It’s now early June and I have my garden under control at last, always something to do but I decided that it could wait while I went for a trip to Alner’s Gorse Butterfly Reserve. It’s only about 20 minutes drive away from home so it was worth a visit to see what was about at this time. The weather had been very warm as it was this day.

I was hoping to see a Marsh Fritillary I have always wanted to see them but have been too late they are only around for a short period in early summer. The population in the UK and Europe has declined sharply so they are an endangered species and protected.

Of course I had to tune my eyes into looking for smaller creatures than birds and mammals and it took a little while to adjust. There was not much sign of anything as I walked down through the reserve except a Speckled Wood butterfly.

I was just beginning to think I wasn’t going to see very much when I started to see movement around me. The lovely Silver Y Moth, a scary looking Scorpion fly and a Swollen thighed beetle to name some of the interesting insects I saw that day. There were some different Damsel flies hovering about busily, I had to wait until they landed to get a photo.

There was not much Butterfly action I thought I was not going to see the Marsh Fritillaries when suddenly I saw some movement in front of me and there were three small butterflies chasing one another, I thought they may be Meadow Browns. Then one landed and I realised it was what I had been looking for. A lot smaller than what I expected but very beautiful none the less. I was so pleased!

I saw plenty of them in the end a man I met pointed me to a field where there would be plenty of them and there were many flying in the sunshine. At last it was time to make my way back and I was pleased to see a family of Wrens.

I had a lovely couple of hours and went home very happy.