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After leaving Weymouth in warm sunshine it was a little galling to arrive at Batcombe with the clouds gathering and threatening to rain.
Unperturbed we walked out of the car park and started finding insects straight away, even as the light rain started.
The first and almost the only butterfly seen was a freshly emerged Large Skipper, a very early date for this species. Before long we had found a good variety of other insects including a gorgeous Red-headed Cardinal Beetle (the commoner of the 2 species of Cardinal Beetle). A number of day-flying moths were about too, mostly unidentifiable micro-moths but also a lovely Speckled Yellow and an elusive Silver-ground Carpet. |
© Mary Robins
Red-headed Cardinal Beetle |
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There were plenty of plants to see as well, including an impressive patch of Twayblades, but the find of the day was a Wood Vetch flowering in one of very few sites it is found in Dorset.
Birds were few and far between but by the end of the afternoon we had a reasonable list including good views of Buzzard and fleeting views of Bullfinch and Goldcrest. One day we'll get out to this place when the sun IS shining ... |
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