www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Spent a very pleasant day walking the cliffs from Nash Point to St Donats and then a further walk along the cliffs at Llantwit Major. Pleanty of butterflies to be seen along the 8.5km stretch covered: 100+ small whites, 40+ common blues, 12 speckled wood, 12 small tortoiseshell, 2 painted lady, 2 red admirals, 1 large white, 1 small copper plus others that didn't hang around for identification. I also have one I'd appreciate help in identifying:

Catteraxe wrote:I also have one I'd appreciate help in identifying

Trick question? That's a small copper....

Surprised you didn't see any Wall or Grayling down there.

In that case make it 2 small coppers

Catteraxe wrote:In that case make it 2 small coppers

LOL. Not in the same place though (otherwise there'd have been fireworks).

Catteraxe wrote:In that case make it 2 small coppers

It is a logical conclusion

It's nice to see Painted Ladies turning up in the last couple of weeks. If you're based round Llantwit Major, it will be worth visiting Old Castle Down/Ewenny's High-Brown Fritillary colonies next July.

Michael

Thanks for that Michael. I do visit Ogmore and Ewenny during the summer so I will mark the diary for next July, especially as I've never seen a HBF. On a non-butterfly note, whilst walking the cliffs at Llantwit Major I noticed a Buzzard being mobbed by a smaller bird of prey which, in turn, was being mobbed by Swallows. I'm fairly sure the smaller BoP was a Peregrine as it would climb well above the Buzzard then plunge straight down towards it. If fact it got very close to the Buzzard on several occasions. I tried to get a photo of the two birds together but only succeeded in getting a distant shot of the Buzzard. Also, if anyone has any idea about the flowers below which were growing half-way up a hedge and are clearly very attractive to flies!

I think the flowers are Common Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) - despite the 'common' used in the name, it is a lovely wildflower. Looks lovely in the sunlight too!

Unless someone has another suggestion

Michael

Yep those are comon toadflax, there is a few growing in the meadow not far from my house, nice shot btw