From Tim Corner
ABP Main Page
In the late summer, during the heat wave, my wife Lucy and I were having a quiet drink on our patio. We live in Somerset close to the Somerset Levels and Moors. Whilst relaxing, a small brownish butterfly landed on a bush, within touching distance. I realised that it was different to the Red Admirals, Commas, Peacocks, Small Whites, Painted Ladies and Silver Y moths milling about us. I got up so that I could see the upper wings. At this stage the relaxing scene escalated into shouts from me of ‘quick take a photo before it goes’ and ‘Oh no it’s going, hurry up’, followed by ‘I don’t believe it! Another once in a lifetime chance just disappears! Now where is it?’ This was followed by ‘I’ve got the camera ready now, where did it go?’ from Lucy.
Typical, I thought, no one would believe me now. Lucy was a bit dubious, as she hadn’t had a clear look but she came up with a plan to calm me down. We could take my dog, Jake, for a walk and take the camera with us just in case.
So off we went. At the end of our estate is a lane backing onto the levels, with tall hedges. Up and down, up and down looking for the impossible. But the impossible happened again! An identical butterfly landed in front of Lucy who was armed and ready with the camera. Or so I thought. ‘Just take the photo. We can worry about getting artistic pictures after’. ‘Shush, let me take it and take your shadow and Jake away or you’ll scare it off’. Five long and patient, but worrying, minutes followed by click, click and more clicks.
Hooray, hooray, hooray. Lucy got some very good photos. I was allowed to have a bash as well.
And the butterflies? In total there were three or four female Brown Hairstreaks appearing to lay eggs on the Blackthorn hedge. Not many people have seen adult Brown Hairstreaks, not even the experts. But for some reason all I had to do was have a quiet drink at home on the tiny patio and a Lucy who had the idea of extending the search for it. And Jake got to have an unscheduled walk. All in all, a very pleasant afternoon.