Still in my mind of the season moving on I decided on 1st September to go out looking for Butterflies early in the morning so I went over to Duncliffe to see what was about. I was really disappointed as I couldn’t find any roosting Butterflies and insects and I was looking carefully. Just as I decided to go home for my Breakfast I spotted a solitary Common Blue on a grass so I took a few pictures and made my way home.

The morning was sunny and I decided, with persuasion from my husband, Rod to take a break from kitchen building and go up Fontmell Down for the morning. I’m pleased I did as there was plenty to see least of all Adonis Blue Butterflies. As soon as I walked into the Dorset Wildlife reserve I spotted them, a gorgeous vivid blue as they flitted above the ground. It was a warm morning and they were flying on a south facing slope so very active and not at all easy to photograph. I did eventually get some images when the sun went in for a short time, there were certainly plenty there.

I was hoping also to see the Autumn Lady’s Tresses Orchids while I was there. I went to the area where I saw them last year and searched the area, no luck, I kept on looking and suddenly spotted one, very small only around 10cm tall, once I saw one I spotted one or two more as I walked around and also in another area I found large patch of them!

I was also lucky to see some Small Copper butterflies, my first sighting this year, they were in pristine condition and again very quick.

A Butterfly in abundance that morning was the Small Heath, there were so many of them, a small Butterfly that flies low in the grass. It’s conservation status is high but there were certainly plenty on Fontmell Down!

A sign of the autumn perhaps a small Toadstool growing out of some Cow dung!