20 July 2008 - Operation 'Cock up!'

After paying homage to Mr Darwin, news on the pager of a Large Tortoiseshell butterfly at Durlston Country Park in Dorset was, to say the least intruiging.... A quick search of the Durlston CP website produced.... er.. bugger all. A quick search of the Dorset branch of Butterfly Conservation site produced... wait for it..... news that a Large Tortoiseshell butterfly had been seen several days earlier.

Action Plan:

• Drive to Durlston CP on the morning - see the Large Tort (a new species)
• Drive to Arne see Sika Deer (a new species)
• Drive to some spot near Bournemouth see Green Lizard and Wall Lizard (two new species)
• Drive to New Forest - see Bog Orchid, Sand Lizard & Smooth Snake (three new species)
• Drive home, collect Good Lady Wiff (a rare species)
• Drive to pub and celebrate a good day in the field in the arms of my beloved (common as muck!)

The reality

• Drove to Durlston CP - got there at 10am
• Wandered around with Zebidee (of Magic Roundabout fame) for 5.5hours
• Sauntered off for 20 mins to look for Lulworth Skippers
• Got news the Large Tort had shown
• Ran back and missed the f... f.... flippin thing!
• Stood around for another 3 hours waiting for the... f... f.. Large Tort
• Gave up
• Drove to New Forest
• Didn't find Bog Orchids
• Drove home

The sequence of pictures was, it has to be said, not quite what we were looking for...

Gatekeeper

Hedge Woundwort

Great Green Bush Cricket













Tufted Vetch

Wasp Spider

Fallow Deer in the New Forest