Sunday 13th November 2022

Species: Clouded Yellow (1)

Nuthatch - Tucking Mill 13-11-2022

Another, unseasonably warm and sunny Sunday tempted me out to Tucking Mill one last time. I had spotted a late Red Admiral butterfly on a morning dog walk a few days earlier, so with the temperature rising to around 16c, I wanted to see if there were any butterflies flying in this location.

Kestrel- Tucking Mill 13-11-2022

I headed out to the embankment that rises up towards the fields owned by Wessex Water. As I set off, I caught a glimpse of a dark coloured butterfly out of the corner of my eye before it disappeared from sight. I think this was a Peacock, but couldn't be sure enough to record it as such.

The fields were quiet as they were on my previous visit back in October. A Kestrel flew swiftly and silently over the field and into the woodland.

Common Darter - Tucking Mill 13-11-2022

I left my bike and walked up through a quiet and autumnal Horsecombe Vale, before finally climbing the hill to the fields where I saw Common Blues back in October. As I expected, there were none there today. It is not uncommon to see them as late as mid October, but we are now in mid November. 

As I was about the leave, I saw the second and last butterfly of the trip. The unmistakable sight of a Clouded Yellow butterfly flew past me near the top of the field. The orange-yellow and black colouration is unlike any other British butterfly. I watched as it alighted a couple of times before disappearing from sight, it's restless nature enough to avoid my camera lens.

This was only the third Clouded Yellow I have seen in this location since I started my count in April 2018 and fitting way to end the butterfly year.

As I ended my trip with a walk through the woods, I noticed a Nuthatch working its way down the trunk of an Oak tree and a final Common Darter dragonfly perched on a fallen tree.

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