Thursday morning didn’t start too well. First the dog, for a change, wanted to go out early but meaning I would be tight for time. It was surprisingly cool even starting to rain lightly but becoming quite heavy as I got ready to go out. I checked the BBC Weather app and things did look better further south but still expressed my concern when Ricky picked me up. Fortunately we left the rain behind and the temperature kept rising but it was still overcast and cool for butterflies when we reached Chambers Farm Wood. When we’d last visited two months back there had been warning notices about closure of the road in.
As you can see above this had supposed to have finished late June and but as I’d already read on Facebook the work was still going on but fortunately we were waved in along a diversion through a field. Had a quick look at the butterfly garden where there were a few commoner species on the wing.
Drove to the other car park and set off into the woods. Initially quiet except for a few more small butterflies and for a time the cloud got thicker. Eventually though we got a break in the clouds and first saw a Brown Hawker-the only dragonfly seen-then a Silver-washed Fritillary and White Admiral. Got a few shots off although not the best, before the clouds closes over again. We headed back in the direction of the car but came across another butterfly enthusiast as the sun came out again. Had the same species but this time got better views. Also saw a Volucella pellucens hover-fly but kept in cover.
After some partial success we headed back to the car looking out for Purple Emperor. While we were eating, a large butterfly flew by. Eventually it settled in a skip on a pizza box, a Purple Emperor. This species has a habit of feeding on carcasses and dog dirt so maybe it was feeding on grease. In fact this one had an attachment for human things as the only other shots we got were on tarmac rubble and the door of the road workers “comfort station”.
We ended our trip back at the butterfly garden. On arrival I was faced with two possible targets. I went for a quick distance shot of the Painted Lady then the Comma but as the latter lingered I should done it the other way round.
I had a look at the currant bushes where we’d seen Currant Clearwing moth last year then the flowers nearby where I had a Mint Moth/Pyrausta aurata, that and a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in the garden only, the moths of the trip.
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