After dropping the boy to school . .....early , we were soon out of Dorset on the M27 and by 11am at Knepp . Glad to say the satnav post code directions took us straight to the gate . The weather was good and started the walk by the gate on the right of the camp site . Initially all we could see was hybrid sallows but once we ventured off the path and to a clearing the broad leaved sallows became evident and it wasn't long before HIM buzzed us at low level . Another male quickly followed and then a huge female emerged from a sallow , flying very slowly , possibly her maiden flight and then disappeared over the trees . The next hour gave us plenty of sightings , at one point 3 males around a pine tree with 2 of them battling it out . By 2pm the weather clouded over so called it a day .Total of 11 males and 1 female . The supporting cast numbers wasn't great , those being Meadow Brown , Small/Large Skippers , Marbled Whites , Small Tortoiseshell , Purple Hairstreak and a fresh hutchinsoni Comma . Not a bad day considering the long journey . Sadly not lucky enough for groundings so went home with a stiff neck .
Nothing from Bentley yesterday .
Fresh, and probably virgin, females do seem perhaps to have that slow fluttery flight that gradually takes them upwards. Have noticed it a couple of times at Alice Holt but you don't usually get many opportunities to see it in the wild.
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