FINAL BUTTERFLY SPECIES OF 2017?

Probably the last opportunity to add a species to my butterfly year list was to find a Grayling.  I checked the butterfly conservation sightings list for the Upper Thames branch and noticed that good numbers had been seen in a conifer plantation on the Berks/Hampshire border, at a place called Mortimer... a few minutes car ride from my daughter's house.  After spending some time looking at Google maps and examining satellite pictures I managed to work out where to enter the plantation and which path to take to a gravel/grassy area next to a restore quarry pit where the highest numbers had been seen.  

It so happened that I was heading that way today so I stopped off by the entrance bariier at the side of the road and amazingly, after a short walk, managed to find the spot I was looking for, and sure enough there were graylings there. I knew they were graylings as as soon as they landed they seemed to disappear from view... their camouflage is so effective! 

grayling

grayling

the path through the plantation

the restored gravel pit

the area of gravel and sparse grass where graylings were found

So that makes species number 46, I doubt I can increase that unless I come across a clouded yellow...