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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Matt Prince" data-source="post: 1832822" data-attributes="member: 52862">Sunday 23rd May 2010Early start to beat the sun worshippers and grockles down to Branscombe. Worked a dream with the minimum of 'lane-rage'.My knee was still crocked from too much moshing on Friday, so this undercliff was a challenge, but so worth it. Sun was out, insects were buzzing and the Purple Gromwell along the middle section was in stunning profusion. Lots of bloody nosed beetles about, and a several new insects, including Gorse Sheildbug, Dingy Skipper, Green Hairstreak and several Wood Whites. Reaching the top the Nottingham Catch-fly was just coming out, a good patch at the bend with the best views of the undercliff. Lunch was spent on the clifftops scanning for cetaceans, surprisingly nothing given the flat seas. Then a frantic time trying to photograph cardinal type beetles and we headed back to the (now-crowded) car park spottinging another county scarcity Wild Clary on the way.Having missed out on grizzled skipper we headed to North Wood, to try again. In the heat the insect activity was off the scale with large numbers of green tiger beetle flying about, if any insect deserved to have the 'Ride of the Valkyrie' as its theme tune its these flying shock troops. Grizzled was found by my good lady wife, who shouted 'its behind you' and then laughed as I tried to twist my damaged knee...Finally a late evening tromp across dartmoor, adding Palmate Newt and the very local Little Robin to the list.Sites: Branscombe, North Wood, DartmoorNew Species : Palmate Newt, Beautiful Demoiselle, Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Wood White, Green Hairstreak, Mother Shipton, Gorse Shieldbug, Sloe Shieldbug, Scarlet Pimpernel, Mouse-ear Hawkweed, Smooth Sow-thistle, Yellow-wort, Purple Gromwell, Wood Speedwell, Dogwood, Meadow Vetchling, Black Byrony, Wood Sedge, Perforate St Johns-wort, Kidney Vetch, Wild Clary, Nottingham Catchfly, Herb Bennet, Yellow Pimpernel, Columbine, Marsh Thistle, Common Cotton Grass, Little RobinTotals: R&A 3; Butters 18; Dragons 6; Moths 26; Flora 229; Misc 39GT : 629Nicola's grips RL Partridges, SlowwormUnidentified Stress level - surprisingly low - lots of unid'd but chillin on a sweet weekend.</blockquote>

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