Small SkipperToday's trip got off to a flying start when we heard Tawny Owls calling as the minibus collected its passengers at the Unitarian Centre before heading off to Burley-in-Wharfedale and Sun Lane Nature Reserve where we met up with other members who had travelled there by car to form a group of 15 people. The reserve lived up to its name and the sun shone all morning. Sun Lane has an interesting mix of flora due to soil being imported from different areas when the site was reclaimed from the old village tip many years ago and Joan managed to record 140 flowering plants. Birds were few and far between although we did manage to see tree sparrows. Butterflies have been late flying this year but meadow browns, ringlets, small skipper and green-veined white were about in the meadow. Finding a shady spot we decided to bring our lunch break forward before heading back through the woodlands area to the minibus to embark for our short journey to our second site of the day - Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits. 
LagoonA few members who had come by their own transport decided that the afternoon heat might be too great for them and didn't make the journey to the second venue. Whereas many of the group had visited Sun Lane before, Ben Rhydding was a new site for many of us. Situated on the banks of the river Wharfe the gravel pits provide habitats for different species of flora and fauna. 
White Letter Hairstreak On BrambleBirds were again elusive but some of us were rewarded with the sight of a kingfisher flying across one of the ponds and late in the day a three-man search party set out to track down the elusive white letter hairstreak butterfly which was found by Martin almost as it was time to leave the site. 94 flowering plants were recorded at this site. The weather stayed hot and sunny throughout the day which had been carefully planned by Alice and Ann and was enjoyed by all.Stuart