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Interesting Brimstone shots Wurzel. I would have been even more interested if I'd seen them back in April

Martin Down is such a great spot - I still haven't visited this year as I'd promised myself, but I'm happy to content myself with your postings - I suspect there'll be a few more to come somehow...

That is always a fascinating bit of Brimstone behaviour when you get to see the uppersides clearly, particularly the female when she freezes like that. Great shots too! The adder shots (the first one especially) are also terrific - that red eye is truly evil-looking

Cheers,

Dave

A full 10 points for capturing those Brimstones so well.
I saw that behaviour at Chiddingfold once and it was very brief.
Fortunately in your case they landed in a spot with no vegetation in the way.

The silly season awaits!.
Trevor.

Cheers Ben I know what you mean about trying to fit in more than there is time for Mind you the second Adder was relatively easy - apparently it liked a particular log so I just checked it out again and there it was.
Cheers Pauline I reckon one day I'll catch up with my PD - I'll probably have to retire first though so it could be 20+ years yet
Cheers Dave The first Adder was a bit grumpy - but to fair I had almost trodden on it Martin Down will soon have the DGFs and then the Chalkhills and then the second brood of blues...yep it's a cracking site
Cheers Trevor I don't think I've had a more obliging pair of butterflies Things are certainly kicking off - DGFs, Silver-studs, Large Blues and then you know who

Garston Wood 25-04-2021

I had high hopes of finding plenty of butterflies after the eventual success the day before. I remembered that Garston was a small reserve and in the spring finding butterflies might be hard work but I was still buoyed up by the previous days’ findings. Even some ridiculous and selfish parking only got a gentle ‘tut’ so ready was I for bucket loads of butterflies…

As we walked along the well-trodden path towards the large log I tallied up three, unfortunately distant Orange-tips and then added a fourth in the Butterfly Enclosure. Nothing was stopping though so I just made do with watching, photographing the Bluebells and listening to the gorgeous cacophony of Blackcaps, Song Thrush and the occasional Nuthatch or Marsh Tit. Like yesterday I was starting to wonder if I’d get anything on the memory card and that’s when the butterfly turned up. A tiny, almost silver blue butterfly weakly fluttered ahead of me. It was a Holly Blue and after a quick hop to the other side of the track it settled down just long enough for me to do a gentle approach and click away. We carried on and once at the staggered crossroads we turned left and left the reserve to pause for lunch. As we ate we were visited by Specklies and a patrolling Orange-tip whilst in the distance a Holly Blue fluttered by – all safe in the knowledge that I was busy and wouldn’t be able to follow them. Once we set off again our walk followed a similar pattern to before in that I’d see the butterflies but any attempt at photography was futile. A few OTs flew by and a Small White landed momentarily by the farm and then we were on and heading down the track bordered by high hedges. Despite the appearance of being an OT heaven there was only a single male patrolling the bottom of the track. Perhaps he was a right bruiser and had seen off all his rivals? When we rounded the corner to continue on along the little street a female OT flashed by and promptly settled a short was ahead. A quickening of my pace meant I reached it just in time to get three or four shots before she was off! After this came the village of Deanland and then into the woodland of the Rushmore Estate. Again things suddenly went from crazy quiet to crazy busy and again nothing was stopping. Through the wood we plunged with a brace each of Peacock, Orange-tips and Holly Blues and a Specklie all evading my lens. At the second rise a Peacock momentarily went down but all I could manage was a brief record shot before it too went the way of all the others i.e. off into the distance at maximum velocity.

Eventually after climbing up and down, up and down and back up the path bright us to the edge of Garston where a couple Specklies posed briefly for me before we dove back down the main track to the car. A total of almost 5 miles and probably only about 5 decent shots! Oh well…Ironically or possibly because of a certain Law of S…the track at the edge of the car park produced the most butterflies in one place with a Green-veined White, a couple of Brimstones, a Red Admiral, a Peacock as well as a few more Specklies and Orange-tips! I was left wondering whether I’d have been better off wandering the car park? Garston was hard work
A mile for each butterfly
Car Park was best spot!

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Work 26-04-2021 It felt like there was a change in the guards in the offing what with the arrival of the second wave of butterflies (Greenstreaks, Specklies, Orange-tip etc.) and so I wasn’t expecting too much on my lunchtime trip. And reality matched my expectations as on the journey out there was nothing from the start of the housing estate to the half way point and on to the end of the path not a single butterfly was spied. It looks like it’s getting to the time of the year when I’ll need to consider changing up myself to suit the butterflies and so the old jumping pits will be my lunchtime destination although luckily (what with the huge amount of work a certain Mr. Williamson has dumped on my plate ) that won’t be a for a couple more weeks yet…

Once I’d reached the end I turned back and almost as if to announce itself a Specklie flew into my face, brushing my eyeballs it turned and disappeared over the fence into one of the gardens. A Peacock also did a fly-by before promptly disappearing across the fields. It was only when I reached the Parrot Mound that I was able to get close enough to a butterfly for a few shots. It was well worth the wait as it was a surprisingly fresh Small Tort. As I rushed to get back to the Lab in time I wondered if perhaps the old guard might be around a little while longer? Work 27-04-2021

If yesterday was challenging then today was even worse as some fair weather cloud had bubbled up and the sun was only managing to peak through the ever thickening blanket now and then. Therefore it was no surprise that once again I ended up right at the end of the path before I spied a butterfly. In fact there were two, both Specklies and both played hard to get. The first shot over the fence and I could see it ‘basking’ on the middle of the lawn. I thought that I was going to have more luck with the second but its escape was aided and abetted by the bloody jumping dog! The Specklie landed on the side of a fence and I was leaning in for the shot, oblivious to all around me except the butterfly, when a set of jaws appeared about an inch from my temple with a simultaneous crash as the fence shook from the full force of the canine collision.

I couldn’t relocate the butterfly after that and there weren’t any more on the return journey so I had to console myself with getting a few shots of a nice looking bee. Specklie in my sights
Gnashing jaws prompt its escape
Cricket bat next time…
Have a goodun and stay

Wurzel

Vernditch 01-05-2021

With the weather report looking not great it was with some trepidation and a total lack of hope that I set out on our walk at Vernditch. As we walked up the rise on the first stretch of path the cloud thickened, the temperature dropped and there was a spattering of rain. Bluebells peeked around the tree trunks as me and occasionally a wisp of garlic scent was carried on the slightest breeze. We took a slightly different route than normal, keeping on and turning off right at a later juncture which meant missing out the muddy section – although after such a dry month that wasn’t really going to be a concern. What was a concern was the fact that even though the cloud had now cleared and the sun was starting to dry up aftermath of the shower there were still no butterflies. And this continued until finally just before the turning which sees the path running parallel to the A350 I broke the duck, spying out a Green-veined White. It settled oh so briefly which was how I was able to identify it but quickly moved on when he realised that I wanted to take his photograph.

Along the stretch of path which is lined with Gorse I was hoping to find a few Greenstreaks but there were only a couple of Specklies and down in the little valley there wasn’t a butterfly to be seen! Where had they all gone? Had the recent frosts knocked them on the head, were they waiting to see if the rain would return (did they know something that I didn’t?)? The crazy thing was that now the weather had shifted to almost perfect conditions – the gentlest of breezes, strong sun in mostly blue sky and warm enough to make me think about removing my jumper. On the return route we again broke from tradition and cut through a gate leading to the main track which would take us directly to the car park. Ironically as we strolled thought the cooler dappled shade the butterflies started to appear. The first was a male Orange-tip, swiftly followed by a brace of Specklies. Then came another male Orange-tip and another brace of Specklies. Further on were a couple more Specklies and another OT. They must have set up territories at different spots along the main track. I’ve noticed before how they’ll fly their territory in laps – often scrapping when they meet the Specklie from the next territory along. When we were almost back at the car I watched a male Orange-tip from afar as it fluttered about over patch of vegetation. It went down and so I rushed forward, turning my camera on as I went. It was indeed sitting on a large leaf, wings held almost fully open to catch as much heat as it could in the shade of the trees. Several shots later I was back on the path and almost back at the car. While I waited for the others to catch up I crossed over and checked out a little patch of Bluebells there. It was alive with flying insects – Drone flies, little flies, Bee-flies and Nomada Bees. I haven’t identified the later yet but they didn’t seem to be N.goodenia? So ended a nice walk – it’s been hard work this week, both in terms of actual work and butterflies – hopefully things will get easier but it’s been a funny old year so far and I don’t see it changing.

Fair Vernditch once more
Hard work despite the sunshine
Where have they all gone?

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

A little late form me but should I say congratulations on your 250th page of your diary?

As you enter May with your diary, Wurzel, it does bring back just how hard work it was this year to squeeze out the sightings. Nice observations on Specklie behaviour too. Where territories overlap, the squabbles that ensue can go on for ages, and/or repeat multiple times throughout the day.

Cheers,

Dave

Cheers Katrina I hadn't twigged myself that I'd reached that milestone - I think I'll have a beer to celebrate
Cheers Dave Its hard to believe that was only 6 weeks ago - so much has emerged since then and some of the same species are still hanging around now

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Bentley Wood 02-05-2021

Having developed a severe case of Met-itis I was in the habit of looking ahead at the weather. The Bank Holiday started off looking less promising and the following weekend looked dreadful…A few days later when I checked again the weather over the weekend was looking a little better whilst that following was still dire. So I had a decision to make…try for my first Pearls at Bentley or try Noar Hill and go for Duke? Pearls fade fast and the Dukes at my site emerge later in their flight period, plus Noar was featuring heavily on Facebook and UKB so there could be ‘crowds’…in the end I made my decision and contacted Philzoid…

When we arrived it was quite sunny but the sun still had some work to do as the air temperature was still low and when one of the slow moving blocks of cloud covered the sun it was more than cool, verging on cold. Due to this we walked all around the site, checking out likely looking spots for later and waited for current cloud to shift and the temperature to rise. In our wanderings we covered most of the Eastern Clearing but nowhere held any butterflies, not even a hardy Brimstone, and a lot of the plants seemed stunted and much further behind than I’d have usually expected. Our wanderings were accompanied by the usual catch-up chat and eventually we reached the trackway, over the gate that forms the Northern border of the Clearing. A large area of the coniferous woodland had been cut back and opened up so hopefully the butterflies will have a bit more room to feed, lay and thrive. As if feeling our hope in a kind of reverse prophetic fallacy the sun broke through the cloud and whilst the temperature started to rise, albeit slowly. When we were almost at the top of the track we stopped to watch a Willow Warbler in one of the scallops. As the lilting, descending song descended lilting-ly Philzoid shattered all the tranquility with a most uplifting shout “Pearl!”. After a couple of record shots it takes off as a second hove into view. Philzoid follows one whilst I follow the other. A third (or possibly/more likely the first that had doubled back behind the line of small birch trees?) then has a go at the one that I’m following. All are very flighty, much more so than I remember so record shots are the order of the day. Still at least we’d seen some and now we just needed the sun to stay out… Whilst the sun remained we tried once more round the EC but to no avail as this part feels slightly cooler and not quite conducive to the butterflies. We end up sitting out another large and slow moving cloud so again use our time to head back to the trackway hoping to spot a Pearl sitting and awaiting the sun. Once over the gate (still not sure why these are here?) the sun creeps out with almost impeccable timing and as our feet make their first falls on the track over head the sky is blue and the warmth is already creeping through my jumper. Woomph – there is a Pearl. It seems that it’s gained some evasive manoeuvres and so dives through the wire fence and into the corner of the large field that was cleared a couple of years back. No diving under this time but with a quick hop I was over and watched it flit from flower to flower. It zoomed this was and that between each fuel stop but was slowly making for the other line of fence and when it was almost there a second flew towards us before pulling a ‘U-ey’ and both Pearls disappeared into the small, rush lined field behind the fence and accompanying small screen of trees. So they were ‘hunting in pairs’ and they were going to be hard work as they were reveling in their flight… We followed after the Pearls through the gate but they could have been anywhere, hidden away amid the rushes and tiny trackways so we headed back to the main body of the EC and perused the little triangle by the notice board. The Pearls often like to bask on the sides of the ditch so we crossed over the little bridge and looked along the ditch to no avail. A Brimstone had finally decided that it was warm enough but due to that well known and oft cursed Law it was on the other side of the ditch flying away from us back towards the section that we’d just left. However another Pearl arriving diverted our attentions from the lemon blonde and back towards the ginger. Again it was very flighty, landing for a matter of seconds before twitching its wings and flying off again. We knew that it wasn’t us spooking it as we’d stayed in one spot and just watched it as it went through these motions whilst completing a wide arc and eventually, after about 8 or 9 stops, ending up back where it had first stopped. From here it moved off down along the ditch and so we followed it at a distance where only a few record shots were possible. When it got to the mid part the vegetation along the ditch was much sparser so I was hoping for some better record shots. Also it had discovered some Dandelions which I’m assuming it managed to get plenty of nectar from as it actually stayed in one spot long enough for us to get a bit closer and out of ‘just a record shot’ range. While we’re watching it a Grizzlie with quite small markings appears and interferes with the Pearl sending it packing and through the wire fence. A Small White briefly diverts my attention but I manage to pick it up on the other side of the fence and manage to direct another butterflier to it so that he can get some photos for himself. We backed away from the fence and were contemplating heading back to the little bridge and round to where the Pearl was when a second Grizzlie distracted us for a moment, During this the Pearl had made its way back to us and so we watched as it flew merrily along the ditch. It was still making intermittent pit stops and we were hoping that during one of these the cloud would roll over for a few minutes s that we could get some shots of the underside, something that had been in short supply during the dizzying flights and frenetic feeding. During one of its flights it suddenly stopped and went down but not on a flower. It must have sensed what was about to happen as now the cloud obliged and a large slab of cloud blotted out the sun. So we waited, and waited and then waited some more. With a few twitches its wings closed revealing the luscious pearls beneath but if you quickly scanned across the vegetation the butterfly disappeared from view. A few other butterfliers had arrived and still socially distanced we took out shots. While the cloud remained so too did the butterfly and then it got a little brighter and warmer. The minute the sun was fully out the butterfly was gone, just like that, it had taken an age to close up and now with a single wing flick it was gone in a flash. Happy we finished up our sweep of the EC finding a Green-veined White in the bottom section often favoured by Small Pearls and Dukes and then worked back along the ditch, across the triangle and through the marshy field. We were just wondering where the OT’s were and whether we would see any as the Cuckoo Flower, like the Bluebells, were all stunted when I spotted a female sitting atop a twig. After lunch we packed up and drove over to the Livery entrance and walked to Barnridge Copse. The cloud had thickened and there was a little rain but only a dusting and when we arrived at the Copse the sun had one its latest bout with the cloud. There was yet more fencing and yet more gates and as usual the butterflies were on the other side. A Pearl bombed by only to do a Houdini in a little section of tussock grass but a Peacock was much more obliging. After this there was only a female Brimstone and I’d received the ‘can you pick up L from…’ call and so putting on my Dad’s Cabs badge we started back to the cars, stopping for a small party of Marsh Tits – pitchoo-ing on the way. It had been a brilliant first Bentley trip and the Pearls hadn’t disappointed us…do they ever? Normal Pearls sedate
But here today frantic flight
Shouting out I’m here!
Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Love your shots of the Pearl Wurzel, but especially the grizzly:D Goldie

Cheers Goldie I still feel bad every time that I post a Grizzlie - you really need to see one next year, if not for your sake then for mine - I can't handle the guilt

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Middle Street...well Town Path really... 10-05-2021

The weather was continuing in its topsy-turvy fashion, we’d had some lovely weather for a few days here and there in February and March then we’d gone back into Winter before enduring sunny weather which flattered to deceive with its below par temperatures. To cap it all a week into May and we were having April showers/downpours. During a break in the rain I took my camera and headed out for a stroll. Our two up two down house is cosy but small and I find it very difficult during the week during term time to turn my volume setting down below “teacher level” so I often give my folks a call along the way.

Once over the road and setting off along the Town path I rang my folks but they weren’t in and so I pressed on thinking that it might be worth my while to check out Middle Street to see if there would be any roosting butterflies visible in the surprisingly pleasant evening glow. I’d gotten as far as the dried up over flow ditch and hopped down so that some other people could pass by safely social distanced when idly scanning ahead something stuck out. I was a roosting Orange-tip a top what I think is Garlic Mustard. I spent a bit of time just watching it and marvelling at the fantastic markings before taking a mental note of where it was and continuing on my way. Middle Street itself was quiet and the clouds had rolled over so after giving it the once over I started back on my way home and tried my folks again but to no avail. Back on the Town Path I relocated the same Orange-tip. I looked up and across the sky and saw that the clouds were shifting so I got into position ready and waited for the sun. When it arrived the Orange-tip was bathed in a glorious gentle light giving it a beautiful golden glow. Doubly chuffed I set off once more along the path and headed for home… Once again as I was making good speed something stuck out from the vegetation but this time on the other side of the river. So I backtracked to where the river ran under the path so I could get to the other side and carefully pick my way along the edge of the bank. I set myself up luckily finding the only piece of solid ground along the whole bank it seemed. Just as I was about to focus in my phone went off. So with phone in one hand holding it to my ear and camera in the other pointed at the butterfly I got my shots and caught up with my folks at the same time. I was actually quite pleased with the results as to make it even more difficult the breeze picked up almost at the same time as I started shooting. The following evening I tried Middle Street again having gotten my eyes in but again to no avail. All I could muster was a tiny moth with fantastically long and curved antennae. Had to call my folks
So walked along the Town Path
Glowing Orange-tips!

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Fovant Badges 15-05-2021

Typical May weather was not what we were experiencing and it was fast getting to the point where I was about to give up with the weather reporting...in fact I did and so I found myself heading over to Fovant with one eye on the road and another on the cloud up ahead. What I was hoping for was a little patch of blue hovering over the Badges at Fovant. As I did the sweeping turns at Burcombe it looked like I might just get a break but I still had to put my foot to the floor (and drive at fast as the local speed limit allowed), crank up ‘Another Life’ an hang on. Luckily the cloud hung back and the pull in was empty and so swinging in I was across the road, over the gate almost before the car had come to a stop.
Last time I’d visited I’d walked along the cattle drove at the foot of the down and this had bene pretty devoid of butterflies s this time I cut upwards onto the side of the Down and walked across towards the Bowl about half way up the side of the hill. A Dingy Skipper was there to greet me and made me think that I was onto a winner especially as the side of the hill was littered with Cowslips. However it was at this point that I lost the race and the cloud rolled over the sun. So close, so close. Resignedly I pressed on anyway and continued my progress across the Down and after a quick poke around in the Bowl started up the diagonal track that swept up to the top of the down and cuts the site in half. On the right hand side of the track the Down carries on its descent at roughly the same angle but on the other hollows between the Down itself and the path that form a series of three ‘steps’. In the first of these I scan around forlornly in the gloom sweeping across the grass tops back and forth with my eyes hoping that something will fly up from the tangle of turf. There doesn’t seem to be anything and I start to wonder if ‘just going for it’ had been an erroneous call? Then my heart makes a little jolt, down among the droplet laden blades of grass I spy two white miniature strings of pearls…as I get closer I see that they’re the under wing markings of my first Duke of the year. Brilliant! I settle down ignore the clawing damp on my knees and get a few shots of this charismatic little butterfly. It did fly a few times but never very far and I gave it a bit of space and time to settle before I approached it again to try for a few more shots. After a short while I set off in a similar vane, taking a few small and slow steps before sweeping ahead with my gaze. But I get to the third and longest of the hollows without seeing another butterfly let alone another Duke. As I look at across the vista of fields I watch as a train of about 11 Hares run in from my left along the foot of the Down. I look slightly further left expecting Radagast the Red on his sled but I couldn’t see him. So instead I flipped on Sports mode and tried to capture what was happening. The most I could get at any one time was 7 as they were all spread out in a line and first they came in from my left, then flew up the hill on my right before turning and flying back down in front of me. Then they ran along the fence at the bottom and then they dispersed. The most impressive was the one that ran closest to me – it went up the side of the Down, which in places is vertical, without even slowing down or breaking its stride! My only regret was that it was all over so quickly. I mean I’ve heard off and seen Mad March Hares but this was more of a Mayhem of Hares. After this Mammal Interlude I work back down to the first hollow in the same fashion as I’d gotten up but even this slow, careful checking didn’t see any butterflies found until I was back at the lower hollow. Once here I scanned around hoping to find Duke again which I did but only after finding my first Small Heath of the year. As I already some shots of the Duke I concentrated on the Small Heath first and then worked my way back to the Duke. This time he was even less active despite the sun starting to peak out and the sky lightening by the minute. So I left it alone and once more set off up the slopes towards Hollows 2 and 3 hoping to find a few more, indeed any butterflies. But again I draw a blank which couldn’t fathom – perhaps this is a late site, perhaps it’s an early one and the run of cold then weather knocked everything on the head? Perhaps everything was just sitting out the cool and wet? Despite the weather
Dukes and a maelstrom of Hares
It’s great to get out

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

Lovely shots of the Dukes Wurzel, I always like the side shots of their wings ,they're better than the full wing shots, I think there out standing in colour.
Goldie

Nice Dukes Wurzel

That's one species I've missed this year. My nearest colonies are over an hour and a half away and despite now being retired I find that I now have other demands on my time so still have to pick and choose where I go. I don't know how I ever had time for work

Cheers,

Neil.

Very nice Duke undersides, Wurzel, They were too busy basking when I saw them.
Looks like shower dodging next week!.

Stay well,
Trevor.

Cheers Goldie I'm with you on this one - that is unless it's a particularly well marked Duchess
Cheers Neil I'm kicking myself that for years I tried all kinds of sites for this species and 10 minutes down the road was a little gem of a site I'm looking forward to finding out about the joys of retirement but still far too long to go
Cheers Trevor That was one of the advantages of going out when it was cool and damp. Looks like Welly weather next week for definite

Fovant Badges 15-05-2021 Part 2

Perplexed I made my way back down the hill to the first Hollow where again the Duke is sitting out in the open and pretty obvious. Further on down the slope something big was moving with the cover of the fence so I waited hoping it would break from the cover which it did revealing a Roe Deer which made another nice mammalian interval after which I once again returned to the lonesome Duke. It wasn’t as lonesome anymore as there were now a few Dingies about it keep it company and increase the worryingly low tally. There didn’t seem to be any point hanging around here for much longer as I’d come to the conclusion that it was still too early for them and a return visit in about a fortnight should pay dividends and so I climbed back down the Down, made my way over the gate and headed over to Martin Down. It was a pleasant drive first to Fyfield Bavant, then cut through by the watercress beds at Broadchalk, onto the former home of both Terry Pratchett and William Golding, Bowerchalk before cutting across and up to Woodyates and turning into the main car park at Martin Down. As I pulled up the heavens opened. Luckily I hadn’t eaten so I poured myself a coffee, turned the radio on and ate my lunch while the clouds emptied themselves of their precipitation. As the final rivulets ran down my windscreen I finished my second cup of coffee and then grabbing my gear made my way through the car park, down and up the Bowl and started working my way along the Dyke. It didn’t take long before I spotted something. A little white flag was actually a roosting Common Blue – another first for the year. As I continued onwards I spotted something at the top of the Dyke and climbing up I found a huge beetle, at least I think it’s that I can’t quite work out what it is but it’s got three pairs of legs. It does remind me of the massive bug from ‘A Bugs Life’. The weather started to improve and the sky brightened moment by moment until eventually it was almost sunny. This was enough for the butterflies that had been sitting out the gloom, doubtless hidden amid the vegetation and now they emerged all over the bottom of the Dyke from the bridge on. It was bewildering at times as just as you’d focus in on one species another would crawl out of the woodwork an intercept the former. In the end I just pointed my lens at one butterfly, fired off a few shots and then moved onto the next so I probably ended up undercounting. Of the ones I did manage to capture my favourite was a stunning brand new Brown Argus – yet another first for the year. Small Coppers were also well represented and in fact it felt like they were the commonest species present so often did I see the gingery-red blur that announced their presence. Looking back later on at the photos I was able to identify at least 4 definite individuals in this one little part of the Dyke. I continued on slightly and as the Dyke rose uphill the vegetation grew taller and the butterflies started to thin out. I was still able to find a Peacock to add to the tally but then worked back to where I started and managed to locate (what turned out on closer inspection later) another Small Copper. As I made to leave the final notable sighting was of a Dingy and a Small Copper sharing a Dandelion feast. It looked a little like they were out on a date but I didn’t have the heart to tell them that I didn’t think that it would last as they’re just too different...Chuckling about this odd couple I set off homewards with four first for the year, a card full of shots and a head full of memories. What an outing! Rain briefly stops play
Then dive down into the Dyke
Butterfly playground

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Martin Down 22-05-2021

The week had been pretty dismal with periods of showers and cloud, the best day had been midweek when I couldn’t get away (of course) and the work was ramping up at a vertiginous rate . When I looked ahead longingly at the weekend weather I convinced myself that there might just be a few gaps in the clouds when the butterflies would fly and so with jobs done and lunch packed I set off for Martin Down where I knew the Marshies had emerged.

From the car park I cut across the Bowl and started down the Dyke. A Dingy was roused by the weakest glimmer of sun that had fund a thinner bit of cloud among the jumble of nimbi. This was replaced by a Small Copper and then slightly further along a second Small Copper replaced the first. Then slightly further on still a third popped up to replace the second. After this the Dyke started to rise upwards and the sides levelled out so I left its dwindling confines and took the main track towards the Butts. A largish orange butterfly flashed past carried by the intermittent breeze and like a Whippet I set off in pursuit realising that it was the quarry I’d hoped for – my first Marshie of the season. As is so often the way the first sighting evaded my lens and so I was left to wander on towards the Butts disconsolately. It was then that I figured out why my luck had seemed to desert me and quickly tried to rectify it by calling my older daughter K/The Oracle. But she was at work so I had to leave a message asking for her foretelling and reading of the omens when it came to getting shots of Marshies. The thin turfed field on the other side of the Butts was almost totally bereft of butterflies with only a Small Copper showing so I set off for the half way point and climbed once more into the Dyke. My spirits rose as I spotted a miniscule first for the year – a male Small Blue. Once it had settled down for a good feed on a Dandelion I made a cautious approach and as I drew ever nearer the sun came out in corresponding increments. After a few shots I turned the camera away and just watched the butterfly taking in the wonderful contrast between the white fringes and the slatey blue of the ground colour and marvelling at how the blue specks glittered as they caught the sun because the butterfly turned around and around on the flower head. Moving on I only managed a few paces before a Marshie went up and then swiftly dropped again as the sun disappeared from view. I walked in roughly the direction it had landed at and there it was down amongst the vegetation desperately trying to bask. I looked up to see if there was any chance of the sun returning but the cloud was stubbornly holding fast so I offered the butterfly some warmth from my finger and it flew weakly to another perching post. As I started taking a few more shots my phone went off. It was the Oracle who said ‘yes’ so while I clicked away I had a quick chat to let the Oracle know that she had once again been correct in her forecast. Leaving the Marshie hoping for more sun I continued on down in the Dyke towards the half way point but with the receding sun the butterflies hid themselves away. One such hiding individual was a Dingy Skipper that was tightly hugging the stem of a Bramble and wrapping tis wings around it so that from a distance it looked like a gnarled part of the twig. This was the only butterfly that I encountered until I’d carried on past the half way point. The next one that turned up was a Small Blue which was grimly sitting out the gloom like the tiniest of small flags. I took several shots of this individual but only one came out anywhere decent as all were taken one handed as now I was on the phone chatting to my mum! Once I’d finished my conversation I started back the way I’d come and the sky started to brighten up, there were even the occasional patches of blue that headed my way. As I approached the half way point one such patch passed overhead and while the sun shone a Brimstone flew and then as soon as the blue sky flowed away into the distance the butterfly went down and hid among the leaves. I forgot to ask
Then the Oracle called me
Shoot one while we talk!

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

There are some absolutely standout butterflies from that Martin Down visit, Wurzel. The Small Blue with its sprinkling of blue glitter for one, the wraparound Dingy Skipper for another (considering it doesn't match the stem, it still looks camouflaged somehow), and finally that glorious new Marshie. That has to be and probably a bonus - unfortunately gold stars aren't among the options!

Cheers,

Dave