I felt that I was overdue for some wildlife photography again as I have not been getting out as much as I would like of late. In view of this we set out in reasonable time after breakfast taking the slow route to Red Hill Reserve in the Lincolnshire Wolds between Lout and Horncastle. The 'slow route' as opposed to the quick one along the main roads to Louth and then Horncastle, involves winding thorugh the lanes of the Wolds and along the Bluestone Heath Road. This road, that runs high along a ridge of the Wolds follows an ancient trackway, thought to have been developed by the earliest Celtic settlers of the region and used as a drove road for moving livestock. On a fine day it provides marvellous views of the surrounding hamlets, fields and landmarks of the area, such as Lincoln Cathedral, Boston Stump, Belmont TV mast and the North Sea.
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| Belmont seen from the Bluestone Heath Road. |
It is a late summer countryside, now, with dead flowers and seed heads in the verges and dry, golden grasses. At Red Hill there was a strong south-westerly breeze blowing and rattling the plentiful seed heads of yellow rattle, providing the plant with its name. It was warm in the sun with plenty of sunny intervals when there would be good numbers of butterflies on the wing: large numbers of peacock and large whites, small heaths, meadow browns and a few common blues. There were some very old and tired looking six spot burnett moths, so worn they were nearly transparent. I met friend and fellow photographer Colin Pumfrett while we were there and he made a fabulous find: a male chalkhill blue. Only the second sighting for Lincolnshire, at least this year. The nearest breeding colony is in Cambridgeshire so it was well off track, although one has also been sighted at Gibraltar Point. What a pity it was a bit tatty!
On the plant front, knapweed was common as was common mallow, common scabious and ladies bedstraw. Thistles were rapidly going to seed and the swathes of yellow rattle had already done so. A representative from the Lincs Trust informed us that green winged orchids have been planted in the Coronation Meadow. I look forward to seeing them grow and flower. I assume they have been transplanted from another reserve.
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| Common Scabious |
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| Chalkhill Blue |
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| Chalkhill Blue |
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| Common Blue |
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| Peacock |
By the time we made our way to Mill Hill Quarry at Claxby it had clouded over so there were fewer butterflies on the wing.There were still large numbers of peacock, large white and some common blues and small skippers. We also found a bright green elephant hawkmoth catterpillar on the abundant rose-bay willow herb. Other plants in evidence were copious marjoram as well as knapweed and St. John's Wort. I was delighted to discover a tiny crab spider to photograph.
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| Common Blue |
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| Common Blue |
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| Crab Spider |
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| Crab Spider |
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| Elephant Hawkmoth Catterpillar |
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| Large White |
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| Small Skipper |
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