Saturday, June 05, 2010
Combe
We parked at Walbury Hill in West Berkshire and did our usual round past the gibbet and down to Combe. Lunching on the grassy slope between Combe Wood and Buttermere Wood, I saw a small butterfly on the ground. In flight, it showed light brown wings above, and when settled, a lovely green underneath. I have learned from other websites that this green is not a true pigment, and can vary according to the light.
It's a Green Hairstreak Butterfly, and a first for me.
Nearby a willow warbler was singing. At first I thought it was just a coincidence that a chiffchaff was putting in a bit of song now and then and remaining quiet when the willow warbler did. But I couldn't see a chiffchaff; and it dawned on me that I was hearing something other observers have noted - a willow warbler incorporating some chiffchaff song into its own.While I was doing this, Greger had a snooze; and I was amused to see a red kite drift into view and circle over him a couple of times. Eyeing him up as a possible snack, maybe.
As we walked down the road into Combe, I stopped suddenly and stepped to the side. I looked back to see an empty, silent road, and remarked to Greger that I was going mad - I'd been so sure I'd heard the swish of bicycles whizzing down the hill. We walked on, and hadn't gone far when there came a swishing noise - and two cyclists came whizzing down the road. I can only assume that I'd heard them when they were higher up - and that they'd stopped, before continuing down. Very odd.
Otherwise the walk was chiefly remarkable for our missing, yet again, any sign of willow tits!
// posted by Christine @ 12:33 PM 
