Butterflies and the Glanville Fritillary

Date: 26th May - 29th May

Location: Cotley Hill - Bentley Wood - Sand Point

Weather: Blue Skies + Sunshine most of it.

Other Species:
 Cotley - Marsh Fritillaries, Small Blue, Large Skipper, Adonis, Brown Argus, Six Spotted Burnet, Orange Tip, Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Heath, Grizzled Skipper, Dingy Skippers, Green Hairstreak, Small Copper.
Cley Hill - Wall, Green-Veined White, Small Heath. 
Bentley - Pearl Bordered Fritillaries, Brimstone, Small Whites.
Sand Point - Small Copper, Small Heath, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Large White, Small 
White  

Observation:
Butterfly season in full swing now with a good spell of dry sunny weather! On some advice from @Christrott1 headed to Cotley Hill, Wiltshire and was not disappointed on arrival finding a stack of Marsh Fritillaries in to 100's I'd say ! 

Posing and mating almost at every angle going, but front on I think they look cool !

Adonis Blue's also on the wing with this pristine one perching nicely showing black lines in all the right places.

Also Large Skipper freshly emerged, only 2 seen.

Not forgetting birds with a Stonechat family with 3 fledgling Corn Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Skylark and beautiful Yellowhammers.

But Marsh Fritillary - Euphydryas aurinia head on! Cracking stuff.

On a roll now and weekend off Bentley wood next.

28th May Bentley Wood and Pearl Bordered Fritillary on the tick list never seen them before and on eventually finding it parked up. In car park a sighting book! Small Pearl and Pearl have been sighted today BONUS !

But telling them apart different matter, thought I'd got photos of both large and small but no just Pearl Bordered, think I've got differences now, if I see a Small Pearl this year I will see !

A massive woodland but Pearl seem to favour eastern clearing and also like it low down in grass or the day I went they did! 

Around 7/8 seen with Brimstone and a few other but that clear sunny weather I mentioned heavy rain and thunder night before! 

Ground was very wet.

After spending some time with them headed home and was passing Cotley Hill so worth the stop, still a few Marsh about but numbers right down still Small Blue, Whites about.

On getting home and Twitter mentioned a Glanville Fritillary at Sand Point 25 miles from home so Sunday headed to coast apparently a release by somebody but another I've never seen. On arriving lots of people about dogs, footballs, kids! But luckily I kept to lower paths and they kept to uppers.

Common Blues mostly, this lot having an orgy !

Common Blues they are called but not seen many this year, but a lovely butterfly all the same. With around 5/6 people looking for Glanville I had high hopes but after 2.5 hour walking backwards and forwards no sign :(

Small Whites, Large Whites, Wall Brown, Red Admiral were the highlights

And these little chaps Small Coppers bit faded now but still looking good .

As for birds Linnet, Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit and a Cuckoo calling from deep in Copse couldn't locate for picture.

One thing I've never seen is the Bee Orchid, almost Jimmy Hill or Bruce Forsyth lookalike !

Bee Orchid - Ophrys apifera a stunning little plant quiet a few covering hillside.

On leaving Sand Point on way home popped into Draycott only Common Blues on Wing and bit windy so Priddy Mineries was last stop Small Heath about but little else will return to Priddy soon for Small Pearl and also return trip to Bentley Wood for Purple Emperor Stay Tuned !!

Thanks For Looking !

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