Thursday 25th July

On Tuesday I decided to do my bit for the Big Butterfly Count and set off along the Tyne looking for
promising spots. I eventually decided on an area by the main way up to the Spetchells where there was a good stand of thistles and other flowers and managed a total of 13 small tortoiseshells, 9 small whites, 4 meadow browns, 2 ringlet and 2 small skipper.  I couldn't be sure about all the whites as they weren't settling much but it confirms that it must be a good year for small tortoiseshells.  I haven't seen as many for a very long time indeed.

Small Tortoiseshell

I cycled on to Bywell Bridge where occasional white letter hairstreaks have been reported, but by the time I had done a bit of research on what vegetation to look for, the sun had started to disappear.  In retrospect I should maybe have checked out one or two items that floated across the road more carefully rather than assume they weren't significant.

At other spots on my little tour a couple of red admirals and speckled wood turned up.  The speckled woods don't seem to be coming in the same numbers as last year and I still haven't seen a peacock since Spring.

On Wednesday evening the temptation to confirm the purple hairstreak sightings of last week took hold and I ended up scouring the viaducts at Hamsterley once again, eventually having a slice of fortune. I had no sooner got off the bike when the first suspect appeared but overall appearances in the oak crowns were not as frequent as last Thursday.  So I moved around more, looking for other likely oak clusters and spending a bit of time on each.

Eventually I got back to the Eastern viaduct, where I peered down on what I thought was an oak tree.  it wasn't, it was a sycamore. At the very moment I was about to move on, a butterfly landed on one of the lower leaves.  Luckily the binoculars focussed on it straight away and I was clearly able to identify a male purple hairstreak.

I have read that they can frequent sycamores and the next tree along was an oak.  As I scoured it for further action, a comma butterfly flew over the bridge a few times and landed on a nearby rowan.

There were also several good sightings of red kites gliding around the area.