Northern Brown Argus
Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2013 10:58 pm
27/06/13
Up in the North-East for my sister’s wedding for a few days provided the opportunity of a first time chance for Northern Brown Argus, ssp. salmacis or Castle Eden Argus. Armed with grid references and a map of said locality I subsequently got a tip-off from Michael Harris of Durham Wildlife trust suggesting the butterfly was probably extinct in Castle Eden
and a better option would be the Quarry at Bishop Middleham or specifically Thrislington nature reserve. So after google mapping it I scribbled out a few directions: A1; A177 2nd exit to Coxhoe etc etc on some paper and packed it with my suit.
Setting off from Woking at 05:30 I arrived at Ryhope (Sunderland) at 10:05, checked the weather forecast for Thurs and Fri and quickly realized that Thurs was the better of two iffy days. So a brief rest and me and the girls were back out on the road.
With the A19 in close proximity I decided on a short-cut route despite not having a sat-nav (new-fangled gizmo
) or even a Road Atlas. I have always counted on my ability to find out where I’m going by asking passers-by and my unerring sense of direction. After this trip I think it’s time I broke the habit
. Traversing through numerous villages and housing estates at enforced crawl-along speeds on roads devoid of directional signage I had to resort to asking a local. Mindful of the hazy sunshine gradually fading to a gloomy grey,
my foot hovering impatiently over the accelerator as the local offered his advice: “Bishop Middleham quarry? … now let me see …”. After what seemed an eternity of going around in circles I arrived and at that very moment of stopping the car it started raining
. I must apologise to my daughters for all the expletives that rained out of me at that point
. Then the spitting stopped so we raced out along a wooded pathway that opened up into a wonderful Magnesian limestone meadow of grasses and wild flowers
.
Within a minute Francesca had found our quarry and Isabella took this photo. Have top say I couldn't see any difference between this and an agestis .. but this is a site for NBA.
Other butterflies like Small Heath and Common Blue were present too, but it was the Northern Brown Argus I had come to see and now at last I had added a new species to my butterfly lifer tally.
Just as I was relishing the prospect of an afternoon of happy hunting the rain returned with more persistence
. Heading back to the car and into Bishop Middleham itself I found somewhere to shelter from the rain to check my pictures. The pictures were not as good as I hoped for and although I was desperate to go back the weather was not easing up.
Back in the car with soggy hands I munched on a corned-beef pastie (a North-East speciality
) and stared morosely through the misted up windscreen at the June murk. Sensing my despondency Isabella piped up with a little song:- “you can’t let the weather get you down” … which is right. It is all part and parcel of butterflying in Britain
. Fingers crossed for good weather on Sunday when I’m heading back home …… via Bishop Middleham (providing I haven’t overdone it on Saturday night
)
Up in the North-East for my sister’s wedding for a few days provided the opportunity of a first time chance for Northern Brown Argus, ssp. salmacis or Castle Eden Argus. Armed with grid references and a map of said locality I subsequently got a tip-off from Michael Harris of Durham Wildlife trust suggesting the butterfly was probably extinct in Castle Eden
![Surprised :o](./images/smilies/icon_surprised.gif)
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
Setting off from Woking at 05:30 I arrived at Ryhope (Sunderland) at 10:05, checked the weather forecast for Thurs and Fri and quickly realized that Thurs was the better of two iffy days. So a brief rest and me and the girls were back out on the road.
With the A19 in close proximity I decided on a short-cut route despite not having a sat-nav (new-fangled gizmo
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
![Neutral :|](./images/smilies/icon_neutral.gif)
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
![Crying or Very sad :cry:](./images/smilies/icon_cry.gif)
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
![Evil or Very Mad :evil:](./images/smilies/icon_evil.gif)
![Embarassed :oops:](./images/smilies/icon_redface.gif)
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Within a minute Francesca had found our quarry and Isabella took this photo. Have top say I couldn't see any difference between this and an agestis .. but this is a site for NBA.
Other butterflies like Small Heath and Common Blue were present too, but it was the Northern Brown Argus I had come to see and now at last I had added a new species to my butterfly lifer tally.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
![Exclamation :!:](./images/smilies/icon_exclaim.gif)
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
![Crying or Very sad :cry:](./images/smilies/icon_cry.gif)
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
![Cool 8)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)