Eyarth Rocks

After speaking to a chap about butterflies at IMF yesterday, I was directed to a hitherto unknown to me reserve a couple miles south of Ruthin – Eyarth Rocks.

It is gratifying to know that after five years birding and walking in North Wales that there are still some beautiful and wildlife rich areas I have not yet visited, but I think that after today I will be lucky to find one quite as good as Eyarth Rocks again.

My principal reason for visiting was to look for Pearl-bordered Fritillary, although ‘look’ is hardly the correct word – avoiding treading on would be more apt as there must have been in the region of one hundred and thirty today!

Aside from the astonishing number of butterflies, the reserve is also excellent for warblers with Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap all present in good numbers, plus one Garden Warbler - a bird that seems to like this habitat as I have seen them at Aberduna too.

Wild flowers are abundant here and with the aid of my reference book I was actually able to correctly identify one for a change - the stunning Early Purple Orchid. A pukka one this time too – not like my Hyacinth Orchid!

For the last hour or so I had a mooch around for some other butterfly species that added Small Heath, Speckled Wood, Large & Small White, but strangely not one Peacock…

On the subject of butterflies, I found a rather dry quote from the Collins Field Guide to UK Moths and Butterflies that made me chuckle:

"Butterflies are creatures of little importance and have never played much part in international commerce, either of goods or ideas."

Eyarth Rocks 20.05.10

130 Pearl-bordered Fritillary
1 Speckled Wood
3 Small Heath
1 Garden Warbler
1 GS Woodpecker

Until later.