Tuesday, 15 August 2017

BROWN HAIRSTREAKS AT OTMOOR

My purpose in visiting Otmoor reserve was to claim the 45th species of the year for me, hopefully a brown hairstreak. Two years ago I had some great views of them low down on thistles, but last year  I only saw one flying high up around the ash trees.

On arrival the car park was busy, but I managed to get a place just as someone was leaving. Turning left out of the car park I started to walk down the old Roman road, which is where the hairstreaks are usually found, and soon noticed a cluster of people with binoculars and cameras. It wasn't hard to guess that they were on the same mission as I was!  On questioning them I learned that a few had been seen high up but none had come low enough for a decent photograph. So I had to be content with craning my neck to see them. In total we found about five or six, I managed to get a record shot but that was all. 

After taking a short walk around part of the reserve, I returned to find that someone had just managed some good shots of a brown hairstreak that had landed down on some nettles but had then flown off. I saw a few more brown hairstreaks and some purple hairstreaks too, but decided to call it a day. Still, the forty fifth species was achieved! 
brimstone 

a hard to spot brown hairstreak high up in an ash tree



common blue



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