The Two Tunnels Nature Blog

Species: Small Copper (2) Brown Argus (1) Common Blue (3) Grizzled Skipper (7) Dingy Skipper (11) Brimstone (3) Orange Tip (3) Holly Blue (1) Black-headed Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa coccinea) - Horsecombe Vale 20-05-2023 The weather was fine on the 20th May and I arrived at around 3pm. The conditions were sunny with broken cloud and the temperature of 18c. In Horsecombe Vale there were several beetles flying around. One was a bright red Black-headed Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa serraticornis) .  Red-tailed Mason Bee Nest- Tucking Mill 20-05-2023 I was keen to visit the grassy embankment where I spotted a Red-tailed Mason Bee camouflaging its snail-shell nest during my last visit a week ago.  Red-tailed Mason Bee - Tucking Mill 20-05-2023 I was  surprised to see how large the heap of dry grass had got. Very impressive. I also managed to find a second nest close by.  Grizzled Skipper - Tucking Mill 20-05-2023 At the Grassland slopes that rise above the Combe Down Tu...

Species: Green Hairstreak (2) Grizzled Skipper (2) Brimstone (1) Green-veined White (1) Red Admiral (2) Comma (1) Orange Tip (3) Speckled Wood (3) Peacock (5) Holly Blue (4) Dingy Skipper (10) Orange Tip (Female) - Horsecombe Vale 13-05-2023 The afternoon of May 13th was sunny and warm when I arrived at Tucking Mill. The temperature was around 17c. Dingy Skipper - Tucking Mill 13-05-2023 Dingy Skipper butterflies were well and truly on the wing, with at least ten seem this time around. Most were active, darting around, low over grass. They were present in three distinct locations. The embankment alongside the fields owned by Wessex Water, the footpath up from Horsecombe Vale towards Combe Down and the fields to the east of Combe Down Tunnel.  Grizzled Skipper - Tucking Mill 13-05-2023 Grizzled Skipper butterflies were starting to appear, but only two were counted. These can usually be seen flying alongside the Dingy Skippers in the same three locations. Burnet Companion - Tucking ...

Species: Brimstone (4) Comma (2) Green Hairstreak (1) Green-veined White (1) Grizzled Skipper (2) Holly Blue (1) Large White (2) Orange Tip (5) Peacock (5) Red Admiral (1) Common Lizard - Tucking Mill 07-05-2023 The weather was fine for my visit to Tucking Mill on the 7th May. Finally, there was more sun than cloud and the temperature was up around 16c. I first headed to the embankment where during the early spring several of us Sustrans Volunteers had raked the dead grass to give the smaller plants a chance to thrive. I first visited the old reptile mat where I was pleasantly surprised to see a Common Lizard sunning itself. This was my first clear view of this species in this location. Slow Worms  - Tucking Mill 07-05-2023 Beneath the mat were several Slow Worms, four in total as far as I could see. Two-coloured Mason Bee - Tucking Mill 07-05-2023 Apart from the reptiles the embankment was quiet with no butterflies showing. However, on my way back along the embankment I noti...

 Species:  Brimstone (8) Comma (3) Holly Blue (5) Orange Tip (5) Peacock (15) Brimstone on Bluebell - Horsecombe Vale 28-04-2023 The day was fine with the sun shining between periods of cloud. The temperature was a tad warmer than my last visit at 14c. I cycled out to Midford to start my survey and it was there I saw several of the eight Brimstone butterflies I would see that day. Spring flowers were more evident despite the cool temperatures during April. As I cycled back past Midford Station, I caught sight of a Brimstone feeding off the bluebells that line the path at this time of the year. (See top). Violets - Tucking Mill 28-04-2023 Making my way back towards Tucking Mill, I stopped to see if there was any activity on the grassy embankment. Violets were beginning to show through the grass, but there were no butterflies and few other insects.  Further along the top of the embankment, the reptile mat revealed two Slow Worms. I have become to expect to see at least one ...

Species: Brimstone (4) Comma (2) Orange Tip (2) Peacock (5) Speckled Wood (2) Orange Tip - Midford 18-04-2023 A morning walk on the 18th April saw me descending down into the valley from Combe Down. It was a cloudy day with sunny spells and a keen north-easterly breeze. The temperatures this April were still low and the weather unsettled. The morning of the 18th saw temperatures of around 12/13c. Peacock - Horsecombe Vale 18-04-2023 Horsecombe Vale was my first destination. A Peacock flew past me and settled on a Ramson leaf. Comma - Tucking Mill 18-04-2023 On my way back up the slope to the cycle path, a Comma was sunning itself on a patch of dry grass. As I approached the derelict Midford Station I noticed two Speckled Wood Butterflies circling around before disappearing into the vegetation. Orange Tip - Midford 18-04-2023 By now it was cloudy and cool but I did manage to spot an Orange Tip butterfly perched on a twig and being bounced around in the breeze. It had its wings open in ...

Species: Brimstone (7) Peacock (5) Small White (1) Peacock - Tucking Mill 07-04-2023 A rather disappointing trip on the 7th April with just three butterfly species seen. I arrived  around 2.15pm in sunny conditions with the temperature around (13c)  Slow worm - Tucking Mill 07-04-2023 I rode rode out towards Midford stopping at the grassy embankment. I checked the old reptile mat and sure enough, an adult Slow worm was hidden away underneath. Brimstone butterflies could be seen along the path past Midford station. The bright yellow males were very active and none were prepared to stop for a photo! Wood Anemone - Tucking Mill 07-04-2023 I headed back towards Tucking Mill and parked my bike for a walked around the lake.  As I took the path up towards the woods, a Small White butterfly fluttered by along with another Brimstone. The path through the woods leads on through the grassy fields that lie to the east of the Combe Down tunnel entrance. Just one Peacock butterfly was ...

Species: Brimstone (4) Comma (1) Peacock (2) Small Tortoiseshell (1) Comma - Tucking Mill 04-04-2023 It was a cool morning after a frosty night for this trip down to Tucking Mill. I walked down steps from Combe Down and then down the slope towards Horsecombe Vale. I saw no butterflies until I got to the far end of the valley were I saw a Small Tortoiseshell.  Dark-edged Bee-fly - Horsecombe Vale 04-04-2023 I worked my way back along the valley. The sun was getting to work and I saw my first bee fly of the year. As it settled I could see it was a Dark-edged Bee-fly. A little further along a Peacock butterfly could be seen flying through the trees.  Embankment - Tucking Mill 04-04-2023 I walked to the cycle path and headed up onto the grassy embankment that adjoins the fields owned by Wessex Water. The fields are known to harbour a number of interesting species and is maintained by the utility company to encourage wildlife.  The embankment side of the fence is not maintain...

Species : Comma (2) Comma - Tucking Mill 25-03-2023 On the 25th March I made my first foray along the path between Tucking Mill and Midford. The weather conditions weren't perfect for butterflies, with the temperature reaching just 12c and weak sunshine due to high cloud. Grass embankment - Tucking Mill 25-03-2023 Over the winter period, I was amongst a group of Sustrans volunteers who helped clear a grassy embankment near Tucking Mill. The embankment adjoins two fields which are managed by Wessex Water and are known to harbour several rare invertebrates. This work removed several years worth of dead plant material to reveal the small plants and flowers growing below. Dog Violet - Tucking Mill 25-03-2023 This work seems to be having the desired affect with a number of early spring flowers beginning to bloom, including Dog Violets. Woodpecker holes - Tucking Mill 25-03-2023 I decided to go and inspect the larger fields to the north of  Tucking Mill lake. As I walked through the wood...