Friday, 26 August 2016

ASTON ROWANT

A fine sunny day for butterflies so off I went to Aston Rowant Nature Reserve, on the other side of Oxford. Having found a car parking spot in the shade I walked through the trees and came out on the large chalk downland which is along side the M40. 

Butterflies were everywhere!  Numerous common blues ( mostly rather tatty), brown argus, large and small whites, meadow browns, small heaths,  small tortoiseshells, adonis blues, and  some silver spotted skippers. I also saw a clouded yellow in flight; I only knew what it was, because a couple of people had been photographing it, but sadly it disappeared and I could not relocate it even though I looked around for quite a time. 

After taking a number of photos, I picnicked in the car before heading for Yoesden , another chalk grassland area. with similar butterflies. On the way there, I suddenly stopped the car beside the road, because there in a tree  ahead of me sat a red kite! It didn't seem worried when I reversed the car for a better look, or took some photos. 
the Reserve at Aston Rowant

the steep sided grassland

a rather tatty common blue
adonis blue


brown argus

meadow brown

the M40 from Aston Rowant



small tortoiseshell

silver spotted skipper
red kite



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