I travelled out again yesterday to Dartmoor to try and get one or two better photographs of the lovely Whinchat pair that I have been watching. They had moved just a few yards from their original position, confirming I think that this pair is not breeding. This obviously is a great shame. I have watched them now for more than 6 hours and only once have I seen them carrying food and also apart from a short period yesterday when the male seemed to be absent there is no sign of incubation either. I feel sure that if they they were feeding young it would be pretty obvious and if they were incubating then they would be taking it in turns to sit and I am pretty sure that the hen, for certain has done no incubating while I have been watching her.
But first a bit about the fritillary above. The two species of Pearl Bordered Clossiana species are very similar and can be told apart from the underwing. As I did not manage to see the underwing I can not say which of the two this one is. Suffice to say it is a stunning butterfly and posed nicely for me only a few feet away. Pearl Bordered Small Pearl Bordered Click on these links for a Fact sheet of both species from the Defra Butterfly Conservation.
Getting back to the Whinchats. I managed some fine images yesterday, mostly of the female who came very close to me. Here are some of the best.




As I watched the female I thought she had been joined by the male but as soon as I trained my lens I realised that it was a Male Stonechat.