More Wood Whites

 It's my last day off before I go back to work and I decided to spend what was a hot and sunny morning in Harry's Park Wood. It was a bit quieter than it is on the weekend but there were still a few dog walkers and joggers sharing the place with me. Plenty of butterflies were active particularly before it got hot towards noon.

White Admiral, Brown Argus and Common Blue

Along Bears Lane Gatekeepers were common with just a few Small and one Large White to keep them company. A Yellow Wagtail called as it passed overhead while Weldon's sparrow population appeared to be on their hols feeding on cereal crops next to the lane. Once I'd got into the wood there was a notable increase in the number of species on view. There was a male Holly Blue near the gate where Ringlets and Speckled Woods also showed. Several hundred yards further along was a tatty looking White Admiral on the path, it flew up into neighbouring trees and was lost to view. My first of three Wood Whites then followed and all of them showed from the main ride, I think that one was a female and the other two were male. Brown Arguses also began to appear and there was a single male Common Blue too. Having reached the other side of the wood at the Old Dry Bushes end I stopped to admire a female Silver-washed Fritillary nectaring on bramble, she appeared to be in much better condition than Sundays individual was. On my return through the wood I had a few brief views of a Purple Hairstreak. Odes were represented by Migrant and Brown Hawkers and Emperors though as the day got hotter many sought shelter in the trees. Best birds were Raven and Marsh Tit, sadly there were no Crossbills today

Wood Whites and S-w Frit

A Ruddy Darter was the highlight as I walked along Bears Lane on my way to Weldon. After a pit stop at the George I went along to the pond in the Woodland Park. Plenty of Small Red-eyed were active at the pond with a lot of ovipositing going on. Red-eyed Damselflies, Common Blues and Blue-taileds were also noted while dragons were few and far between, just singles of Emperor and Brown Hawker. A walk along the stream produced sightings of Banded Demoiselles though it was a male Beautiful that stole the show. It only showed briefly and my one photograph was dire but it was still my first at this site. I spent some time trying to relocate it before I decided that it was too hot and went to catch my bus.

Ruddy Darter, Emperor, Small Red-eyeds and Beautiful Demoiselle (sorry!)