Butterfly 47 plus a Osprey from Shapwick

Date: 11/08/2016

Location: Fontmell Down + Shapwick Heath

Weather: Very Windy 15 mph at Fontmell cloudy then overcast Shapwick

Other Species: 
Fontmell  Butterflies: 
Small Blue,Small Heath, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Chalkhill Blue, Dark Green Fritillary, Silver Spotted Skipper, Small White.
Birds Fontmell :
Linnet, Yellowhammer, Kestrel, Redstart.
Bird Shapwick:
Osprey, Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Little Egret, Great White Egret.

Observation: 
Weather forecast looking good for Silver Spotted so headed down to Fontmell down, but as i drove down weather turned very windy with gusts to15 mph not good also cloudy !!! But made the effort and after 2 hours it paid off, just !

The Silver Spotted takes my yearly total to 47 Butterflies, need one more this year 
Clouded Yellow for 48.
Next year i'm 50 years young, so going for the 59 butterflies in the uk i hope !

Here a close up of the Dark Green Fritillary which kept flying past me until it landed in a very brief period of sunshine .

Only saw one of these, but Small heaths 3 or 4, 1 Small Blue a few Whites but Butterflies not really showing well on Fontmell today.

The ones that were showing well were covered in red parasitic mites. These parasites Trombidium breei feed on the blood of the Butterfly, seen them before on Chalkhills and Marbled Whites, apparently more common on the males.

Anyway after 2 hours up and down the hills time for a change but on way out the Linnet's were posing nicely in bushes so a few shots of these and decided to head to Shapwick in Somerset .

Went to Meare Heath hide first and saw some very distant Marsh Harriers in fact saw 2 plus a squabble between 2 Marsh Harriers and the reason i came the Osprey ! Nice to watch but distant.

The Osprey had just caught a fish from Meare Heath side as i arrived in Noahs hide.

While watching caught view of i think a Sandpiper in middle of lake ,distant but thought weird as no shallow water for it to feed ?

Any hoo but to the Osprey and light was terrible but target acquired !

After watching for some 20 minutes it decided to go catch another fish so took flight.

I also left after it disappeared but as i joined main track back to car Park spotted it flying to Meare Heath !

Still distant for my 400mm but better light and a cracking view as a Marsh Harrier decided to join it for a while then it disappeared over the back of Meare Heath, i Also left at this Point. 

A nice day was had and talked to some nice people : )

Thanks For Looking !

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Fontmell Down & The SSS

Date: 12/08/2015

Location: Fontmell Down

Weather: Temp Rising all day to 25c - but some cloud and gusty wind. 

Other Species: Brimstone, Large White, Meadow Brown, Chalkhill Blue, Commom Blue, Small Skipper, Silver Spotted Skipper, Clouded Yellow, Small Heath, Dark Green Fritillary, Brown Argus, Small Blue, Small Copper.

Observation:  Up over Spread-Eagle Hill, blue skies and a full car park ! Waited 10 mins and a space opened up so headed off in search of Silver Spotted Skipper. Seemed to be two groups of people on opposite hill but carried on alone searching with nothing. Saw lots of Chalkhill, Common Blues and Brown Argus then a Clouded Yellow with wings open but missed the shot !

The wind was a little gusty and the butterflies were not posing for long.

More Chalkhill Blues than anything else on lower slopes.

5 or 6 Small Copper's around

Then after speaking to the other groups who were BC-Somerset  BC-Dorset  they found our first Silver Spotted - Camera Bad Setting ! Doh !

After another hour searching backwards and forwards along hill 10 or so hands seem to waving at me ? I rushed over and in a jar they've found another! After it was released it disappeared completely! A tricky thing to find on Fontmell may try again in week or two .

  

A Pretty Chalkhill on Knapweed 

Back towards car park now and down little track, the old Quarry on left always a good bet for Small Blue. Feeding on Kidney Vetch

And finally Brimstone Male

I Checked on Google Earth to see how far I walked, 5 miles, felt like 20!

But with nice people stunning views and some beautiful butterflies a Great Day was had!

Thanks For Looking !

Alner's Gorse & Fontmell

Date: 30/07/2015

Location: Alners Gorse & Fontmell Down

Weather: Cloud, Slight wind but more sunshine ! 18c

Other Species Butterflies: Brown Hairstreak, Purple Hairstreak, Brimstone, Red Admiral, Silver Washed Fritillary, Meadow Brown, Ringlets, Speckled Wood, Large/Small Whites, Large/Small Skippers, Small Blue & Dark Green Fritillary, Fontmell, Gatekeepers, Comma -16 Total Species.

Observation: 

Missed the Brown Hairstreak last week so of down to Alner's it was. On arriving struggled to park as grass verge very busy, but got in on end of line. Off down track and Brown Hairstreak were already spotted but couldn't locate so carried on around. At this point cloud was overhead and all seemed quiet got round to Buckthorn tree, couple of high up Purple Hairstreak so waited patiently. Then I spotted a Brown Hairstreak !

Almost open wing shot ! Nice

 Spotted 3 in all 

A great looking Butterfly !

Even the Purple Hairstreak came down a bit, still around 7ft into tree.

 I noticed the eyes, a sort of greyish sheen.

This one having a Jaws moment!

Looked hard for 'Valencia' Silver Washed Fritillary's but no good saw stacks of Silver Washed Fritillary's though.

Stayed for around 3 hours on leaving even more cars! Headed now for Fontmell in search of Silver Spotted Skipper, no joy :( Last year it was spotted on the 30th but nothing. In fact not much, no Common Blues, saw Small Blue but not much there. More cloud now and slightly more wind.

This, I think is a Common Footman Moth.

Quite a few Southern Hawkers about.

I'll try again soon ! This final Butterfly of the day Common but a stunner from any angle ! 

Red Admiral.

Thanks For Looking !

Draycott & Priddy Mineries

Date: 28/07/2015

Location: Draycott Sleights then Priddy Mineries

Weather: Windy some sunshine later

Other Species Butterflies: Silver Washed Fritillary, Dark Green Fritillary, Small Copper, Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns, Ringlets, Red Admiral, Small White, Large White, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Chalkhill Blue = 12

Observation: 

Sunny spells forecast but wind not good for butter-flying :( but headed to Draycott Sleights anyway saw around 6/7 Chalkhill Blues all hiding in grasses not really posing so headed up slope came to this Silver Washed Fritillary had another wander round but still to windy, wind was gusting at 15mph.

Thought maybe Priddy Mineries would be better, it was a bit,so headed into Stockhill Wood first and saw this lovely looking Large White.

Bit further on surprised to see this large skipper in the woodland .

Dark Green and Silver Washed Fritillary's Soaring through the glades. Also birds saw Goldcrest and Coal Tit and unknown bird of prey calling thought maybe kestrel.

Out on to the Mineries path, windy again. But this Small Copper stopped briefly.

Lots of mostly Small Skippers with Marbled Whites, Burnet Moths, Meadow Browns making the numbers

I really liked this shot, thought he was smiling I was as well ! :)...I'am now ! :)

Last thing of the day Common Darter landed on path, Nice :)

Thanks For Looking :)

On the Mendips

Date: 15/07/2015

Location: Draycott Sleights - Black Rock & Priddy Mineries

Weather: Overcast, No Blue skies, Temp 20c 

Other Species: Green Woodpecker, Buzzard, Kestrel, Nuthatch - not bad for eyes on the ground !

Butterflies: Chalkhill Blue, Marbled White, Peacock, Small Heath, Skippers, Dark Green Fritillary, Meadow Brown, Ringlets.

Observation:

Weather forecast said sunny spells but none of that overcast all day. On getting to Draycott quite a few cars there, a organised walk was going on.

But headed in and started looking not promising few Marbled Whites lots of Skippers and Meadow Browns, walked to top and round saw a Juv Green Woodpecker flew right in front of me and landed on small tree.

Then when just about to leave saw 2 Chalkhill Blues chasing each other .

After many more shots .......

Spotted a Yellow Shell Moth while looking saw the biggest Cricket I've ever seen ! Around 3-4 inches long, thats big huh! Looked it up it on internet was a Great Green Bush Cricket (Tettigonia viridissima)

After that headed to Black Rock Cheddar as just round corner. Not many butterflies here saw a pair of Nuthatches chasing each other, few Small Heath and Marbled whites. 

Thought on way back I'd drop in to Priddy Mineries,Glad I did. Walked through Stockwood Wood first but nothing so headed across towards pond lots and lots of Small Skippers, Six Spotted Burnets also Chimney Sweep Moths .

Just when I was thinking no Fritillary's around 2 flashed in front of me Dark Green Fritillary's nice looking butterfly and landed nicely.

Then it left the Red Clover and landed even better !

Thistles were packed with Marbled Whites and Six Spots jostling for position .

And home.

  Still no Hairstreaks :( well apart from Green.

Thanks For Looking !

Brown's Folly Repeat!

Date: 28th July - All Day
Location:  Brown's Folly - Bathampton
Observation:  On the hunt for butterflies today, we popped back into Brown's Folly, alot less than last week, but still a fair few butterflies/moths there with a total of 15 species, took my Nikon, to get some nice colourful shots, think we done well! Smaller numbers of all butterflies, but was a lovely view and got some nice shots, so very happy!
Weather:  Blue Sky, Warm, + Sunny!
Other Species: Blackbird, Buzzard, Wren, Dunnock, Robin
Butterflies:  Common Blue, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Marbled White, Brimstone, Large Skipper, Dark Green Fritillary, Purple Bordered Gold moth, Six Spotted Burnet, Meadow Brown, Green Veined White, Small White, Gatekeeper, Small Heath, Silver Y Moth