A Walk in the Sunshine

The day started off overcast – it was still early June - but by lunchtime things had warmed up quite nicely and so we thought we would go for a quick stroll around one of the butterfly sites.
We decided on Ashton Rowant Nature Reserve – not too far for an afternoon’s visit, and by the time we arrived it was definitely T-shirt weather – a comfortable 23° . We had been to this site only once before and had spotted some Skippers but hadn’t been able to identify them. So now, armed with the right books, we returned. It’s a beautiful site set in a valley in the Chilterns and with stunning panoramic views.
On entering the site, and while still at the top of the hillside, we identified 2 Green Hairstreaks – these butterflies are difficult to keep up with at the best of times because of their erratic flight.  

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Making our way along the top of the hillside and on through a gate, we followed the track as best we could to the bottom of the site. There we saw quite a few Common Blues, male and female, courting and egg-laying. Further on the Dingy Skippers started to appear and several Grizzled Skippers, along with Small Heaths, several Brown Argus, Y-Moths, Brimstones and a Red Admiral.
Now we’re being buzzed by some large day-flying moths – impossible to see what they are (at first we thought they were butterflies) – until one settled briefly in the grass nearby. It’s about the size of a Red Admiral butterfly, maybe a bit smaller, pale brown/tan in colour with at least one paler diagonal stripe. It was definitely laying eggs and had a very powerful flight – then it was off again before we could take a photograph, but before it got very far a bird had swooped down and grabbed it in front of our eyes! We’d never seen this bird before, but decided it was most likely to be a Hobby? It was the size of a Kestrel, but had a black head and white collar, a grey back and flew like a giant Swift, never stopping and never hovering but taking it’s prey at great speed and agility.
A site definitely worth a visit if you haven’t been before – even on the way back to the car we saw a Speckled Wood and a Small Tortoiseshell.

Wendy and Mick Campbell – June 2000

Thank you Wendy and Mick for your report.