Tuesday 28 June 2011

Butterflies and Spider(s)

I spent yesterday catching up on some Butterflies on the North Coast. I started at Holkham and had good views of up to ten White Admiral, as well as two White-letter Hairstreak, which started together on the same flower head. Time was restricted, so I only ventured to the Washington Hide, but a fly through Fritillary seemed to be Dark Green, due to size and dark appearance on the underwing! I also managed to find and photograph a brief Hummingbird Hawkmoth. A Painted Lady was seen as I checked out a Chalkhill Blue site (early, but then again, so many butterflies have been), but no Blues at all. From here I visited Holt Country Park, where the damaged Silver-washed Fritillary showed well.
Some picture highlights can be seen here: http://mickeymouseinsects.blogspot.com/
Later in the day a single Silver-studded Blue was found (but disappeared before any pictures - I have trouble finding these :)) and some interesting interaction was noted in some Common Blues (can anyone explain the 'dots' on the male?)
Overall, twenty species of Butterfly were noted at four sites - not a bad haul!

Birding highlights included Hobby, Woodlark and this colour-ringed Dartford Warbler:

Tuesday 28th June:
Today I found myself with a couple of hours to spare in the S-SE of the county and decided to visit Reedham and Lopham Fen, with the aim of seeing Raft Spiders. Although run by Suffolk Wildlife Trust, most of the reserve is in Norfolk (the River Waveney being the county border), including the Raft Spider viewing platform, where a single spider was seen. 

Also noted was this Common Lizard


Contact: E-mail: dnorgate21@googlemail.com Mobile: 07749779149

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