A walk to Snuff Mill Lane via Setting Dyke and Children's Wood

 I had an impromptu walk to Snuff Mill Lane this morning to try and see the local hairstreaks. Both White-letter and Purple Hairstreak have been recorded in recent weeks in a short stretch of the lane, so I thought I would give them a try. 

The weather was cloudy, but very warm, and there were a surprising number of active butterflies on the way so I did several lists. It was nice for a change to have the skippers roosting on flowers or grass stems, which allows for much faster checking. No Essex Skippers today.

View of the Setting Dyke path.

The Setting Dyke was running very low, with the level the lowest I've seen. Has it been dry before?

A family of ducks had to walk on the ballast under the train line.

Young Robing having a bath on the dyke.

And a watchful Robin nearby.

The nettles at the sides of the dike were covered on Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars. A wasp came over and grabbed one

Young Dunnock with a moth.

Young Greenfinch.

Gatekeeper.

Nursery Web spider guarding her nursery.

'Children's Wood' is another 'railway triangle' a woodland with the Scarborough line on the west, the Setting Dyke on the south, and the houses off Cropton road on the east.

The entrance to Children's wood

A path through the woods.

As you emerge on the north side of the wood, there is a cycle path parallel to the railway line. There is a strip of semi-natural vegetation and large trees where many Ringlets and Green-Veined Whites were active. Finally, at the end of the path, on the boundary of the city, the path disappears amongst a wilderness, the first field of the area I know as Snuff Mill Ln fields. This particular field is flooded in the winter, and the path is overgrown with brambles and nettles. I know it is not long to a rise and clear path, and I persevere.

A large stand of Meadow Sweet

Gatekeeper.

This Holly Blue was collecting salts by the edge of the Priory Cemetery pond.

The railway pond is bone dry.

Nice to see a Reed Bunting singing from tree at Snuff Mill main field.

Main field.

Another calm Small Skipper.

I saw this ladybird, although it has 7 spots it looks too long for a 7spot, resembles more an 11 spot

I finally get to the railway line and have a long look for White-letter Hairstreaks on the elm just west of the line. No movement other than bees. Helpfully, a Speckled Wood patrols the tree up and down, I wonder if it would have enticed a WLH to chase it, but no luck.

Speckled Wood.

Elm leaves.

I see my 1st pristine new generation Peacock, but too fast for photos. On the way back I check the oak that holds the Purple Hairstreak population. I am not very optimistic, but two silvery tiny butterflies fly around the branches, Purple Hairstreaks! I lose track of them and no photos for me, but still a nice sighting for the day.