After flowers, came a butterfly extravaganza. Here at Simpson Ground a fresh brood was lively in courtship dance, scarcely heeding the orienteers who now trooped back along the track, maps in hand and talking route-choices. One of them stopped to see what I had found. ' Small skipper' s he said confidently. He told me he has small skipper visiting his garden on the fringe of Dartmoor.
Swindale orienteering took place through a downpour. The next event, at Simpson Ground south-east of Windermere, was on a beautiful day, although I heard competitors complaining, 'horrible, too much grot.' They meant plantation with brashings. In naturalist persona, I was free to explore the flora of heather moorland - an open landscape with vistas of the fells, threaded with becks. The light was perfect for photography. Eventually, I made my way toward the finish to greet the returning orienteers. A bank of knapweed beside the track was a focus for butterflies nectaring and in courtship dance. On 21st July I had found small skipper at Smardale, the first time I had seen them for some years. Single specimens too restless to settle for long enough to study them, simply a flash of gold wings. In the intervening fortnight I'd had read-up on the species and an ecologist friend had confirmed the ID of my images, reminding me that the small skipper is distinctive in the way it holds its wings when feeding. After flowers, came a butterfly extravaganza. Here at Simpson Ground a fresh brood was lively in courtship dance, scarcely heeding the orienteers who now trooped back along the track, maps in hand and talking route-choices. One of them stopped to see what I had found. ' Small skipper' s he said confidently. He told me he has small skipper visiting his garden on the fringe of Dartmoor.
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AuthorJan Wiltshire is a nature writer living in Cumbria. She also explores islands and coast and the wildlife experience. (See Home and My Books) Archives
March 2024
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