25 July 2014

Melbury Hill - Mission Complete



Date: 25/07/2014

Location: Melbury Downs - Wiltshire & Walton Hill - Somerset

Observation: Drove Around 40 miles down to Melbury Abbas and up Spread Eagle hill to the downs at least 5 new species on offer apparently so had high hopes ! Pulled in to car park to be greeted to an army of workman laying new water pipe,Digger ,dust and Heat ,Nice ! Anyway headed off on butterfly hunt lots of Meadows browns Gatekeepers and moths more moths than butterflies almost.Walked for around 4 hours in total on way back feeling let down with no new species saw Common blues sat for a while then a Chalkhill Blue Appeared !! then gone:( so 5 new species in a week done!HAPPY.But wait theres more with the van in sight a very Small Blue Settled in front of me 6 !! Whoo hoo.got back to van and headed on way home to Collard hill ,did not get to it ended up at Walton Hill.Great Views out to Exmoor and across the Levels,one final wander to trigpoint nothing apart from Six spotted Burnets all the Grass dry no flowers either .Home Happy !!
Weather: Very Hot, Blue skies at least 30c most of day  
Other Species: Meadow Brown, Small Copper, Peacocks, Small Blue, Chalkhill Blue, Common Blue, Green Veined White, Small White, Small Heath, Brimstone, Ringlets, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper - (Six Spotted Burnet, Purple Bordered Gold, Common Emerald ) 

Birds: Buzzards, Linnet, Yellowhammer, Mistle Thrush. 



Chalkhill Blue


 Small Blue


                                                                                              Purple Bordered Gold


Small Heath


 Brimstone doing a leaf 



                                                                                                                                   Linnet

















Yellowhammer 





Thanks for looking

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