streaking towards the finish line

...this weekend (Sunday 5th) sees the end of this year's Big Butterfly Count so, to increase my likelihood of going out with at least one special species, we packed a picnic and headed up to the Butterfly Conservation's Alners Gorse reserve near Sturminster Newton. The reason for choosing this particular location is that Purple, Brown, and White-letter Hairstreaks can be found here. We had seen Purples flying high among the oaks on our last visit and hoped they might be a little more cooperative today. As soon as we arrived, we knew it was too windy and, sure enough, there were just a few way too high to get any images of.

The first piece of good news is that the reserve was full of butterflies! Admittedly, they were mostly Ringlets, Meadow Browns, Marbled Whites, Small & Large Skippers and Green-veined Whites, but there was also a stunning Silver-washed Fritillary (in flight) and a good show of Red Admirals.

After enjoying our picnic lunch, we started exploring another area and came across our second piece of good news - a freshly emerged male Brown Hairstreak Thecla betulae. He was quite deep within a patch of thistles and nettles so I had to contend with a set of shots from quite a distance. We continued searching with renewed vigour as a dirty black cloud released its load upon our heads. No further specimens were found but, when we returned to the patch where we had seen the original one, he was still there and, this time, on a much nearer flower head...