Fontmell + Martin Down NR + Badbury Rings

Date: 16/08/2016

Location: Fontmell + Martin Down NR + Badbury Rings

Weather: Blue Skies, Little Wind, Temp 24+ - Perfect!

 Observation:
Perfect weather and not really happy with my last effort for the Silver Spotted Skipper so decided to go back to Fontmell Down was not disappointed!! Saw loads, at least 10. Saw one as soon as I entered the gate!

Arrived around 10:30 sun was blazing and the Skippers were perching up nicely!

6 or so people on hillside also looking, as usual, as the Skippers move they disappear, really hard to relocate but a few were moving from one Hawkweed to another.

Much better than hiding in the grass! 

Even a almost incoming flight shot.

Apart from SSS there were lots and I mean lots of Meadow Browns, a few tatty Chalkhill Blues plus a few Common Blues.

On lower slopes 2 Small Coppers plus a Brimstone.

Birds Kestrel, Redstart, Marsh Tit, Bullfinch, Linnet, Chiffchaff.

So time still early headed cross country to Martin Down NR, never been before, on arriving car park empty! But saw this Redstart hunting.

Think I was a bit late for butterflies, a few about but I'm sure June/July would have been better as the meadows looked fantastic!

Saw just one Tatty Dark Green Fritillary although this angle make him look amazing!

Common Blues again with lots of mites on, seen lots of these this year on different butterflies?

On almost leaving saw Tree Pipit ( I think? )

Now anyone who reads my blog knows I need one more butterfly, Clouded Yellow to complete this year list of 48 so yesterday a Clouded was reported from Badbury Rings and only being 16 miles away couldn't resist! But arriving there not much apart from an annoying drone buzzing around! Did see this and about 3/4 more Brimstones yellow but not Clouded.

Although in the light more green stunning all the same.

While watching Brimstone I saw a lizard scuttle across path in front of me then seconds later this Kestrel appeared from nowhere and scooped up something! Not sure if it was lizard!

So after 3 wonderful places today I headed home happy with my improved shots of the Silver Spotted Skippers but still no Clouded Yellows, 

they are arriving, so tomorrow I might be lucky !? :)

Thanks For Looking !

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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 : )

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Fontmell Down & Ham Wall

Date: 01/09/2015

Location: Fontmell Down - Ham Wall

Weather: Blue skies for some part but clouds and light wind

Other Species: Butterflies: Chalkhill Blue, Small Blue, Adonis Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Brimstone, Silver Spotted Skipper, Meadow Brown, Whites, Small Copper.

Birds: Peregrine Falcon, Linnet, Yellowhammer. 

Hamwall: Great White Egret, Marsh Harrier, Gadwall, Little Grebe.

Observation: Headed to Fontmell Down for that Silver Spotted Skipper, wasn't happy with one in a jar! Nor the Adonis at Rodborough Common last week so....

On arriving was happy to see lots of Adonis Blues also a flyover Peregrine Falcon !

Liked this one :)

Quiet a few mating this unlucky couple getting eaten by spider :(

Adonis to see you !

At least 10 or so Small Blues flirting over hill too.

And then the Silver Spotted arrived, Nice ! 

At end of trip had seen at least 15 with a group of 5 !

The sunshine making all the flutterby's frisky !

Sitting Pretty

A much nicer day than last week ! I shall return next year  ! :)

Now a bit of birding and Ham Wall it was

 with this nice Small Red-Eyed Damselflies

Went to Tor Hide not much going on there so headed for viewing platform 2 Great White Egret at distance and a Grey Heron. Reeds gonna be cut soon, Good !

A feisty Wren in defiance a stance !

Little Grebe was the end of a great day .

Cheers For Now !

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 !