Lunchbreak lovelies at the Hermitage 18/03/21
2 days after the first butterflies of the year I went back. Same location and about the same time, around 12.45 for an hour of hunt and shoot while eating my work sandwiches. The weather was pretty good and there were higher numbers of butterflies out and about. Straight away I saw a peacock on the flowering heather in the walled garden. It makes a prettier backdrop than the wood-chips the comma prefers to sunbathe on. The comma was also there, (on the lowest tier as before) but had some competition from another comma and the 2 of them would do an upward spiralling combat dogfight at regular intervals jousting to see who was the king of the castle.
2 days after the first butterflies of the year I went back. Same location and about the same time, around 12.45 for an hour of hunt and shoot while eating my work sandwiches. The weather was pretty good and there were higher numbers of butterflies out and about. Straight away I saw a peacock on the flowering heather in the walled garden. It makes a prettier backdrop than the wood-chips the comma prefers to sunbathe on. The comma was also there, (on the lowest tier as before) but had some competition from another comma and the 2 of them would do an upward spiralling combat dogfight at regular intervals jousting to see who was the king of the castle.
plenty bees about too
The newer comma to arrive seemed to be in better condition than the previous one, though I might have been mixing them up. Old one had a bit missing from rhs rear wing, new one top missing from lhs fore wing. Both seemed to be up for a dog-fight and reluctant to share the area.
Fewer STs at this spot today but good to see these 2 making friends!
map (from 2019) showing walled garden / doocot
and area of butterburs and peacocks further downstream
and area of butterburs and peacocks further downstream
I've been visiting the Hermitage for a few years now as an early season site for butterflies (and dippers) and it seems to yield decent if mixed results. The tiers below the doocot are shaded from the wind and often shelter an an early comma or 2. And wrens have been seen here too, although none this year. If you cross the bridge and follow the south side of the river there are butterburs that open about now and are very popular with the local peacocks, small tortoiseshells and occasional comma. So I was stoked when there seemed to be several of each species fluttering from flower to flower and not unduly bothered by my presence. Result!
Peacock on Japanese Butterbur
I took lots of pics then jumped on my bike and cycled the 15 mins back up hill to work. It was a great way to spend the lunch-hour-and-a-half and much better than eating indoors and watching paint dry. The new camera continues to produce great results with less effort than the previous one - I can stand further away and disturb the subjects less, getting closer shots with greater, sharper detail. Looking forward with great anticipation to the season ahead.
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