A VERY HOT DAY

It was already 27 degrees at 10.15 when I arrived for my annual visit to Aston Rowant NR in search of the silver spotted skipper. Butterflies were everywhere, the abundance and variety  of wild flowers on this chalk hillside was wonderful sight and wherever you looked butterflies were flying from flower to flower, or chasing each other.  

I took the path along the top of the reserve which looked down over the M40 motorway. Although hot, there was a welcome breeze, however this made it hard for butterflies to land, or stay still enough for me to capture them on my camera.  My main target for today was the silver spotted skipper, of which I saw a good number, though difficult to photograph, as no sooner had I located one that had stopped for a while, it was off again, chasing away another butterfly. 

I followed the track down the hillside where it was less windy, but increasingly hot! 

There were many meadow browns, as well as whites, common blues and gatekeepers. I also saw brimstone, peacock, small copper and small skipper. Every now and then I spotted the closed wings of a slightly larger blue butterfly, the chalkhill, but disappointingly  I didn't  get to see one open its wings.

I would have stayed on this reserve for longer, only it was getting unbearably hot and I decided I would make my way home. 

chalk hill blue

silver spotted skipper