Hobbies and Butterflies

There were two hobbies calling and stooping together high over our garden yesterday morning, dashing across the clear sky. At that distance they really did look like over sized swifts.

There was also a very visibile and vocal hobby at Bainton Heath in the afternoon - stooping down repeatedly at what I think was a juvenile buzzard sitting on the platform of the main electricity pylon at the bottom of the heath. I say think, as I couldn't see it, but could hear and its parent calling from the nearby willows. The hobby was ever present during my one hour visit to the reserve, often calling and carrying food.

It was a hot and partially sunny afternoon, so I was mainly looking for butterflies. I found another small copper - the third place I have found them this year - as well as large and small white, peacock, comma and common blue and what I take to be a brown argus - see picture.

These are difficult to distinguish from female common blue - but I am pretty sure this one is - not only is it much clearer and bolder in its markings than a common blue, but it also lacked the charateristic spot on its near wing. However, happy to be put right if anyone knows better.

There were also 10 common tern over the main pit.