Lockdown Diary, Sunday 12.7.20
Ed and I spent the morning at Castor Hanglands NNR, once more, where the stiller, warmer weather was producing butterflies by the glorious hundred. We saw 14 species here, including a single fly-over Purple Emperor and bucket-loads of Silver-washed Fritillaries.
Later, we went to Bedford Purlieus, to enjoy the last of the Dark Green Fritillaries and lots of Marbled Whites, and even later, we went out, together with my dear wife Jo, to Barnack Hills and Holes, which is a renowned wildflower and butterfly site. We greatly enjoyed the Pyramidal Orchids, but only added Small Heath to our day’s butterfly list (there were no blues on the wing), taking the day list to 19 butterfly species.
Dark Green Fritillary, Bedford Purlieus NNR, Cambs, 12.7.20
Marbled White, Bedford Purlieus NNR, Cambs, 12.7.20
Six-spotted Burnet, Barnack Hills and Holes, Cambs, 12.7.20
Marbled White, Barnack Hills and Holes, Cambs, 12.7.20
Small Skipper, Barnack Hills and Holes, Cambs, 12.7.20
On a tip off, at night, Ed and I were out and about again, this time on the hunt for Glow-worms. There is a site by the Maxey Cut, where we had heard lots had been seen the previous night. As it got dark, so we started noticing the little bright green lights in the grass. By 11.30pm, we had counted 120 Glow-worms!
Glow-worm, near Maxey, Cambs, 12.7.20
Then, I thought, I wonder if you can see that comet NEOWISE in the northern sky. I knew it was somewhere near the Plough, so looked roughly under that constellation, and after a few minutes, I was shocked to see it, with my naked eye. We had binoculars, though, so got wonderful views of the this beautiful comet, with a tail which seems to go on forever! I am not sure what we were more excited about, the comet of the Glow-worms.
Comet NEOWISE from near Maxey, Cambs, 12.7.20
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