Butterfly Season In Full Swing!

Location: 
Mendips, Poldens & Newton St Loe

Weather:
Alsorted but mostly dry with some blue.

Other Species:

Butterflies: Small Pearl Bordered, Large Blue, Small Copper, Brimstone, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Elephant Hawk Moth - Of Note.

Birds on Patch: Yellowhammer, Whitethroat, Buzzard, Red Legged Partridge, Goldcrest + Many Fledglings.    

Observation:

My Butterfly season going well so far with total species seen standing at 29 with 15 more tick probable and aiming for 4 more targets or new ticks for me this year (my 2016 yearly target is 50) Went to Priddy For another go at Small Pearl stacks on the wing 20+ not really sitting still but better shots than at Fry's Hill.

Had trouble telling them apart on first seeing Pearl Bordered at Bentley Woods but think 

I got ID now. Note thin triangled line on upper wing this differs for PB, much thinner on SPB.

The head on shot, feeding briefly on Bird's-foot-trefoil.

Shame bit of grass behind but look at that pattern !!

So after nailing SPBF at Priddy on Sunday next free day for me was Tuesday weather very cloudy on drive down and was wondering weather any point after searching for hour an half and only seeing Meadow Brown still my first this year, Common Blue and Small Copper and this amazing looking Small Elephant Hawk Moth was beginning to give up when a shout from further down the hill came.

Whoo hoo my first Large Blue, Large Blue despite name its Wingspan @ 38-52mm is not alot bigger than a Common Blue @ 29-36mm, our biggest Butterfly is the Swallowtail which is 86-93mm or the female anyway (next year's tick list i hope! ) A monster !

But Large Blue still a cracking butterfly and good job to Butterfly Conservation for the Reintroduction and continued work they do !

Weather was some what hit and miss with few spots of rain, cloud and hardly any sunshine saw around 5+ on the wing only 2 keeping still for any amount of time. Managed a couple of opened winged shots though, job done !

Before embarking on Patch walk checked out my pond, doing well for dragons this year Broad Bodied Male been buzzing about for few days now.

The Small Red mating!

Also the Common Blue injecting life into our pond !

Out on Patch Goldcrest, Blackcap bathing and Kingfisher buzzing along brook with Grey Wagtails also, up on to fields skylark up singing, Yellowhammers doing well this year I think with more groups closer to Bath Mill.

While staring up at skies looking for Red Kites that were tweeted over and up on Lansdown just minutes before! No sign again!

 One day we'll get them, this lovely looking Whitethroat popped up great looking birds more of these this year also.

Over Seven Acre a group of at least 20 Swift's racing across skies, amazing ! 

Barn Swallows and House Martins at Village and this Painted Lady, added to Migrant Watch

Also this strange Green Woodpecker, saw him fly up on to pole, on closer inspection saw a piece of grass seemed to be attached to him.

After 5 minutes she flew off with grass still attacthed?

 Nesting material ? 

Not sure was very careful not to bend it .

After walking home the local Jay at base of our tree was clearing up peanuts as usual, such a smart bird patch total only 26 but only half the walk completed.

Thanks For Looking !

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