Silver and Red

An interesting weekend, despite the weather being neither truly one thing nor t'other.

After taking care of Things on Saturday I gave the Patch a going over. It was warm and humid, but with too much building cloud to really get results, I think. Having found Chalkhill Blues last year, I've been on the lookout for them - with the weather being less windy I had hopes, but they were dashed as I didn't get a sniff of one. The most interesting butterfly I found at the Chalkhill site was this incredibly blue female Common Blue [which had me wondering what it was for a while..];

It looked even bluer than this in life, too!

Undersides, with orange spots stopping halfway up the forewings

I headed on to another site where Brown Hairstreak is apparently possible, but again no joy. There were LOTS of butterflies about, including a nice [though mobile] Painted Lady, another Holly Blue, and at least two of these;

Mrs. Silver-washed shows the boys how to pose

Lots of juvenile passerines about; Blue Tits, House Sparrows, Wrens, and Crows - including an unruly mob of 26 mugging passers-by at one site! - the most numerous.




Sunday was the first full day on t'Moor with the Folks since the start of June! Shocking, I know.

We went to the bit of Moor between Burrator and Princetown - looping around a section of the Devonport Leat. We had an early lunch at what has now been christened the Redstart Field. Its a very nice spot in the Burrator compound - one of many there - where, as you might have guessed, we often see Redstarts. This time we did very well, with a female and a number of juveniles popping up now and again all through our [typically relaxed] stay. There were never more than 2 juvs in view at once, but I think 4 or maybe even 5 is the true number. However many were actually in the area, they were confiding [for Redstarts] and a pleasure to watch. :) The moorland was quiet, with few Mipits and Skylarks out in the open and a couple of Stonechats and a Wheatear in the Meavy valley.

In the compound, Green Woodpeckers were vocal and a Grey Heron flew across the reservoir, but insects stole the show. The Devonport Leat was alive with Beautiful Demoiselles - I've never seen so many in one place before. Common Hawkers and Golden-ringeds were numerous if well-spaced, a couple of Keeled Skimmers - one an over-mature female which appeared almost black - and a possible [fast fly-past] Emperor. As seems to be the case everywhere, Whites dominated butterfly numbers, add all the others together and multiply by several to even match their masses! Most notable among that minority were singles of Small Copper and Brimstone.

Alas, nothing sat and posed close enough for long enough to try a photo.. Oh well.
Finally, a young Red Deer also made an appearance - sadly for Tilbury [though fortunately for the tree she was attached to!], this was out of her sightline and downwind.


We had a good day, the breeze was vital in the sticky heat and let us cover more ground than we expected to - we got out to Hingston Hill, had the circle to ourselves, and then followed the row to reach the Leat and get back. Also glad to report was the lack of Horsefly attacks! :) Which is a very welcome change, I must say.





Last up. A pleasant surprise; I've been put on Nights until the Summer Shutdown - woohoo! - so Fridays are back on the menu, oh yeah! :D