And so needing only a few more butterflies for the "59" I ventured to the north to have ago for three species I still had to get, Large Heath, Northern Brown Argus & Mountain Ringlet. On day one the weather was atrocious but at least I managed to have a look at the sites and get my bearings and as it was so wet decided to try for the bog-loving Large Heath at Meathop Moss. Fortunately, after a bit of tramping around in the bog, I managed to flush one up and it flew around for a while before settling again; not great pics due to the weather but I was happy to get it.
Large Heath:
I had a feeling that Northern Brown Argus was going to be tricky and I was proved right, in fact it turned out to be the most difficult to get with me only succeeding on the third visit to Latterbarrow, a little reserve off the A590. Latterbarrow is a small reserve but then NBA are small butterflies! Eventually tracked one down though.
Northern Brown Argus:
I'd recced Irton Fell for Mountain Ringlet in poor weather on the first day so at least I knew where to try on the Saturday. I bumped into another butterflier who had seen some and told me they were right at the top near the wall so off I trudged. "None lower down" he said..how wrong he was for as I stood watching a Small Heath fly past no more than 10 yards on a chocolate-brown butterfly rose up after it-bingo! Then another one..and as the sun came up 10 or maybe 20. (I tried to engage the chap in convo and it emerged he had seen Black Hairstreak in Oxfordshire.."where was that?" I asked cheerfully, as you do. and...he refused to tell me! Bizarre, just as well I don't need BH! How odd was that, but there you go!).
Anyway, had a lovely afternoon in the sun watching the Mountain Ringlets fluttering around, very pleased to show them my face.
Mountain Ringlet:
I am indebted to Martin Peacock, Dave Potter & Mark Jones for their help and advice, much appreciated!
Cumbria Wildlife Trust on the other hand were hopeless both via the internet and in the field-they could not have been less helpful (& apparently less knowledgeable) if they tried, disappointing.
So two left, Chequered Skipper and Scotch Argus!
