The Two Tunnels Nature Blog

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 s...

Species: Common Blue (2) Common Blue - Tucking Mill 02-10-2022 It's been a year of record temperatures across most of the country and here in Bath the start of October was particularly mild by historic benchmarks. A sunny and warm Sunday was enough to tempt me out for what I thought would be my final butterfly survey of the year. Muntjac Deer - Tucking Mill 02-10-2022 I headed out towards the embankment that adjoin the fields owned by Wessex Water. This is normally busy with insects through the summer, but today it was eerily quiet. Through a gap in the trees, I could see a Muntjac deer was grazing at the edge of the woods oblivious to my presence.  Common Darter Dragonfly- Tucking Mill 02-10-2022 My next stop was Horsecombe Vale, a wooded valley with a brook meandering through the middle. No butterflies here either, but a Common Darter Dragonfly whirred past me to settle on a bramble leaf. My last stop of the day was the fields above the cycle path. After a while I located two Co...

Species: Brown Argus (2) Common Blue (4) Meadow Brown (1) Small Copper (1) Hummingbird Hawkmoth (1) Hummingbird Hawkmoth - Tucking Mill 10-09-2022 I always start my recording when I reach the Tucking Mill Viaduct. This is pretty much a central point of the 1km square that I like to survey. Today was no different, as I paused here to retrieve my camera from the rucksack. The weather was rather cloudy and the temperature around 20c.  As I slowly walked towards the far end of the viaduct, I noticed the unmistakeable blur of a rapidly moving Hummingbird Hawkmoth. It had been a good year for this little migratory moth and I had seen quite a few through the summer in different parts of the south of England, but this was the very first time I had seen it here. Common Blue - Tucking Mill 10-09-2022 The cloudy conditions didn't improve as I made my way out towards Midford. As a result I decided to return, leave my bike and head up towards the dry, grassland fields. Common Blue - Tucking Mil...

Species: Brown Argus (2) Comma (2) Common blue (1) Green-veined White (1) Meadow Brown (6) Peacock (2) Silver-washed Fritillary (1) Small Copper (1) Speckled Wood (10) Brown Argus - Tucking Mill 27-08-2022 The weather was fine and sunny as I emerged into the light from the Combe Down tunnel on the 27th. The temperature was on the wane but was still around 23c at 3.30pm in the afternoon. I headed out towards Midford, stopping briefly at the embankment that borders the fields owned by Wessex Water. There were few butterflies to be seen. Midford Viaduct as it was in May 2022 I headed on towards Midford and continued across the Viaduct, which had been cleared of vegetation since my last visit. This is both a shame and understandable. A shame because it removes the nectar sources that attract a range of insects to this warm and sunny spot. Understandable because the larger shrubs that take hold here are likely to damage the 150+ year old structure if left. My destination, a few hundred met...

Species: Grizzled Skipper (1) Brown Argus (3) Common Blue (6) Gatekeeper (1) Green-veined White (3) Large White (1) Meadow Brown (6) Silver-washed Fritillary (2) Small Copper (1) Speckled Wood (3) Grizzled Skipper - Tucking Mill 21-08-2022 Cloudy with sunny intervals was the best way to describe the weather on the 21st. My first destination was Horsecombe Vale, and as I made my way along the footpath from the cycleway I saw a very faded and tattered, male Silver-washed Fritillary feeding on Buddleia. Silver-washed Fritillary - Horsecombe Vale 21-08-2022 Horsecombe Vale itself was pretty quiet when it came to insect life. There was a lone Hornet taking an interest in some of the Hoverflies that were feeding on the umbellifers that grow alongside the footpath.  Hoverfly (probably Xylota Sylvarum) - Horscombe Vale 21-08-2022 The footpath through Horsecombe Vale is often visited by Dragon and Damselflies and today was no exception. A Common Darter dragonfly zoomed past me and perch ob...

Species: Brimstone (2) Brown Argus (2) Comma (6) Gatekeeper (8) Green-veined White (1) Holly Blue (1) Large White (4) Meadow Brown (16) Peacock (2) Silver-washed Fritillary (6) Small Copper (2) Small Skipper (1) Small Tortoiseshell (2) Small White (1) Speckled Wood (6) Small Copper - Tucking Mill 07-08-2022 It was a warm (23c), sunny afternoon when I arrived at the Tucking Mill viaduct on the 7th August. I headed on towards Midford and over the viaduct towards Wellow. Just past the first gate there are several Buddleia bushes growing near the path. This is a good spot for butterflies at this time of year.  Silver-washed Fritillary - Midford 07-08-2022 Several Silver-washed Fritillary butterflies were s wooping around, occasionally settling on the nectar filedl flowers. A pristine Large White was also making good use of the food on offer. Comma - Horsecombe Vale 07-08-2022 Heading back towards Tucking Mill, I paused for a while to survey the tall Wych Elms that grow on the embankme...

Species: Brimstone (1) Comma (7) Common Blue (2) Gatekeeper (8) Green-veined White (5) Meadow Brown (12) Peacock (6) Red Admiral (3) Silver-washed Fritillary (6) Small White (2) Brimstone (2) Peacock - Tucking Mill 30-07-2022 A short visit on the 30th July was my first for a while. The previous weeks had seen temperatures soar to record levels, so I was interested to see what impact there had been on the butterfly population. Meadow Brown- Tucking Mill 30-07-2022 The temperature had fallen to around 22c as I headed out towards Midford. I noticed a good number of Meadow Brown butterflies along with a similar number of Gatekeepers. A comma could be seen perched on a bramble leaf, one of seven I was to see that day. Comma- Tucking Mill 30-07-2022 Further along the path towards Midford , I paused to see if I could spot any White-letter Hairstreaks in the canopy of some tall Wych Elm trees. None were seen. Red Admiral - Midford 30-07-2022 As I approached the Midford Viaduct a  Red Admi...

Species: Comma (6) Gatekeeper (4) Green-veined White (1) Large White (1) Marbled White (1) Meadow Brown (7) Ringlet (2) Silver-washed Fritillary (6) Small Skipper (1) Small White (2) Speckled Wood (1) White-letter Hairstreak (2) Male and female Silver-washed Fritillary - Midford 09-07-2022 The cool of the Combe Down tunnel was welcome as I headed towards Tucking Mill on Saturday 9th July. It felt hot (23c) and humid as I arrived at 3pm. I headed off towards Midford and stopped on the cycle-path just below Midford Castle. I checked the tall Wych Elms for any sign of White-letter Hairstreaks. None were spotted. This is a little disconcerting as this is the second year I have failed to see them in this location.  Silver-washed Fritillary - Midford 09-07-2022 At this time of year, I would expect to see Silver-washed Fritillary flying in this location. The semi-wooded landscape in the valley seems to provide the right conditions for this butterfly to thrive. The first of the day was fly...