Elton John's song 'I guess that's why they call it the blues' came to mind when I thinking about the Chalk Hill Blue butterflies at Tout Quarry in Portland. I have not seen this butterfly for a couple of years and when I did see one, it was just the one, but at Tout Quarry, the Chalk Hills were everywhere, hundreds of them. I was spoilt for choice photographing this butterfly :-)
I read about Tout Quarry and the butterflies in the Independent recently, it is a disused quarry and is now a nature reserve. We parked our car at the small car park opposite St George's church and then we took the path that runs alongside Tradecroft Industrial Estate to the quarry. This quarry also includes a Sculpture Park.
Chalk Blue on the edge of the cliff, don't worry, I was careful when taking this picture :-)
A pair of Chalk Hill Blues making the next generation
So many of these butterflies, lovely to capture two on a flower
Like the Adonis Blue, when the butterfly is at a right angle, the light bounces of it's wings. The flower is Carline Thistle.
A Chalk Hill Blue on the Wild Marjoram, here the light is reflecting off it's wings
I include this picture because that is where we were seeing most of the butterflies, we walked from St George to the Sculpture Park.
5 comments:
Really beautiful images Lyn, well done for getting these.
Lovely shots of a lovely butterfly Linda.
That quarry sounds an excellent place.
Had a lot of Chalkhill Blue at one of my local haunts recently. I think they've had a good breeding season.
Thankyou Roy and Keith.
Wonderful, Linda! I was in Tout Quarry last September, and now you've given me another reason to return to Portland - as if I needed one!!! Next time I'll go earlier in the year!
Best wishes - - - - Richard
Thankyou Richard. Yes, Tout Quarry was brilliant, we also saw a Hummingbird Hawk moth and a few birds, Linnets and I think Willow Warblers.
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