Sunday 25th September 2022

It is possible to have butterflies released at your wedding.

The butterflies could even be non-native Monarchs, whose foodplant is not found in Europe.

Online you can buy chrysalis of many species, including really rare ones, if you don't ask too many questions.

But because you can, doesn't mean you should.

This is a preamble to Sunday's activities, which centred around hunting for the fabled Queen of Spain Fitillaries. These had been found, for the second time this summer, in Walmer on the 29th August, and last weekend a new colony was found near to the railway station. UUp to eight adults on the wing were seen and photographed.

This comes after two sightings earlier in the summer: one in Walmer (again), and in Barham. As there had been less than 400 sightings since the middle of the 18th centry, it might be seen as suspicious.

Thing is, a natuaral migrant and ones that have been released either by accident or on purpose could not be guessed as to their history.

And it is a remarkable fact that this latest colony of at least eight adults were found in a field that a builder wants to develop into housing. Which means that someone might think a stopping order could be placed, and is also in a field with muc higher public access that would otherwise by the case.

I have no idea if these eight are the offspring of a pregnant female that laid eggs earlier in the summer, but they are here in east Kent, and people have travelled from all over to see this very rare migrant.

And that is the second problem.

The field in which they are living near has been allowed to go fallow. A half harvest of wheat is going to seed, and mixed in are various hawkbits, oxtongues and other wild flowers, which is just perfect for the butterflies to feed on.

Anyway, people came from all over the country in the past week to see the butterflies. I spoke to people from Tyne and Wear, Poole in Dorset, Bristol and London. And that is the power of the internet, giving exact grid references to where they butterflies or any other rarity can be found, bird, plant or insect. And that means habitat, be it fields, meadows or wherever is threatened by heavy footfall.

Last winter an American belted kingfisher was seen, and the fields around the stream it set up home were thrashed by hundred and thousands of twitchers. Am I so different?

I do wonder.

I can say that this is a Kentish tick, although I did see one two years (and a week) ago, so wanted to see the underwings, so joined in the party.

I did enjoy myself, meeting people from around th country and seeing the joy on their faces as the butterflies emerged and we took turns in getting shots. But is it right? I don't know.

Sunday dawned bright and pretty clear, and the moderate breeze that was forecast had yet to appear, so the air was still. It was a toss up between going not too early so there would be none, and too late after which they would have warmed up and not settle.

I thought nine would be good, so after breakfast Jools dropped my off just the other side of Walmer station, and I walked into the field, and already I could see heads of others already there on the far side of the field. I went over to see if they'd had any luck.

They hadn't, but it was already warm enough not to need a coat or jumper, and in the lea of the hedge, there was little of no breeze to be felt.

Just after nine, a shout went up as the first Queen had been spotted, but the sighter lost it when the butterfly flew low, but gave a rough position. I went out wide, knowing that if there was one there, it would be basking facing the rising sun, and soon I had it, on a stem of wheat, looking gloriously fresh.

We all took turns in snapping the insect. A couple of times it flew off as someone's shadow fell across it, but each time we followed it so more could get shots.

One time it landed on the top of a thistle and opened it's orange wings, and an "oooohhhh" escaped the casing group.

I spotted a second, which landed on a path so more new arrivals could see.

But I already had the shots I wanted, and had these in half an hour of arriving, I had thought three hours more appropriate.

Jools had gone swimming after dropping me off, so was able to text her that I was done and to collect me on the way home.

Which she did.

More and more people were arriving, making near thirty people chasing butterflies. Just as well that the field wasn't needed to be harvested.

We went home for a brew.

That was the main task for the day, and I guess I could have gone for that long-overdue haircut, but that could wait until next week.

For dinner I made cordon bleus, with leftover cheese and bacon medallions. I breadcrumb them, shallow fried them all over before cooking in the over for half an hour.

They were a spectacular success.

The afternoon stretched out like a dark stretchy thing. I tried to stay awake, while we listened to music.

Supper was crumpets and huge brews.

And somehow three days of the long weekend had slipped by. I had two weeks of botanising for #wildflowerhour to post, and that passed the last half hour before bed.

Phew.