Thanks for the warm welcome everyone. I look forward to talking with you soon.
There are sooooo many diaries that I get lost looking at all the beautiful pictures. I plan on commenting on as many as possible but so many pictures to look at, and not enough time
I typed my latest entry the other night but the forum timed out and I lost the whole thing. Very frustrating. Anyways, I managed to get out a few times and here are my latest entries.
Date: Saturday 7th July
Location: Dunstable Downs
Time: Late morning to afternoon.
My fathers day treat this year was a picnic on Dunstable Downs with butterfly hunting and I was very excited because on previous visits I had seen hundreds of butterflies with many Blues that I couldn't identify so this time, with camera I would hopefully be able get some pics and identify later.
Whilst waiting to leave I was in the garden and a Holly Blue came to visit. The first pic I have managed to get of one, albeit a little dark as I hadn't taken the correction off from a previous trip out. Still it was a good omen I thought.
We arrived and ate but I was chomping at the bit to get going, so as soon as I had wolfed down some lunch I was off
I headed down the first chalk path and there were a large amount of Marbled Whites, Skippers, Ringlets and Meadow Browns, a few Commas and Brimstone but not a Blue to be seen anywhere. I tried to get some pics but I was having absolutely no luck. I am postitive the butterflies could hear the whine of the focus because as soon as I touched the button they scarpered.
I carried on down the path for about an hour and a half admiring the view, the butterflies and the sunshine but I couldn't get a picture for love nor money. I was getting thirsty so it was time to head back to basecamp for a drink and a change of area to hunt. From basecamp I spotted an area I had never been, so I headed across the ridge and planned on descending down the slope to see what I could find there.
It looked like an easy descent from the top but it was far steeper than I had realised so a lot of very careful sidestepping until I got near the bottom to see there was a wall of impenetrable brambles preventing me from reaching my destination. So, it was back up the slope to find another way down and as luck would have it I found another chalky path a little further along that looked do-able. It wasn't as steep as the the previous path but it was chalky so caution would be needed.
I sarted the descent and startled a Brimtone from beside the path who flitted a little further down until I caught him up again, so off he would go until I caught him up again. This little game continued a few times until some loose chalk gave way from underneath me and I came down hard on my right hand, skidding down the slope with my loaned camera held aloft in my left hand. I managed to stop myself from sliding and got up, covered in chalk and decided more caution was needed. The Brimstone was still with me.
I very, very cautiously carried on.......for about 10 seconds until the loose chalk gave way again and came down even harder this time onto my left elbow because I had the camera in my left hand and couldn't use the hand to break the fall. That really hurt. I slid down the slope for a few metres but managed to stop myself and get up. I was really covered in chalk now, bloodied, sore and deciding how best to continue. To go back up would be even more dangerous I thought, so I carried on. The Brimstone agreed that this was the right decision.
Using as much caution as I could, I continued on and got to the bottom without any further incident. And with me at the bottom was the Brimstone. It had accompanied me from the very top of the downs to the very bottom and now it had landed and allowed me to finally get a picture at Dunstable Downs.
I went to the area I was intending to reach and there were many of the previously mentioned butterflies but they did not want me to photograph them. I did manage to get my first pic (and subsequently identify) of an Essex Skipper.
After some more wandering I finally found a Blue. I managed to get a few pics and was unsure as to which type but posted it here and it was confirmed to be a Chalk Hill Blue (Thanks for the help Guy). My third new butterfly sighting this year
See if you can spot the photobomber in this one
I wandered the area trying to get close but I was having no luck so it was time to head back to base camp, pack up and head home.
If you have got this far then I thank you for reading about my adventure and apologise for the lack of pics but my lack of skill and/or luck prevented me from posting more for you to look at. I at least hope you have been entertained
Stay Hydrated.
Old Wolf.