masters of the camouflage

...with guests staying and an ever diminishing list of likely species, my challenge to find and photograph a new variety of butterfly for every day of the Big Butterfly Count doesn't get any easier. It has been with this knowledge in mind, that I have not yet blipped a Meadow Brown, Ringlet or a Large or Small White. The first thing I do each day, is get a reserve image of a Meadow Brown, just in case. Today was no different except that I got a Ringlet image instead of a Meadow Brown.

This morning, as promised, we took my brother and sister-in-law to Studland to see how our Nightjar is getting on. We have GREAT NEWS because her eggs have hatched and she is now the proud mum of two gorgeous fluffy Nightjar chicks! Go and take a look. As before, I was using my macro lens because I was butterfly hunting. But we will check on things in a day or two and I will take a telephoto with me.

This afternoon, we took our guests to Arne RSPB reserve to see the Sika deer and other interesting wildlife.

Back to the butterflies, my target species today was the Common Blue. Neither this morning nor this afternoon did we see a single Blue of any persuasion and I was mentally preparing to post my Ringlet image when, suddenly, I spotted a highly camouflaged Grayling Hipparchia semele resting on the dry, dirty, heath where the gorse has been cleared. This butterfly, like our Nightjar and her chicks, is a master of camouflage.

My sincere apologies for being slow to write and reply to comments, I promise that I will get around to everyone as quickly as possible...