Just when I begin thinking there can't be too much left to find in the parish, something turns up to make me think again. I knew finding the white letter hairstreak butterfly in local woods would just be a matter of time and searching local elms at the correct time but today, I recieved a phone call from David in Bury Green. He told of a place where he had come across a white letter hairstreak colony so off I wandered to Stocking Wood. At the correct place were a variety of flowers including bird's foot trefoil and common knapweed with plenty of whites (large, small and green veined) and peacocks. Several commas and a single brimstone, so indeed a good butterfly spot. High in the elm I noted serveral white letter hairstreaks, with one flying by but not alighting for a photo. New butterfly for my records. Shortly after, a large orange butterfly was noted, flitting around the knapweed some 20 yards away: a silver washed fritillary. This was totally unexpected for the parish and a great find.
I managed a few record shots, headed home after stopping off to thank David for the tip off before returning, briefly in better sunshine in the afternoon. Same creatures about apart from the fritillary but again, high in the trees, a purple hairstreak, too obscured by leaves for a worthwhile photo. What a spot and one certainly worth monitoring this August and then from June onwards next year.
So: in 3 days, 3 new records: small red eyed damselfly and the 2 butterflies. What's next, I wonder?
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| peacock |
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| green veined white |
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| silver washed fritillary |
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| silver washed fritillary |
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| brimstone |
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| comma |
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