Monday Butterfly Transect

Although last week was wet and windy, the last few days the weather has dramatically improved to beautifully warm and sunny and seemed to be an ideal time for a butterfly transect. I set off with great anticipation and not a cloud in site. But how disappointing it was! I only had three butterflies through the whole walk - a single brimstone, a single speckled wood and a single green-veined white. I don't know why this should be as I had expected it to be a bumper year after such a mild winter. I did see a couple of holly blues and a lone peacock butterfly outside of the transect, but it was still worryingly quiet.

On a plus side, I have added two more species to the Patch list. Whilst walking along a board walk in Reffley Wood, I spotted a yellow pimpernel poking it's head through the gaps of the cross slats. I haven't noticed this species before, but now I have seen it I have found it in a number of places around the wood. The other was the meadow buttercup that is quite prolific around the margins of the Reffley Reservoir.

yellow pimpernel

After finishing the butterfly transect and having some lunch, I had intended having a go at some more sedges and grasses. I was making my way back to Osier Marsh, but it was so hot that I sought the shelter of a small copse next to the River Gaywood for another cup of tea. It was quite pleasant just sitting there in the shade and watching a speckled wood flying from nettle to nettle and basking in the small shafts of sunlight that were filtering through the trees. A group of hoverflies were buzzing around just out of my reach, guarding their small territories and challenging each other from time to time. A male blackcap was singing close by, hiding amongst the low and tangled foliage. I managed a couple of brief glimpses, but it was to well hidden to be able to enjoy it in the full.

I finished my cup of tea and decided that it was just too hot to continue. I am not normally one to complain about the sun, but I was feeling quite uncomfortable and decided to leave the grasses and sedges until the next time.