Glowing and Streaking

Warm and sunny these last few days, and with the congenial conditions come glow-worms and butterflies. Lights were shining brightly down Ickburgh way, with a glow-worm spotted by Clive Sheppard late one evening and still there for us to see the following night - low down, almost at ground level, and observed crawling with its dimmer switch on before finding a new post and turning the brightness up for full effect. Clive had even managed a pic the night before:

This is a female of course, flightless and doing her utmost to entice a passing male - who is winged - to drop down and enjoy some time with her. Glow worms are semi colonial, so there are probably more of them along that particular ride if one searched properly. Meanwhile, nightjar and woodcock are in good voice there, and a couple of weeks ago there were three cuckoos calling simultaneously, producing a fabulous echo effect in the clearing.

Butterflies seem to be having their second good year in a row. Yesterday it was off to Glapthorn Cow Pastures near Oundle to try and see one of the UK's rarest butts, black hairstreak. If only every rarity were so obliging: within ten minutes of arrival we had seen three, ranging from an extremely tatty individual to an pristine specimen that had probably only emerged the day before. This is probably the final few days for seeing the adults, as they have been on the wing there since 8 June and the fresh one we saw was probably the last of this year's brood. A beautiful butterfly, exquisitely marked and obligingly busy at the nectar right under our noses. The day before (Sunday) had been heaving with folks wanting to see the streaks, with a two-hour wait (and some fractious behaviour, apparently) for the photography chaps, but mercifully just a handful of us yesterday and all very civilised!

Slightly tatty and the largest of the three we saw, so possibly a female?

Winner of the beauty prize: fresh and shining, with vivid colours

Stunning, and totally preoccupied with the nectar.
Check out the "tails".

Geek paradise.....

Some good birds at this site, including nightingale - several pairs nest here, and we heard one sort-of-singing, very late to hear this in the UK (although they sing perfectly happily into July on the Continent) - and plenty of warblers. Afterwards we headed off to Harry's Park Wood, apparently a Wood White site, but no sign of any there even though the habitat looked good and probably supports a range of good woodland butts, including Purple Emperors - Fermyn Woods is but a wingbeat away, after all. Five minutes before getting back to the car we flushed a fabulous White Admiral off the path, which circled above us for a few seconds before heading off; then had good views of a common lizard. Saw plenty of Large Skippers at both yesterday's sites, Ringlets and Meadow Browns galore and first Essex and Small Skippers of the year, so a great day!