Explore the diverse flora and fauna on the Downs from season to season through personal observations and photographs

Saturday, 5 Jul 2025

Gatekeeper butterfly on a grass stem in front of Horseradish leaf

Heavily overcast and breezy morning so conditions not great for photography. Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) butterfly numbers increasing dramatically, probably the most prominent species right now. Saw (and heard!) a pair of very noisy Jay (Garrulus glandarius) in the oak trees at the south end of the sheep grazing enclosure. There is a Common Red Soldier […]