Perranporth and Wembury Butterflies

A week off work for my birthday started with a trip to Perranporth in Cornwall on Monday July 16th. The weather wasn't looking great on the drive down with grey skies and heavy showers but on arriving at Perranporth the clouds quickly cleared, the sun appeared and it became another hot and sunny day,

We met up with my sister Vik, brother in law Nik and nephew Jack who were holidaying for the week near Falmouth and we enjoyed brunch at The Watering Hole, a wander around the shops, a few drinks and a splash around in the surf before heading back to Plymouth.

A juvenile gannet was seen offshore, a shelduck flew along the beach and 2 fulmars flew along the cliffs while the stream through the village held the usual trout. The highlight though were silver studded blues flitting about in the dunes, a little worn and virtually silver studless but a good find along with common blues - at first I thought they were female common blues until I noticed the male common blues interacting with them but mostly ignoring them.

 Silver Studded Blue

 Silver Studded Blue 

 Silver Studded Blue 

 Silver Studded Blue 

 Silver Studded Blue - Silver studs just about visible

 Silver Studded Blue

 Silver Studded Blue 

Silver Studded Blue

Tuesday 17th July and we had a walk along the coastpath at Wembury on a mostly overcast but hot day. A rosy footman, a Chinese character and 2 small blood vein were found in the toilet block which I caught and released outside and along the walk there were silver y and 6 spot burnet flitting about.

Small Bloodvein

Not much happening on the bird front as expected with 30 oystercatcher roosting on the rocks at high tide with a little egret, a sparrowhawk flying over, a cirl bunting singing and whitethroats skulking in the brambles being the best of it.

Plenty of butterflies on the wing though with small white, 2 wall, meadow brown, gatekeeper, small skipper, a painted lady, speckled wood, common blue, small copper and large white all seen.

 Small Skipper

Wall