ASTON ROWANT

Another warm and sunny afternoon so I when I finished work at lunch time I drove straight over to Aston Rowant NNR   ( just over an hour away) in search of more butterflies. 

Once I had walked down to the chalk grassland which forms the reserve, I was surrounded by butterflies. I soon counted up to 15 species, chalkhill blues were a first for the year (there were many of these fluttering around, though difficult to  photograph with wings fully open). I was  also hoping for silver spotted skippers, seen last year, albeit slightly later on, and possibly small coppers, but didn't find either. 

species seen: gatekeeper, meadow brown, comma, small tortoiseshell, red admiral, peacock, large white, green veined white, brimstone, brown argus, ringlet, common blue, chalkhill blue, essex skipper, marbled white

gatekeeper

chalkhill blue

green veined white

brown argus

brimstone

the flower covered grasslands

comma

common blue

marbled white

small tortoiseshell and ringlet

small skippers mating

IN MY GARDEN

The other day I heard a lot of noise and realised it was coming from a green woodpecker perched on top of my fir tree, but it flew off before I could get out my camera. The noise continued but out of sight.

Today I looked out of the window when I got up and saw two green woodpeckers on the grass, one a juvenile and I managed a photo this time! 

green woodpecker

...AND AGAIN

Another short trip to Ravensroost wood; the usual butterflies, and also my first small skipper which brings my year total to 40. 
Species seen:
marbled white, small skipper, comma, meadow brown, ringlet, gatekeeper, silver washed fritillary, purple hairstreak, green veined white

comma

green veined white

silver washed fritillary

small skipper

RAVENSROOST WOOD

Another hot afternoon, but slightly more shaded under the trees in Ravensroost wood. 
My main aim was to look for  white letter and purple hairstreaks.

I followed the main ride through the wood and soon had a good count of different butterflies, Another visitor pointed out a white letter hairstreak, and I later saw a couple of purple hairstreaks,  although  I wasn't able to get photographs this time.  I also found my first gatekeepers of the year. 

Butterflies seen were:

gatekeeper
purple hairstreak
white letter hairstreak
large white
green veined white
comma
brimstone
holly blue
marbled white
speckled wood
ringlet
meadow brown

Also a couple of moths:

scarlet tiger
large emerald

comma

large emerald moth

scarlet tiger moth

speckled wood

brimstone

gatekeeper

holly blue

HOT AFTERNOON

It was a hot afternoon  and perhaps a bit too hot for looking for butterflies, nevertheless I went in search of dark green fritillaries at Prestbury Hill reserve, having seen them there  a couple of years ago, but missed them last year. 

 A lot of butterflies about, but mainly flying, including plenty of marbled white, ringlets, meadow brown, small heath, a small tortoiseshell, red admiral and a couple of other whites which didn't stop so I couldn't identify them properly. 

I saw several dark green fritillaries zooming past me up and down the chalk hillsides, (they are very fast flyers) but it wasn't until I came into the 'valley' that I was able to find one stopping to feed. This particular individual flew along a section of the valley and back, stopping to feed on three or four different scabious plants at regular intervals, but only for a few seconds only. I had to keep my camera focussed on particular blooms to get any chance of a photos!

Number thirty six achieved!

THE EMPEROR

It had been a dry morning and it looked like skies were brightening so I thought it would be a good day to visit Savernake forest in search of the purple emperor. I saw them much later in the month last year, but there were reports of several  seen last week.

As I got nearer my destination, the wet roads gave evidence of a heavy shower and indeed everything was wet in the forest. I wondered if the butterflies would take time to dry out and if I should see any at all. I did notice a few meadow browns and ringlets around though. 
Having parked my car near the clearing where 'the column' is found, I walked around the grassy area, for at least  half an hour..nothing! 

A few patches of blue sky appeared which looked hopeful, but didn't produce any Purple emperors. So I was about to go home, when another car drew up, and the occupant proceeded to set up a tripod and camera with zoom lens. He was obviously expecting to see something, so I decided to wait a bit longer.. and unbelievably, as he approached the column, a purple emperor appeared and landed on the column!  Perfect timing! 

We managed a few photos, although the butterfly was quite high up and mine weren't very clear.  The next twenty minutes saw a couple more butterflies appear , one  landed low down, but only for a couple of seconds, and not enough to get a photo, unfortunately. 

However, that increases my total of different species to thirty-five this year so I was happy!

SILVER STUDDED BLUES

I've now seen thirty three species of butterfly this year, and my aim is to get over forty. So next on my list was the silver studded blue, which can be seen on heathlands.

Not wanting to go down to the New Forest, I discovered that Silchester common near Tadley has a colony of these butterflies so that was where I set off for this morning. The weather was cloudy but dry, with the possibility of brightening up later.

After a coffee stop at Sarah's, (who lives a few miles away) I found the car park without difficulty. Pamber Forest is right next to the common, so  I headed there first, looking for woodland butterflies.  With a lot of cloud around, there wasn't much activity, but I did manage to see one white admiral, and a couple of silver washed fritillary, as well as numerous ringlets and meadow browns, a few large skippers and one red admiral.

entrance to Pamber forest

ringlet

large skipper

silver washed fritillary

After eating lunch back at the car, I ventured onto Silchester common. Again it was still cloudy, and I wasn't sure what butterflies would be about. I saw  several meadow browns, and was just wondering if I would find any silver studded blues, when I saw a blue butterfly flying around some heather just in front of me. When it landed, I could see it was a very tatty male silver studded blue!

silver studded blue (male)

It started to brighten a little, and I waited around, hoping it would attract a few more of these little butterflies. Sure enough I soon noticed a female then a few more individuals, both female and males,all within a few square metres of heather. 

The females seemed much less worn than the males, but both tended to rest with wings open and I really wanted to get a photo of the silver studding on the underside of the wings. Eventually, I spied a female and managed to get a few clear shots. 

silver studded blue female

underside of wing showing 'studding' on hind wing.