Sometimes weeks just don't go to plan. The field outing to see Silver-studded Blue butterfly didn't come off for me, the other half managed to make the trip and kindly rang me while she was there to tell me that she was surrounded by a couple of hundred of them and that a jolly good day was being had by all. I'm not exactly sure that I can remember what it was that I mumbled under my breath but it probably isn't family viewing, although what I actually said was 'oh excellent, fantastic'.
On Monday evening I read in the Upton Warren hide log an entry from Gordon with regards to White-letter Hairstreak being seen on the reserve. Tuesday as it turned out was the day that really didn't go to plan and there was no chance to pop over to Upton to try and spot them. As it transpired three family members ended up in hospital with a long day hanging around hospital wards and nearly midnight by the time we got back. Today (both of us with a day off waiting for news) to try and make a distraction I suggested a trip today to Upton Warren to try to see the Hairstreak. As it was we weren't the only people that had decided to make a trip to see the White-letter Hairstreak and we were greeted by a few birders and a scope on the path where the butterflies had been reported. Thank goodness they were there, in my eagerness for a distraction I had neglected to find out anything about this species and would not have been looking up in the canopy if it hadn't been for the help and enthusiasm of the guys on the reserve. With the help of the guys and the spotting scope we were lucky with some decent views through a scope of the butterflies at rest in the canopy and then two that descended onto thistle heads a few feet away, although only for a few short moments.
Hardly any time was spent in the hide and instead we took a slow stroll around the path with a couple of snaps being taken by me. Firstly a pair of mating Ringlet butterflies that kindly allowed me to intrude into their ritual (OK they were totally oblivious probably with more important things on their minds at the time).
As every time I approach a Ringlet they flutter off out of reach of the camera I was quite please to have the opportunity for this snap, and just to show that they really wasn't distracted by me they also allowed the following shot.
The reserve really was alive today with dragonflies and butterflies. Every step saw a Brown Hawker whizz by, a Broad-bodied Chaser here and there, damselflies chasing over the water and resting on the flora. Comma butterflies colourfully flitting over the nettles (almost always just that little bit out of reach of the camera), Ringlet and Speckled Wood on the paths and path side vegetation, the occasional Small Tortoiseshell and Green-veined White.
In fact there was so much else to look at that thoughts of any of our feathered friends that might be around didn't even enter into my mind and to be honest the hides were so hot that sitting in them was not a pleasure. Goodness knows how anyone sits in the concrete hide in the heat, to me it just brings images of Steve Mcqueen pitching a baseball against the wall in The Great Escape! Anyway, on the single very quick visit to the hide the most interesting thing from a quick scan was a pair of Bullfinch coming to the feeders, so it was back out into the sunshine.
The final quick snaps of the day were of a Comma and a Large Skipper.
And that was that, but I do have to say a big thank you to the guys at the end of the path with the scope set up on the tree canopy because without their kind help and interest we would not have seen the Hairstreak at all. I guess that thanks also goes for others as well as we met a couple of chaps that had been visiting at this time of year for the last five years to try to glimpse the White-letter Hairstreak without any avail but today they were in luck.
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