Morgan's Hill & Cherhill Hill
Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 8:08 am
Went to Morgan's Hill on Saturday [train to Chippenham, 55 bus to Calne, walk]. Got there around 11. Weather was mixed, light showers and occasional sunny spells.
Lot's of Marsh Fritillaries around - a couple of hundred, I'd guess.
This one has noticeably different upper wing markings.
Also saw plenty of Dingy Skippers, and a couple of tired Dukes. Small Coppers, Common Blue, a couple of Walls and Small Heaths too. After my recent success getting a Marsh Fritillary to sit on my hand, I've been having a go with other species. Here's an obliging Small Heath.
Morgan's Hill is well known for orchids, according to the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust noticeboard. I'm no expert, but from books I think this is a Greater Butterfly orchid, which wasn't mentioned on the board.
If anyone can confirm, I'd appreciate it.
After a couple of hours, I walked on to Cherhill Hill. Approached Oldbury Hill fort from the south - lots of Dingy Skippers on the path up, Common Blue and a Wall flew past. In the ditches of the fort there were several Common Blues and an Adonis Blue:
Best of all were a dozen Wall Browns in the ditches. These were really hard to snap. They definitely responded to the sound of the camera. As a result, most shots resembled this:
As the shadow spread into the ditch they became less flightly, and I eventually managed to get one.
Left via the White Horse, which a work party had just finished giving a new covering of chalk:
Walked back to Calne via Quemerford, to catch the bus bach to Chippenham and the train to Bath. An alternative I've done before is to walk from the hill fort to Avebury, and the stone circles, and catch a bus from there to the train station in Swindon.
Simon
Lot's of Marsh Fritillaries around - a couple of hundred, I'd guess.
This one has noticeably different upper wing markings.
Also saw plenty of Dingy Skippers, and a couple of tired Dukes. Small Coppers, Common Blue, a couple of Walls and Small Heaths too. After my recent success getting a Marsh Fritillary to sit on my hand, I've been having a go with other species. Here's an obliging Small Heath.
Morgan's Hill is well known for orchids, according to the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust noticeboard. I'm no expert, but from books I think this is a Greater Butterfly orchid, which wasn't mentioned on the board.
If anyone can confirm, I'd appreciate it.
After a couple of hours, I walked on to Cherhill Hill. Approached Oldbury Hill fort from the south - lots of Dingy Skippers on the path up, Common Blue and a Wall flew past. In the ditches of the fort there were several Common Blues and an Adonis Blue:
Best of all were a dozen Wall Browns in the ditches. These were really hard to snap. They definitely responded to the sound of the camera. As a result, most shots resembled this:
As the shadow spread into the ditch they became less flightly, and I eventually managed to get one.
Left via the White Horse, which a work party had just finished giving a new covering of chalk:
Walked back to Calne via Quemerford, to catch the bus bach to Chippenham and the train to Bath. An alternative I've done before is to walk from the hill fort to Avebury, and the stone circles, and catch a bus from there to the train station in Swindon.
Simon