With the heatwave in full swing I had the moth box out in the garden overnight on June 25th and in the morning I had only a modest haul of moths despite the hot and dry weather with the highlights being a buff tip, a common wave, rustic, uncertain, Eudonia delunella and least black arches.
Buff Tip
Common Wave
Uncertain
Rustic
Eudonia delunella
Least Black Arches
After sorting out the moths we caught the ferry across to Cawsands for a beach day but it was far too hot for us and we spent our time under the shade of the trees at the top of the beach at the base of the cliffs. Despite this we had a great day out and enjoyed watching gannets diving for fish in Plymouth Sound while marbled whites, ringlets, meadow browns, gatekeepers, large skippers and a comma flitted about along with regular sightings of flyby scarlet tiger moths.
Gatekeeper
The herring gulls are busy nesting again on our chimney stack as they have done for many years now but for the 3rd year running we have had a fledgling come down the chimney. It began its descent on Monday 25th June and finally arrived in the living room grate on Friday 29th June, helpfully sweeping the chimney on its way down. We placed it out on the flat roof next door and within seconds were being mobbed by the adults and so after feeding it a tin of sardines which it gobbled down along with one of the adults who promptly regurgitated it for the fledgling we left them to it. The adults have accepted the youngster straight away unlike last year and it seems to be doing OK while its sibling remains on our roof.
Birdy
"Where's my grub?"
Yummy
June 30th and with the hot weather there has been quite a good emergence of purple emperors this year and so I decided to take a day trip to Bentley Woods in Wiltshire by train to have a look for them. I wasn't sure if I would be successful but I decided nothing ventured, nothing gained and so an early start (an 04:15 alarm call!) saw me catching the 05:25 train to Exeter and then a train to Salisbury and then a train to Dean and after a 2 mile walk from Dean station to the Bentley Woods main car park I arrived at 09:40, not bad going and without any dramas or delays with the trains. The train ticket was expensive but I saved a good £20 by using the Tickety Split web site whereby I bought 3 tickets (Plymouth to Axminster, Axminster to Crewkerne and Crewkerne to Dean returns ) instead of just 1 ticket (Plymouth to Dean return), saving the money despite catching exactly the same trains - ridiculous.
The car park at Bentley Woods was almost full and there were huddles of butterfly enthusiasts dotted around and speaking in hushed tones while carrying mahoosive camera lenses but everybody was friendly and helpful. It was already very hot as I set off along the main ride from the car park and the first butterflies I saw were purple hairstreaks flitting about at the top of an oak tree. I had some nice views of them in the trees but later I had some excellent views of them close to the ground resting on bracken and brambles - the best views I have ever had of them and I managed a few decent photos too.
Purple Hairstreak
Purple Hairstreak
Purple Hairstreak
Purple Hairstreak
Purple Hairstreak
There were butterflies everywhere I looked as I walked around the woods and I soon found silver-washed fritillaries, a comma, 2 red admirals, a painted lady, a small skipper, white admirals, large skippers, meadow browns, a gatekeeper, ringlets, large whites, 3 brimstones, a speckled wood, a marbled white, a small tortoiseshell and small whites along with the purple hairstreaks.
Silver-Washed Fritillary
Silver-Washed Fritillary
Silver-Washed Fritillary
Small Skipper
I managed to get brief views of the butterfly I really wanted to see with a purple emperor seen gliding fast over the tree tops along the main ride on 2 occassions but there was no sign of any on the ground although others had managed to see some. Further views over the treetops along another ride of up to 3 individuals were also obtained with the distinctive flight manner, pointed wing tips and large size all noticeable especially when one was sighted flying with a white admiral but again none were seen on the ground.
Back to the main ride and again another flight view was had but time was marching on, it was getting very hot and it would soon be time to walk back to Dean to catch the train home to Plymouth. I walked back to the car park where purple emperors are regularly seen on the ground but with no luck and so I decided to have one last walk along the main ride before leaving and within a few minutes had a purple emperor buzzing around me before it settled on bushes by the path - result! I managed to get a few record shots but it was too high up in the bush and at the wrong angle for me to fully see and appreciate its upper wings.
Purple Emperor
Purple Emperor
Purple Emperor
Purple Emperor
It soon flew off but amazingly landed on some bracken right in front of me to feed on what looked and smelt like cat poo but was in fact some kind of weird fish paste that had been smeared there earlier in the day by hopeful butterfliers. I had some fantastic views of it although it kept its wings closed but unfortunately a tractor came along the ride and disturbed it and I never saw it again - what a butterfly though and I had it all to myself!
Purple Emperor
Purple Emperor
The train journey home was uneventful, the South West trains from Dean to Exeter were lovely, very clean, quiet, comfortable and properly air conditioned unlike the GWR trains from Exeter to Plymouth, and I managed some nice views of Herbert the Slavonian grebe looking resplendent in summer plumage on the River Exe at Cockwood both in the morning and on the return trip. An excellent day out although it was very hot, uncomfortably so at times. Not the best or hoped for views of the purple emperor either but I guess I will just have to try again!
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