Cheers Wurzel.
Wurzel wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 7:59 pm...Looking forward to some Lulworths possibly
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
...
Yes indeed, lots of them. Coming up after the next report.
Thanks Katrina. Yes, good to see despite my reservations about their origin.
Thanks David. There are far too many unauthorised releases happening these days, it is happening with some moths too which is beginning to cast doubt on genuine records.
Yes, we struck lucky with the weather although dare I say we could have done with it a bit less hot on some days. Never happy are we
Dorset 11th – 18th June part 2.
Adonis Blues.
I have seen Adonis Blues in Dorset on numerous occasions over the years but these have always been of the second brood when we have been there in late August and early September and I have never seen the first brood down there. Checking the Dorset BC website showed that numbers appeared to be growing during the week prior to us going down so it appeared that this late season would work in our favour with a good chance of seeing some that would be in good condition. This indeed proved to be the case and over the week we saw hundreds varying from well-worn and faded to fresh out of the box. In fact, this was pretty much the theme with most of the species we saw which seemed to be emerging over a longer period than has usually been the case in recent years.
The first Adonis blues that we saw were when we stopped off at Compton Down. There were approx. 20-25 along the bridleway and similar numbers on the lower slopes although these numbers dwindled as they hunkered down in the grass when the bank of dark cloud came over.
![Compton Down 11.06.2021 (408) resize.JPG (636.72 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Adonis Blue - Compton Down 11.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_d27361d5a219a4582d75a9689ad63e35)
- Adonis Blue - Compton Down 11.06.2021
![Compton Down 11.06.2021 (347) resize.JPG (571.66 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Adonis Blue female - Compton Down 11.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_c7415143b1965867b54aa6ec2c39dcba)
- Adonis Blue female - Compton Down 11.06.2021
The following day (Saturday 12th) was forecast to be a hot one so Chris and myself went for an early wander along the grassy slopes from just outside the holiday park, down to above the famous rock arch and around to the little valley with the wonderful name of Scratchy Bottom which runs inland between Durdle Door and Bats Head. We set out just turned 08.00am and it was already feeling quite warm and the slopes were shimmering with the movement of hundreds of butterflies, mostly Adonis Blues and Small Heath but also Common and Small Blues. Less obvious but equally numerous once you got your eye in were Dingy and Lulworth Skippers (more on these in the next report).
![Dorset June 2021 (425).JPG (804.92 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Looking down on Durdle Door early on Saturday morning.](./files/thumb_10101_2006f3f375db84c05c7856693ff15d29)
- Looking down on Durdle Door early on Saturday morning.
![Durdle Door 12.06.2021 (83) resize.JPG (671.64 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Adonis Blue - Durdle Door 12.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_4e081bfc8ce41e0b9136307a8557cb49)
- Adonis Blue - Durdle Door 12.06.2021
I was impressed with how blue some of the females were here with one individual being the bluest Adonis female I have ever seen. I wonder if these are following in the footsteps of Common Blue females with a higher incidence of blue females now showing up.
![Durdle Door 12.06.2021 (506) resize.JPG (650.78 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Adonis Blue female - Durdle Door 12.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_89202dcb724c7df5c9a6938020925bfe)
- Adonis Blue female - Durdle Door 12.06.2021
During the week we often had a wander along here, either before we went off elsewhere or later in the afternoon when we had returned to the caravan and we noticed that Adonis Blue numbers began to drop off from Tuesday (15th) onwards although some fresh looking ones could still be found.
![Durdle door 16.06.2021 (1613) resize.JPG (644.44 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Adonis Blue - Durdle Door 16.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_7632113b7f6aac2b5db00919b3f611c3)
- Adonis Blue - Durdle Door 16.06.2021
We also saw Adonis Blues at a number of other places including Bindon Hill, Durlston Country Park, and Tout Quarry on Portland but never in the numbers that we saw at Durdle Door on the Saturday morning.
![Durlston 14.06.2021 (998) resize.JPG (595.64 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Adonis Blue - Durlston Country Park 14.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_c1144b76d3f63e6bb1155e3846610c60)
- Adonis Blue - Durlston Country Park 14.06.2021
![Tout Quarry 15.06.2021 (1215) resize.JPG (590.9 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Adonis Blue - Tout Quarry Portland 15.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_15e3b0eef3ddf7c48d1941e19b5de442)
- Adonis Blue - Tout Quarry Portland 15.06.2021
I have previously visited Osmington for second brood Adonis Blues but we didn’t get around to going there until late on the Thursday (17th) afternoon and by then the weather was turning on us and it had gone dull and drizzly, but at least we missed the thunderstorms that they apparently had a bit further to the east. It was still fairly warm though and we did see a few butterflies but nothing we hadn’t seen in much greater numbers elsewhere and the visit was more to show Chris the area.
Silver-studded Blues.
Another species that we were hoping to see was Silver-studded Blue but up until going down on the Friday (11th) I had not seen any reported from Dorset so I wasn’t sure if we might be a bit early for them this year.
On the Monday (14th), after going into Swanage in the morning and then on to Durlston Country park, we carried on round to RSPB Arne in the afternoon. As Jane has a blue badge, we got a permit for the easy access car park further in the reserve and went for a walk through the woods on that side. Monday was a very hot day with temperatures up to 28 degrees but walking through the dappled shade of the woods was much more pleasant and comfortable than being out in the full sun.
We then returned to the main car park and while Jane and my mom stayed at the car to have a rest Chris and myself had a walk around Coombe Heath. We checked the pond for Raft Spiders without success but I am not sure if this is a good time of the year for them and if there were any they were possibly hiding in some shady spot out of the sun.
As we carried on around the path we saw a couple of Red Admirals and a single Painted Lady, all flying rapidly past us, and then further along we spotted a small blue butterfly flitting about above the heather, a fresh male Silver-studded Blue. He was very flighty and although he settled regularly he was reluctant to open up in the heat although eventually he made a brief effort.
![Coombe Heath 14.06.2021 (1128) resize.JPG (638.16 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Silver-studded Blue - Coombe Heath 14.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_91d587222afc9aabb7943adea86c4dcd)
- Silver-studded Blue - Coombe Heath 14.06.2021
![Coombe heath 14.06.2021 (1132) resize.JPG (597.78 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Silver-studded Blue - Coombe Heath 14.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_f62eb83ef64f3d68504cba1a4b6160aa)
- Silver-studded Blue - Coombe Heath 14.06.2021
On the Wednesday (16th) we all spent a couple of hours in Lulworth Cove in the morning before the crowds built up and then in the afternoon Chris and myself went to Higher Hyde Heath. In previous years I had seen good numbers of SSBs reported from this Dorset Wildlife Trust site and as I had never been there before I thought it would be worth a look. This turned out to be a cracking site with a nice circular walk through woodland before coming out onto the heath itself where we soon spotted a fresh male Silver-studded Blue, quickly followed by another, then another. As we slowly wandered around we must have ended up seeing at least 50, all fresh males and all very flighty on what was another hot afternoon. At least this time there was a bit more cloud about which prompted them to open up a bit and give us the chance for some open wing shots.
![Higher Hyde Heath 16.06.2021 (1480) resize.JPG (586.78 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Silver-studded Blue - Higher Hyde Heath 16.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_8080ff825117c8e951b1ef87ae91b118)
- Silver-studded Blue - Higher Hyde Heath 16.06.2021
![Higher Hyde heath 16.06.2021 (1462) resize.JPG (590.75 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Silver-studded Blue - Higher Hyde Heath 16.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_2cd8a72bc4e9383bdd960805f7bd7f29)
- Silver-studded Blue - Higher Hyde Heath 16.06.2021
![Higher Hyde Heath 16.06.2021 (1511) resize.JPG (592.16 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Silver-studded Blue - Higher Hyde Heath 16.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_31cd083d7a64bf9b6fd3acf4c7abfd49)
- Silver-studded Blue - Higher Hyde Heath 16.06.2021
![Higher Hyde Heath 16.06.2021 (1535) resize.JPG (583.17 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Silver-studded Blue - Higher Hyde Heath 16.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_f46fe2255ac25213c9f637cf53d4cb90)
- Silver-studded Blue - Higher Hyde Heath 16.06.2021
![Higher Hyde Heath 16.06.2021 (1499) resize.JPG (581.24 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Silver-studded Blue - Higher Hyde Heath 16.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_6483e487ea9e1acc3d17ae25472c41f5)
- Silver-studded Blue - Higher Hyde Heath 16.06.2021
![Higher Hyde Heath 16.06.2021 (1437) resize.JPG (628.8 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Silver-studded Blue - Higher Hyde Heath 16.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_733185e6b88fac9888b01ea22404976b)
- Silver-studded Blue - Higher Hyde Heath 16.06.2021
Small Blues.
I have mentioned Small Blues a few times and these were flying nearly everywhere that we went although most of them were now well past their best. It was often difficult to tell them apart from equally worn and faded Brown Argus that they were usually flying alongside with until they settled and you could get a good look. Having said that there were a few that were still looking reasonable.
![Dorset June 2021 (686) resize.JPG (507.37 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Small Blue - Durdle Door 12.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_b4ce87c6103dea8dd7f04c84eaea446e)
- Small Blue - Durdle Door 12.06.2021
![Dorset June 2021 (727) resize.JPG (524.91 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Small Blue - Durdle Door 12.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_5c6bd9cc5413e5aaba2f06f4f45f12f3)
- Small Blue - Durdle Door 12.06.2021
Common Blues.
Around Durdle Door Common Blues were slightly lower in number than the Adonis but everywhere else they were more numerous. Like most other species they varied from really old and knackered looking through to nice and fresh.
![Durdle Door 12.06.2021 (773) resize.JPG (542.88 KiB) Viewed 1295 times Common Blue - Durdle Door 12.06.2021](./files/thumb_10101_be5c81104234d002f27cb59198155c9f)
- Common Blue - Durdle Door 12.06.2021
I mentioned Brown Argus above but as this report is already long enough I will include those in a later one.
Next up, some Skippers.
To be continued…
Neil.