Well, The Biking Birder 2016 adventure might be over but the life of a
passionate nature lover will not allow one to sit and reflect. On to
new things with Foreign travel to Israel, France and Peru to look forward to
this year, as well as returns to North Ronaldsay and Fair Isle.
For the
next few weeks I will be working as a volunteer at The Stratford Upon
Avon Butterfly Farm, UK.
Tuesday
10th January 2017 A New Life . .
The
short cycle ride from Stratford Upon Avon Youth Hostel, my new abode
for a while, to The largest Butterfly Farm in Britain, The Stratford
Upon Avon Butterfly farm.
Met
inside by Dan and Mark, after being taken on the tour of the whole
site with a clipboard tick sheet for all of the Health & Safety
advice, I am left to my own devices to explore and observe my
favourite creatures, butterflies.
Five
hours spent in the two main sections, the Flight Area and The
Discovery Zone.
The
Flight Area
With
a pleasantly warm temperature of 26C to relax in, butterflies
everywhere, how could one not enjoy it?
Blue and White Morphos, Great
Owl butterflies and Tree Nymphs were the most obvious butterflies
with Giant Orange Tips, Common Mormons, Malachites, Scarlet Peacock
and Zebra Mosaics, all seen and photographs attempted mostly using
flash due to the dull day outside.
Tropical
plants abound, streams gush down into the largest of the pools and a
pair of parakeets chase each other around noisily. They respond to
pishing which is a surprise. Mousebirds and quail are here too.
Two
Peruvian Green Iguanas are found, one crawling around feet, the
other, the larger male is sitting on a large ventilation pipe. A
large cockroach, definitely not English, is on some of the stonework.
Mayan
theme to the area due to the Butterfly Farm's links with a Mayan area
of Belize, there are large reproduction Mayan statues around every
corner. More on this on a later date.
The
Discovery Zone
The zone contains foodplants, dozens of large cocoons festoon
bare branches with huge Atlas Moths emerging from a few. A couple of
Oleander Hawkmoths have also emerged and their cryptic colours are
superb.
How to grow avocado seeds using a plastic bottle. Must
have a go.
The pupae cabinet is a bit bare but with a shipment of
15-20,000 arriving today, it will soon be full.
Caterpillars and eggs to be found if one looks hard
enough. Plenty to find and see despite this being the quiet time of
the year.
Back to the Youth Hostel with panniers full of shopping.
A complete change of diet with no more cake, biscuits or sweets.
Instead plenty of fruit, vegetables especially greens, oats, fish,
seeds, beans and pulses. My only indulgence from my past diet,
coffee. I will limit this to one cup in the morning.
Back to the Butterfly farm on Wednesday. How fabulous to
get up knowing that it will be another wonderful day.
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