Badbury Rings 16/07

Feeling I was missing some blue butterflies, and due back to work Sunday, I decided a quick trip to Badbury Rings was the least I deserved!!

Coming out of the car park, through the gate, I could hear Skylarks all around. I could see a semi distant bird, on the top of a fence, put 2 and 2 together, and as it turned out, came up with 5.... Corn Bunting

A couple of the noise makers flew behind me

And another sat atop one of the point to point rails, and sang its heart out, paying me no never mind as I walked along the path adjacent to it, 

I'd spotted a few flittering flutterbyes, but none settled, until I got to the field margins, where this Peacock sat in its magnificence

And a Ringlet, less conspicuous, loitered down low

It turned into a bit of a "how many different markings can you see on a white butterfly" kind of day, with many variations (beyond my ID scope!)

Several blues and Meadow Browns were being surprisingly awkward to see, as they flew low over the short cropped grass

And probably more numerous, Gatekeepers, surprisingly small to my eye

And yet, huge compared to the multitudinous Soldier Beetles

More White action

A good few Burnet Moths were flying about

And finally a blue settled in camera range, Chalkhill

Another blue that I followed landed next to a teeeeny tiny moth... part of the mint moth family, Pyrausta Nigrata (I think!!!)

Another Chalkhill obliged

And another Gatekeeper

Quiz Time: What makes this shape in the air, when it's flying, probably 150 yards away, with the sun in the wrong place?

There's a hint of colour (or my eyes are playing up!)

No focus, but more colour when there's some background!?

More obliging than the woody, another Chalkhill Blue, giving me the eye!

Now then, not sure on this.... it's either a raggedy, tatty, faded fritillary of some sort...  or possibly "valesina" which is a pale female variety of a Silver Washed Fritillary... help appreciated

Within a few yards was this, more regularly marked Frit. Neither appeared as big as the ones at Alners Gorse, but that may be because I was about 20 yards further away

Sat along the ridge top, on the highest twigs, a few Stonechats monitored their buffets

Before occasionally flitting off doing their best flycatcher impressions

On a more substantial twig, a Kestrel perused the area, keeping half an eye on me as I advanced round the rings

Potentially perilously close, a Goldfinch sat in an adjacent tree

And even closer, on the branches below the Kestrel, Black cap? (guess!!)

I'd got closer

And back in the lower branches, a Blue Tit

Down the slope to the next rampart, a Brimstone was stuffing it's face

Beyond the Kestrel, a Linnet sat in the distance

Taking umbridge that I wasn't just photographing it, the Kestrel flew of in a big loop around me to a distant copse

Heading back toward the car, a Marbled White finally deigned to land somewhere convenient

And the only Skipper I saw all day

And finally, the only non Chalkhill Blue, a Common Blue

I still feel I'm missing some blues, so another butterfly trip is imminent, but not in this heat!

Thanks for perusing, and thanks in advance for any ID help

Stay Safe All