#wall brown

i tend to be harsh on butterflies for being so shy and busy all the time, so shout out to wall browns (Lasiommata megera) not only for being relatively polite but also for even doing little poses for the camera occasionally. peekaboo

Our week in Pembrokeshire over the past week was a breath of fresh air packed with sensational wildlife watching experiences. Of course seeing the Puffins on and in the waters around Skomer Island, an exquisite experience that I’ve been lucky to do every few years since I was eleven, was breathtaking getting intimate views of these wondrous and charismatic birds. I said in my post whilst away how nice it was being there soon after hearing Skomer is bucking the trend with Puffin numbers on the up and it's certainly noticeable the last couple of times we've been to Skomer now how many more are around. As I post this on World Oceans Day it is a sharp reminder of what can happen when oceans are protected and exploited less.

Stunning views of Guillemots, Razorbills, Gannets, Fulmars and Kittiwakes were wholesome also as Manx Shearwaters effortlessly glided over the sea’s surface. The sumptuous Choughs were a star of the week too, we saw these scarlet billed wonders on every single day in Pembrokeshire and whilst the holiday focused on the Marloes Peninsula and islands we went as far north as Strumble Head and as far south as St Govan’s Head seeing them at both too so we covered much of the county. They are doing well also which is great to see. Their sweet sharp calls a soundtrack of the week. Seeing our first Spotted Flycatchers of the year at Bosherston Lily Ponds was a huge bonus and many excellent views of Wheatears and Swallows were two other big passerine highlights. Other key birds of the week included Skylark, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Rock and Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Short-eared Owl, Peregrine Falcon, Red Kite, Buzzard, Swift and Shag. 

Being metres away from Grey Seals in the water when sat on a cove beach was one of the most extraordinary experiences I’ve ever had. Insects played a key role in the week too with Wall Brown, Large White, Large Skipper, Small Tortoiseshell and Green Hairstreak some of an exuberant array of butterflies observed. Cinnabar, White-spotted Sable and Common Nettle-tap moths, Lackey moth Caterpillars, Four-spotted Chaser, Hairy Dragonfly, Bloody-nosed beetles, Knotweed leaf beetle and fascinating and beautiful Striped Millipedes were other highlights. 

It was a captivating floral week with many species I don’t see at home observed which I really associate with Wales like wall pennywort, sheep’s-bit and English stonecrop. Biting stonecrop and Portland spurge were new ones for me and coastal delights sea plantain, squill, thrift, ramping fumitory and kidney vetch were also good to see. Pyramidal orchid, heath spotted orchid, marsh orchid, red and sea campion, centaury, restharrow, viper’s-bugloss, bluebells, foxgloves, heath bedstraw and rock-sea spurrey were also good to see. There were some nice mushrooms seen as well like Chicken-of-the-woods. 

The coast of Pembrokeshire is breathtaking and awe-inspiring, it really was so lovely to spend so much time out in the days mostly in the sun taking in splendid dramatic cliff and golden beach views. Wetland and grassland played their part too with some nice buildings seen along the way like Marloes Clock the village we stayed in and St Govan’s Chapel, a fascinating building used in the filming of some of the last series of the BBC's 'His Dark Materials'. I attained a real sense of peace and calm being out in these landscapes and looking at phenomenal wildlife. 

On the way back home to Hampshire yesterday we called into WWT Slimbridge in Gloucestershire where more joy awaited as we saw the brilliant Bluethroat a rare bird and a new one for us and a beautiful bee orchid for the first time this year. Common Cranes, Shelducks with ducklings, Avocets, Cuckoo heard, Meadow Brown butterfly, purple loosestrife and grass vetchling were other highlights on a bonus look this year at a place we normally go in winter. A nice reset at places I know and love, another incredible holiday this year. 

A wall brown butterfly (Lasiommata megera) basking on a wall in Alderney, UK

17/08/2024-Beautiful fuchsia in the garden and from our visit to Shipton Bellinger today stunning Wall Brown, a smashing view, upright hedge-parsley, a gorgeous Brown Hairstreak one of my first of the year it was amazing to see this exuberant species for a fourth year running here today having never seen one prior to 2021 I feel so lucky and scabious.

06/08/22-Shipton Bellinger: Part 1 of 2: The wildlife and story of the day 

We came to this rich bit of grassland and well vegetated habitat where we saw our first ever Brown Hairstreaks last year this afternoon on a hot and sunny day as we had seen they had been seen here the other day by someone we know on Facebook.  We didn’t see any today and will aim to try again. But it was something of a butterfly bonanza with a lot of species and individuals seen, possibly as many as eleven species in total which was nice.

This was headlined by a few Wall Browns in this fairly dry habitat that they like, getting exiting glimpses of this exotic and flamboyant species for a second Saturday running after Durlston last week. We heard this was a good spot for them last year but didn’t see any here then, they’re a species we’re used to seeing on the coast so this was only my second inland sighting of one after the River Breamish in Northumberland in 2019. It was great to be captivated by them today, strong summer memories. I took the fourth picture in this photoset a record shot of one. Meadow Browns were about in big numbers with some great views of this warm coloured stalwart of summer. I added up all my Big Butterfly Counts so far this year and ranked the species both in my Lakeside counts and overall towards the end of it and among many observations was that Meadow Brown a consistent star throughout is way out in front as the butterfly I saw most with over two hundred spotted in my counts. It dominated another Big Butterfly Count today with fourteen seen, alongside five Small White, a Common Blue, a Holly Blue, a Gatekeeper and a Brimstone. I got fabulous views of Brimstone as shown in the eighth picture in this photoset and Common Blue as shown in the fifth picture in this photoset I took today this afternoon, stunning and colourful butterflies to see.

One I recall seeing here last year Small Heath were out well today seeing lots of these coin sized species I have had a great year for bringing sunset orange colour to the afternoon. I also saw a Brown Argus and possibly another Purple Hairstreak this year. A Bird-cherry Ermine moth flew into me at one point an intimate moment with a moth year tick a fascinating one I saw for the first time ever here last year. Shining scarlet in the sunlight Seven-spot Ladybird as the second picture in this photoset shows, bees including Common Carder bumble bees which I took the sixth picture in this photoset of and hoverfly made great insect sights today too.

It was a good afternoon for birds headlined by extremely yellow Willow Warblers seen a shining gem today which was lovely to see, and possibly Chiffchaff and Blackcap. A Red Kite soared high in the blue sky above, with a smart Kestrel seen lower down. Magpies and Carrion Crow with their bills shining nicely in the bright sunlight providing a memorable corvid presence on the walk.

It was a great afternoon of flowers with species I hadn’t seen that much of so far this year common toadflax which the third picture in this photoset shows and harebell looking nice and me taking a nice chance to enjoy self-heal again one I have had a good year for. Lots of wild parsnip with their firm plants that the Willow Warbler/Chiffchaff perched on at times, ragwort and lots of pretty St. John’s-wort brought a great yellow theme. I also enjoyed seeing two that were stars here last year big bright purple woolley thistle I saw the carder bees on some of this and also wild basil which I took the first picture in this photoset of. Other highlights included scabious, mallow, knapweed, agrimony another nice yellow one, bird’s-foot trefoil which a Common Blue looked nice on, possible chervil looking nice together with pink wild basil behind I took the seventh picture in this photoset of this, beautiful viper’s-bugloss looking quite isolated in the middle of tracks at times a flower I do like that I’ve had a good year for seeing and hawksbeard.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: My first Bird Cherry Ermine moth of the year, two of my favourite butterflies the Wall Brown and Brown Argus and possibly a third in Purple Hairstreak, one of my favourite birds the Red Kite, Small White, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Small Heath, Small Skipper, Brimstone, Woodpigeon seen well including feeling and hearing the weight of one as it took off from a bush, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Kestrel, Willow Warbler, possible Chiffchaff, Blackcap I believe, Seven-spot Ladybird, hoverfly and bee.

I was excited to see a Meadow Brown in the buddleia of the back garden this morning in the bright sun as the ninth picture in this photoset shows, like the two Gatekeepers I saw emerging from the buddleia in the front garden a few weeks ago a from home butterfly tick and great to get during the Big Butterfly Count. I also enjoyed seeing House Sparrow, Starlings, Collared Dove, bright purple hebe looking nice in the sun, sedum, fuchsia, bright red and pink geraniums some red ones shown in the tenth picture in this photoset that I took today, dahlia just hanging on some mixing well with a white wilder flower also chervil I believe funnily enough, sweet William, sunflowers and the large black-eyed Susan I am enjoying lately in the back garden today. I saw a couple of nice moths in the living room tonight, a lovely Mother of Pearl identified thanks to the kind help of MOTHIDUK on Twitter a pretty one and our third Double-striped pug of the year a key one seen this year. I also enjoyed seeing a crane fly before bed in the kitchen in a top night of moths and other insects coming in the house a staple of late summer for me the last few years. 

22/09/2020-Blog 1 of 2: NWT Cley and Salthouse Marshes: 10 different photos to those I tweeted 

Today after yet more pictures in the cottage garden on what could be the last day of wall to wall sunshine and heat looking at the weather I tweeted and will have some exclusive photos in my next blog of today shortly, we visited another reserve I remembered fondly from last time in Norfolk for us seven years ago Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Cley and Salthouse Marshes. As we walked around it was great to he back, someone we spoke to at a safe distance yesterday said it would be even hotter today and it was boiling. It really was like a summer’s day and it was glorious to be out in this sunshine. I really enjoyed walking along and reflecting on how nice the flat landscape looks and how different but in some ways similar it is to home. There were stunning and beautiful typical East Anglian views again which it was so nice to see on a sunny day. I took the first seven and tenth pictures in this photoset of these views today. I do really admire this well known birdwatching and wildlife location too. 

As we walked along the bank towards the beach it was great to see another Marsh Harrier really well. I also saw more great Wall Brown butterflies here today like I had the two previous days at RSPB Snettisham and Titchwell a brilliant species. We then got to the beach, the area and view from it shown in the eighth and ninth pictures I took today in this photoset and loved sitting and eating lunch looking out to sea, very relaxing on another special day. Before eating lunch I had looked down and took in the coast and listened to the waves coming in and out and remembered that the coast is the place I love to be and the place for me I do find it so peaceful. We saw a young Gannet fly past another of my favourite birds for this holiday which was great seeing or hearing species of mine on my A and B lists of favourites really helps lift a trip away from home too. As I was in the middle of a sentence I said “Seal!” as a Grey Seal popped its head up excitedly right close to a man that was just about to go in for a swim much to the delight of his family. What a fantastic wildlife moment. It was my first Grey Seal of the year, my sixth of my nine favourite mammals seen this year and another very strong mammal moment these past few days. After the Blakeney Point experience seven years ago seeing the colonies I had hoped to see seals in Norfolk and particularly Grey Seals with their breeding season beginning now and I had not seen one this year before today after seeing Common Seal at home at Langstone Harbour a couple of times. So I was over the moon to see this, not something it always looked likely I’d see this year. What a fantastic moment for me it brought me such joy. It was so nice to have now seen both common and grey seal in a year again I do love seals and this was a great close view today.

As we walked back to the centre and car park I was thrilled to see lots of Curlews together and just like at Slimbridge in January I reflected at how it was lovely to see so many of these rapidly declining birds together and I’ve had a great year for them noticing them a lot at home too. I also enjoyed seeing nice flowers such as sea campion and poor man’s weather-glass which I tweeted a picture of tonight in the shingly area by the beach they looked pretty. Another brilliant time at Cley for me I enjoyed it a lot. 

23/08/2020-Cape Cornwall, Botallack and pictures and experiences at the cottage either side: Once again all these photos different to ones I tweeted from my time away

Today we did something that was a surprise idea and something we did not expect to at all this long weekend, and made the trek from where we’re staying near to Oakhampton, Devon to Cape Cornwall and Botallack in the vicinity of Land’s End in Cornwall two standout locations of our wild Cornish September 2019 holiday to see if we could see two star birds there that we did last year which I wouldn’t see anywhere else this year another of my favourites the Chough and a B lister for me the Manx Shearwater. Since 2016 the beginning of my working life holidays particularly as well as all time off have increased in importance for me with long summer holidays and the like no longer something I can enjoy. And the lineups in each year since, particularly 2018 and 2019 although 2017 taking in locations we already know well was good too have been amazing with so many memorable trips away from home and smashing stuff happening in them wildlife and landscape dominated and mostly both. In my 2019 holidays particularly the last to Cornwall I really realised how content I was going away to different locations in my own country and doing what I love wildlife watching and photography. So places like these I took to my heart. When we left Cornwall, doing a second trip to Cape Cornwall mostly to walk the dogs before we left due to practicalities and because we loved it so much, I sort of thought I treasured these places so much and I wouldn’t see them again for another three or four years if I was lucky. I said to my Dad before coming away at the possibility of if we didn’t see a Dipper yesterday which we did in the end at Fingle Bridge in Devon our main bird target, maybe crossing the Cornish border to go to Boscastle where we’ve seen them before a little bit into Cornwall that would feel strange in a good way returning to Cornwall so soon. But to actually be going to the places we were at last year, in this crazy rollercoaster of a year was something else.

The day started in a wild way as I saw and photographed a spider in the bath in the cottage we stayed in a similar one to one I got a memorable photo of in my en suite at home on the second May bank holiday Monday.

After a long journey in which we saw a lot of birds of prey, plenty of Buzzards they seem to rule the skies along main roads in this part of the world with Red Kites yet to really reach, Kestrel in Cornwall on a wire near to our destination and possibly a Peregrine too we arrived at Cape Cornwall. As I saw the distinctive hill with the monument at the top which I became so used to from my photo of it last year and the memories I let out a smile as we drove to get parked. This all felt a bit like in 2016 when we holidayed in Snowdonia but did a massive journey within a holiday going to Anglesey for the day going to the very edge of the land today like we did then. This was where we were supposed to holiday this June but obviously couldn’t and have postponed that and where we saw Choughs in 2016 a target again today so Chough was one we were expecting to get a chance to see this year so this opportunity now substituted this well. One notable thing of that Anglesey day trip was the heather looking nice and purple perhaps ahead of it turning its peak colour in our local New Forest not so much this year it’s turned nice there already but it was one similarity.

We had a lovely walk around Cape Cornwall today in brilliant sunshine and really reacquainted ourselves with this place taking in the views similar to last year photograph wise. I took the first picture in this photoset as we walked up the hill showing the bright blue sea and glorious purple heather. We also saw birds we had done well here last year, lots of Ravens, Buzzard I saw them at each place today too and seabirds such as the scores of Gannets flying over the sea young and old, Fulmars and Shags as well. I also got some intimate moments with gull species here today, seeing a Herring Gull very close particularly and lots of Great Black Backed Gulls flying well. I took the second and third pictures in this photoset of a Gannet flying and the close roaming Herring Gull respectively.

I also saw a decent few butterflies at Cape Cornwall in perhaps the hottest weather we’ve had all trip. It was nice for it to be and feel so hot and sunny after a wet start in Devon for us today. This included Small Tortoiseshell, some Common Blues and most notably a smashing view of a Wall Brown. I finally got to see one and really make out its features this year one I had had two occasions of quick and flighty and quite distant views of prior to this point in 2020. I very much enjoyed seeing this beautiful mostly coastal butterfly for us up close and I liked taking a picture of it with my big lens with its wings closed which I tweeted. I took the fourth picture in this photoset of I believe Michaelmas daisies.

At this stage like the Dipper yesterday we had not seen a Chough and we were rather making hard work of doing so. I joked we were chuffed to see a Dipper yesterday but were we going to dip (out) on Chough today (to those who don’t know, “dip out” is a birdwatching term to mean you have missed seeing the bird you are looking for). But I kept the same motto as yesterday, we must stay positive and focused as it only took one moment for it to happen.

On the way back to the car at Cape Cornwall today we got that moment. The one thing had concerned me compared to two visits here last September was we had not heard the distinctive call of this scarlet-billed crow at all which we had a lot here last year. The Chough is a bird you’ve really got to be hearing before you can even think about seeing one. As we walked up the hill I heard two finally, and turned around and there were two black birds flying from where the call was made. I got them in the binoculars but could not quite see their beaks properly. My Mum had just about seen the shape of them but not the red colour and thought Chough. I needed that little bit more convincing as similarly sounding Jackdaws were by the shore to the left of where we were looking moments before so could have easily rose up. They looked more right for Choughs though and we walked back in the direction of the lower reaches of the hill where we’d seen them last year. Here we managed to see them again today sitting on the cliff and the pair flew frequently, but we saw their red beaks and were in no doubt now they were Choughs. We enjoyed a glorious few minutes with these precious birds we really did get so close to them, I felt very happy to see and hear them. Once again this weekend away patience had paid off. I took the fifth picture in this photoset of one of the Choughs.

As bird 171 in my year it did make me happy and made my year list my third highest compared to what I had seen on this date in previous years behind 2018 and 2019 my two highest ever year lists. It also marked the first time I saw one as one of my favourite birds which was nice, I had always been fond of them but last September after the holiday I added it to my list of favourites. There’s only six of my current list of favourite birds I am yet to see now, six I know I have not visited any locations I could see them or are just very hard ones to see so I did very well for seeing them this year. We left Cape Cornwall once more feeling very satisfied indeed.

We then moved onto Botallack and had a lovely covid-secure takeaway cream tea to eat on benches I always say you have got to have a cream tea if you come to the West Country and between this and a Devonshire one waiting for us when we arrived at this cottage in Friday we had a Devon and Cornwall one ultimately. At Botallack it started to cloud over as the weather forecast suggested but as the visit went on we saw quite a bit of the sun as well. It also looked very purple here perhaps compared to when we came last a few weeks later in the year last year into September thanks to the flowering heather. This meant three of favourite habitats have been combined this weekend away, heather, coast and water flowing through a rocky valley in woods over steep gradients and three of my most beautiful places to be. It was more of the same bird wise at Botallack with Choughs delightfully seen again over the café’ area and over the sea, Jackdaws showing well and a Raven seen sitting on the central chimney for a very long time which was great to see. I took the sixth picture in this photoset of this chimney with the Raven just visible and as the visit went on seventh, eighth and ninth pictures in this set of a view, another Buzzard and a view looking through the old tin mind buildings they have here in BBC Poldark country much of it was filmed here.

We were here mostly to try and sneak in seeing a Manx Shearwater as we did last year and my Mum has the last two years here, a bird we did not expect to see at all this year. We studied Gannets flying right to left across the sea as the day rolled on; we did wonder if we were too early to see a Manx Shearwater and we would have had more luck in September as we did all across this part of Cornwall las year. But we did just manage to see a few Manx Shearwaters flying over with the Gannets, making out their features. It was not my best ever views of this bird but it was good enough and meant I could tick them and enjoy seeing them a little. Whilst looking at the Buzzard and more Choughs it was a really nice atmosphere of arriving here and waiting until a point in early evening to see if we could see any quite magical really. The sea remained calm but perhaps the day got a little rougher and it was a weird sensation after weather lately being a bit cold this evening. I ended the day on 172 birds seen in 2020 something I reached in July the last two yeas so I am not too far behind really.

I took the tenth and final picture in this photoset of a lowering sun behind trees visible from the cottage when we returned that evening the sky looked stunning in the evening too as we drove home I took and tweeted some photos from a layby on the main road actually it looked that nice in the landscape. This ended two really packed full days away this weekend and I have loved being away so much. A perfect substitution to being at the Bird Fair, what a way to spend a summer weekend it did feel so hot and summery this weekend with okay some rain in places and I felt very happy and relaxed. I saw some top-class wildlife birds especially but butterflies and flowers too alongside other things and took in some varied and breathtaking views. Meeting some great people at a safe social distance along the way! So many photos produced again possibly some of my highest amounts ever each day and so many top memories made little and big.

27/07/19-My first ever Lulworth Skippers make 2019 my highest ever butterfly year list and more at Durlston 

We made our second visit of the year to this special place, mostly to see butterflies and it was great to see the place alive with mostly summer species compared to the spring ones we normally see on our annual April visit here. The one we were after seeing were Lulworth Skippers which we were told were here. After not too long walking through grassland just along from the visitor centre we spotted one! 

This was my first ever, but we saw many this afternoon probably well into double figures. I took the first, third and fourth pictures in this photoset of them, with the second picture the sun coming out from behind clouds. We got to see what a stunning and precious species they are. Both the female and male are very beautiful and I loved seeing them whizz about in front of us. I found them pretty distinctive to the Small Skippers too with the much smaller size and markings. I felt I was seeing one of the rarest butterflies in the country but this area is so good for them which I am proud of. 

It was my 46th butterfly species I had ever seen, and this year my all important 43rd species of my year making 2019 my highest ever butterfly year list ahead of last year’s 42 now. I indicated when a Common Grayling year tick levelled my record on Sunday at Whitefield Moor in the New Forest how much this meant to me. Interestingly a year ago today seeing the grayling at that same place made 2018 my highest ever butterfly year list. It felt written in the stars for me to break my record today then and to do it with a new species which I had done when my (now surpassed by 2018) bird year list record was broken in 2017 felt so sweet.

Every single butterfly; plain and colourful, rare and common played a big role in this achievement for me. The Purple Emperor and White-letter Hairstreak being seen again the newbies for me last year was crucial. But so important too was seeing two more newbies this year this and Northern Brown Argus and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary which I didn’t see last year as it gave it the edge over and differences to 2018 to beat it which I knew would always be a big task for me. 

Later on I took the fifth picture in this photoset of a lovely burnet moth. As we walked round the country park also it was lovely to see two Green Woodpeckers and a Roe Deer bounding through the wonderful blooming meadow habitat which is was fantastic to explore here deeper today. I took the sixth picture in this photoset of this area, the seventh of a Linnet and eighth of a view out to sea. Two Peregrines flying over and a Gannet out to sea were highlights too. 

As I said on Monday I was only doing additional big butterfly counts to ones I have already done so far in the three weeks the survey is one if I could see one of the target species I had not yet counted in one. One I knew I had the chance to see today was Wall Browns by the coastal wall and dry areas as I had the last three years in the April visits. It turns out Wall Brown isn’t a target species in the count or at least not this year so I made a bit of a mistake there but I need no excuse really to do a sixth count. This was not near to where I’d seen the Lulworth Skippers so I couldn’t include both in another 15 minutes of counting but after seeing the 3 Wall Browns I did do another count. In it I saw 3 Large Whites, 7 Marbled Whites a big star of the afternoon and 10 Gatekeeper. 

This was a great cross section of what was a wonderful afternoon outside where I saw so many butterflies of different kinds. It continues a great run of quality summer weekends for me and I had so much fun creating a great bit of personal year list history. I also took the last two pictures in this photoset a view and one of our dogs Missy.