bay. The South-West Coast Path passes along here although the section going west towards Lulworth through the MOD ranges is usually closed during the week when live firing is happening.
We had a look around here for about an hour during which I noted large numbers of Small Whites everywhere I looked.
Other butterflies seen here were a couple of faded Painted Ladies and singles of Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral which stayed defiantly out of reach of my camera.
We left Kimmeridge and drove up to a viewpoint car park just north of Steeple that I had spotted on the map and from where there are good views across towards Portland.
I noticed a bridle path here leading down the hillside from the car park and explored a little way along it, again finding lots of Small Whites and a single Red Admiral. Other butterflies around this spot were Meadow Browns, Small Heaths and a Painted Lady.
There was also a solitary female Adonis Blue. Being high up and exposed to the blustery wind, I wondered if she had blown over from some likely looking habitat which could be seen a little way to the west, just inside the MOD ranges which were closed at this time.
From here we headed back through Corfe Castle and turned off towards Kingston and Worth Matravers. At Kingston I turned towards Swyre Head which is the highest point around here but our arrival at the car park coincided with a large cloud covering the sun which made the blustery wind feel quite nippy and so we chose to move on. We headed back though Kingston and on to Worth Matravers and by the time we pulled into the car park there the cloud had moved on and the sun was out again making it feel pleasantly warm. Also being lower down again there was more shelter from the wind. We had a little wander around the village and sat for while by the duck pond enjoying an ice cream from the tea rooms.
Once again Small Whites were everywhere along with a few Painted Ladies and at least one Red Admiral.
I also spotted a Hummingbird Hawk Moth on a clump of valerian growing out of a stone wall and spent some time trying to get some shots.
As I was doing this Jane pointed out a second one on another clump a few feet along the wall so for a while we were watching both at the same time although this second one was more lively and I didn't manage to get any photos of it (well, not any that weren't too blurred)
We then headed back towards Kingston and stopped briefly in a lay-by to take in the view down over Corfe Castle.
By this time we were into the afternoon and Jane was getting tired after doing what was for her a fair bit of walking. She did not want to overdo it on our first day so she suggested that we head back to the B&B and she would chill out for a bit whilst I popped back out for another hour or so (worth saving those brownie points).
Before heading down to Dorset I had looked on the map and noticed Stonehill Down, a Dorset Wildlife Trust nature reserve up on the Purbeck Ridge not far from our B&B. I reckoned this might be worth a look and so after dropping Jane off I headed up there.
I parked up in a lay-by by the gate into the reserve and headed off across the hillside, immediately feeling the wind which was blowing strongly from the east. This cool wind which was blowing for most of our stay was especially noticeable blowing across south facing hillsides and this site being high on the Purbeck Ridge was particularly exposed.
The first thing I noticed was a good number of Autumn Ladies Tresses growing along the hillside.
The road by the reserve does a sharp turn and I headed for a part of the slope that looked to be a little sheltered by the roadside hedge. I had already seen numerous Meadow Browns and Small Heaths battling against the wind and on this slightly more sheltered part of the slope I found both male and female Adonis Blues. The males in particular were mostly looking quite worn, not surprising really in this exposed habitat. There were a few fresher looking ones around but sods law meant that the best ones were quickly whisked away in the wind.
A few faded Common Blues were also present in this area along with a couple of well worn Brown Argus. At least two Small Coppers were there as well and one of them found a sheltered spot on some brambles to bask for a while.
Small Whites were again seen in good numbers and I had a flypast by a Clouded Yellow which vanished rapidly into the distance.
I also saw a nice big female Great Green Bush Cricket. I must admit that despite it's size I would probably have missed her if she hadn't moved and shuffled around on the brambles she was sitting on.
After a while the intermittent clouds built up into a thicker overcast which made the wind feel quite nippy so I made a move back to the B&B.
A cracking day visiting some beautiful spots that were all new to me.
To be continued...
Neil.