From Andrew Daw
Sunday 14th July 2002, a few days before my birthday, I decided to pay a visit to Lower Wetmoor Woods (South Gloucestershire). There had been a long spell of quite unsettled weather and I wanted to make the most of a nice, yet windy day. Where best to get out of the wind than to visit a woodland area.
I haven't had a proper visit to Wetmoor in many years. I did pay a visit a couple of years ago, but couldn't remember the way into the wood, so wandered around the outskirts for a while. This time, I remembered the way down to the bridge and into the wood (but still got lost later and had to re-trace my steps).
The place isn't called Wetmoor for nothing, and was quite soft under foot in many places and I had to take care not to get up to my ankles in mud. The number of butterflies was quite poor for the time of the year, but not unexpected considering the poor weather we had earlier in the year. Ringlets abounded - another indicator of a wet season. They prefer damper conditions than Meadow Browns. In dryer years the Meadow Browns tend to be more dominant.
The main reason I was visiting Wetmoor was to try to get a good photograph or two of either a Silver-Washed Fritillary or White Admiral (or both). The White Admirals were few and far between and had no intention of coming anywhere near a camera. The Silver-Washed Fritillaries weren't being very co-operative either. Although there were more of them, they seemed to be content with flying up and down the main ride at breakneck speed. I could see them occasionally stop off at bramble or thistle flowers for a whistle-stop re-fuel and then head off again.
As I couldn't catch up with the Frits I decided to camp out next to a Bramble bush and wait. This paid off, but in a most unexpected way. Instead of the Bramble bush a Fritillary came in and landed on the back of my right hand. Sitting on my knuckles, its head away from me it promptly closed its wings and seemed content to stay there. I had a great view of the underwings with the silver stripes across the wings looking like they've 'run' in the rain. A 'silver wash'. Very descriptive our English names. This would make a great photo, I thought. But there's nobody else around and I need my right finger to press the button on the camera to take the photo. Maybe I could try using the camera upside down. So I had a go at trying to set up the shot, but the butterfly's patience wasn't so great and it decided it had had enough and flew off to the Bramble bush. While it was there I did manage to get a photograph or two. Mission accomplished.
It will be a long time before I forget that experience. Definitely a nice (early) birthday present.