Cheers Dave - as you can see I certainly got out and about
Cheers Neil
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
I certainly covered a few miles today
Super Saturday!
I awoke to a misty morning on Saturday but I didn’t mind as I had to take the girls swimming anyway. Once they were dried and ready for the rest of the day the sun had burnt through the haze and the temperature was rising so to make the most of it I volunteered to take the girls to the park before their lunch. On the way I checked out the small gardens and struck lucky with one as a Small Tortoiseshell was feeding on the Muscaria (cheers Dave). Once at the park a Brimstone did a fly by and while the girls swang themselves I checked out a little area of shrubbery. It had mining bees, Bee Flies, Caddis flies galore were flitting about and also my first Ashy Mining Bees of the year. As we were leaving another Small Tortoiseshell flew by and landed briefly on a small patch of the replanted area.
![027 - Copy-002.JPG (335.83 KiB) Viewed 1154 times Hello old fella](./files/thumb_9821_00838571376b1e67dbdceb54a35c2e23)
- Hello old fella
Lunch eaten I then took my younger daughter out to Martin Down. As we were packing the car (water, travel potty, Skittles, Ba-ba, wellies, sunglasses, jewellery etc) a second Small Tortoiseshell was feeding again on the Muscaria as was a Brimstone and a Peacock did a quick fly-by. I almost unpacked the car there and then!
Once at Martin Down we started at Sillens Lane walking towards where it crossed Bokerley Ditch. Along the way we saw 3 or 4 male Brimstone but they were intent on patrolling and didn’t stop. Whitethroats were about in good numbers and I heard my first Cuckoo. I also saw plenty of Ashy Mining Bees and my first Osmia bicolour. However despite many brief encounters, both at Sillens Lane and at the Blandford Road side I didn’t get any shots of butterflies. They were about with 5 Brimstone and a Small Torstoiseshell at Sillens Lane and a pair of Brimstone on the Blandford Road side but the hoped for Orange-tip or GV White didn’t materialise.
Pushing my luck a bit more I stopped off at Middle Street on the way back. As we walked through the gate four butterflies spiralled upwards locked in mortal combat – 2 each of Small Tort and Peacock. We headed on round further to the dried out pond area as I had a feeling that this would produce good things. Once there I was treated to 3 species in one eye view – male Brimstone, Peacock and a Small Tort! The Brimstone was very flighty and didn’t hang around for a photo but the Peacock settled down and allowed an approach. Just as I was lined up another Peacock appeared and another dog fight ensued. It went on for the next 15 minutes or so. One would settle only for another to fly over it’s airspace and then up they’d go again. The size difference between the Peacocks and the Small Tort were surprisingly apparent when they fought but in the end the smaller butterfly made a break for it. While all this was going one my little one watched and giggled away at their antics.
In the end one of the Peacocks became the victor so I waited for it to complete the victory lap before approaching for a shot. It allowed me to get in closer and then closer still and after a brief circuit to stretch its wings I even allowed an underside shot.
![093 - Copy-002.JPG (366.82 KiB) Viewed 1154 times Finally!](./files/thumb_9821_b31d79a19a35d89826dfec37e8570bc5)
- Finally!
![117 - Copy-001.JPG (224.71 KiB) Viewed 1154 times Closer...](./files/thumb_9821_bdac8ef32a4f0ee3d8903b33edcf0c27)
- Closer...
![135 - Copy-001.JPG (181.81 KiB) Viewed 1154 times Closer still...](./files/thumb_9821_2f0c256c2599bca05aac084bb0721c37)
- Closer still...
![158 - Copy-001.JPG (159.19 KiB) Viewed 1154 times And an underside shot to finish off!](./files/thumb_9821_ced80d7f036be9b281789f2774ef5a32)
- And an underside shot to finish off!
We then had to call in at our old house to pick up my wife and other daughter so I had a quick check of the garden. No butterflies but I did find an unusual looking spider.
So ended Super Saturday – a day of numbers rather than range but I’m still on four species, though at least I’ve photographed all four now. Hopefully this is a taste of things to come and spring has finally sprung!
Have a goodun
Wurzel