Sheepleas 4 July 2024

Seventeen members attended the walk at Sheepleas, familiar for fungi events but new for butterflies. Conditions were sunny but there was wind with a cold edge that undoubtedly discouraged flight. There were reasonable numbers of Marbled Whites and Meadows Browns about but other species that should have been abundant in the flower meadows were confined with one exception to single figures. Early on came sightings of the solitary Comma and Red Admiral encountered. Later came singles of Large Skipper, Large White and Brimstone. Two Small Heaths and three Ringlets came to seem excessive. The star sighting was a dozen fritillaries flitting about at speed that obstinately refused to land in order to permit precise identification. Eventually one was spotted on the ground and after a long wait it lifted its wings to reveal the tell-tale splodges on the underwing that clinched it as a Dark-green Fritillary. The butterfly species count came to eleven, accompanied by the same number of bird species, mainly heard, that included a tuneful Garden Warbler.

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