Sunday 17 August 2008

Multiple butterflies, one adder

My digits continue to dominate events. Here's my thumb with a Buff Footman - good to find that they are more widespread in the North than was the case eight years ago when the moth guide I use was published. This was one of two day-flying moths we found on a warm walk at Norwood Edge above the Washburn valley before the rains came back. The other was a Silver Y which I partially photoed - sorry I've chopped its head off.
The sun - yes, really - brought out plenty of butterflies - Peacock, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Large Skipper, Small Heath, Green-veined White and Meadow Brown. The Small Heaths seemed to be playing, up to three of them dancing about in loops and zigzags on the meadow by the forestry plantation. It wasn't just the butterflies tempted out, either. I was just photographing a Peacock on heather when something much bigger slid past, very nearby. It was the adder in this photograph. The camera shake was due to fear.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Did you see the adder in Rawdon? We've had supposed sightings of adders in Buck Wood near the L-L Canal mainly, but had always assumed they were one of the two kinds of grass snakes in the Wood, one of which is darker and heavily marked. We've never managed to see one ourselves.Calvin and Norman, FoBW

MartinWainwright said...

Hi there - belatedly, sorry - no it was on Norwood Edge at Hunter's Stones just near the radio mast. I've never seen them in Rawdon and hope I never will...

we had a lovely bike ride along the canal opp Buck Wood at the weekend - loads of dragonflies.