West Yatton
Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 7:16 pm
Well here's a story.
It's Thurs - sun started appearing at about 3.00 so I stopped building a boiler cupboard, cancelled guitar practice and drove to West Yatton in search of Adonis Blues??????
Sun was still shining on arrival and all looked well although only found one adonis female but loads of others also making the most... Sun went in about 4.00 so I thought I would look round the site including getting close to the Castle Coomb race track. In a field at the top of the site I was approached by two blokes in a pickup and informed that this was private property - I duly apologised - no signs etc.... They then asked what I was doing and I told them about the Adonis Blue at which stage the older guy says he'd seen a solitary female on the south facing slope where I saw mine.
Their attitude towards me changed completely and 'Maurice' the older guy informed me that he was the Vice-Chairman of the National Butterfly Conservation Society - the afternoon took a completely different tack then. He apparently manages this site and the conversation became very interesting. I accompanied then to where they were setting up a moth trap for the night and they informed me that 40 - yes 40 species had been recorded at West Yatton. I reckon to have seen about 20.
Maurice then detailed where to look for Purple Hairstreaks and White Letter Hairstreaks, Dark Green Frits and Silver Washed Frits and more. The site has taken on a new dimension for me and I intend to visit a lot more next year.
I don't think we were aware of any of this? Watch this space
I've left them with my card (Guitar tutor) in the hopes of staying in contact. What a great afternoon.
Wavelea1
It's Thurs - sun started appearing at about 3.00 so I stopped building a boiler cupboard, cancelled guitar practice and drove to West Yatton in search of Adonis Blues??????
Sun was still shining on arrival and all looked well although only found one adonis female but loads of others also making the most... Sun went in about 4.00 so I thought I would look round the site including getting close to the Castle Coomb race track. In a field at the top of the site I was approached by two blokes in a pickup and informed that this was private property - I duly apologised - no signs etc.... They then asked what I was doing and I told them about the Adonis Blue at which stage the older guy says he'd seen a solitary female on the south facing slope where I saw mine.
Their attitude towards me changed completely and 'Maurice' the older guy informed me that he was the Vice-Chairman of the National Butterfly Conservation Society - the afternoon took a completely different tack then. He apparently manages this site and the conversation became very interesting. I accompanied then to where they were setting up a moth trap for the night and they informed me that 40 - yes 40 species had been recorded at West Yatton. I reckon to have seen about 20.
Maurice then detailed where to look for Purple Hairstreaks and White Letter Hairstreaks, Dark Green Frits and Silver Washed Frits and more. The site has taken on a new dimension for me and I intend to visit a lot more next year.
I don't think we were aware of any of this? Watch this space
I've left them with my card (Guitar tutor) in the hopes of staying in contact. What a great afternoon.
Wavelea1
See:
)
- I've added this cos I'm not sure what it is (is it rude?)
But in my defense the man I met did look a lot like his photo, and he was very knowledgeable about the area.