Yet more dull and grey weather with an added dose of wind thrown in for good measure did not fill me with joy when I set out today. Deciding to stay local I headed over to Willowbrook Industrial Estate to see what might be braving the wind and occasional shower.
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| Small and Essex Skippers |
It turned out that plenty of Marbled Whites were and also some of their relatives, mostly Ringlets and Meadow Browns but also a single Small Heath. A decent amount of whites were seen with many of them being Green-veined. One Small Copper was observed though not photographed and there were singles of Comma and Small Tortoiseshell. Much of my time was spent chasing little skippers around trying to see if there were any Essex about. Eventually I managed to identify two, there may have been more but few were inclined to settle. Lots of Common Blue Damselflies were present on site and there was also a single Emperor.
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| Marbled Whites and Comma. |
Ringlets and Meadow Browns were the commonest species in Brookfield Plantation and the former included at least one aberration amongst their number. Large Skippers were another species present in good numbers though some are beginning to look a little raggedy now. Highlight was a pristine male Silver-washed Fritillary that was nectaring on a patch of Ragwort and I had good and prolonged views. Other species noted in the plantation were Large Wood and Speckled Wood. As well as more Common Blue Damselflies odes were represented by two Common Darters.
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| Silver-washed Fritillary and aberrant Ringlet. |
There was very little other wildlife of note today apart from a Peregrine seen at one of their usual spots.
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| Peregrine. |
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