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