Butterfly fest

I headed up just on the edge of the moors this morning before settling down to some work this afternoon.  I nearly trod on two butterflies resting in the cool air.  This was one of them (a meadow brown, huge thanks to gen2 for the ID) that managed to fly off in time but rested perfectly for me to photograph a little way away (how do you lose an antenna?!)  

On the way down, I only just made a split second pause in my foot landing to allow a red admiral to flit away.  That made me remember a funny thing that happened the other day that I forgot to write up.

I was walking through the lower fields, ignoring a big, dry old branch that I've looked at on numerous occasions but never has anything interesting on it.  Something told me to go and look.  

I ignored the feeling at first but it was persistent.

I headed up, a little reluctantly, to see if I could see anything.  I stood looking, but no.  I glanced up to look at the wall.  As I did, something red flashed beneath me.  I looked down.  Nothing.

Looked again and there it was.  A quick flash of red.  From a red admiral! It was resting on the branch with its wings closed and just opened and shut them very, very briefly - right under my nose, about knee height.

My ooooooo, was what Little Dog thought was her cue to rock on up.  I put my hand up to get her to wait and it was that that made the butterfly finally leave its perch.  

Never ignore a feeling.