Country diary: glistening droplet marks a butterfly's future

Pulborough Brooks, West Sussex: The brown hairstreak butterfly lays its eggs from mid-August to early September, and they hatch in late AprilThe rain patters on the mud and grass. The water levels are high, but the large, grey pools seem relatively empty of birds now that many of the ducks and geese that have been wintering here have dispersed, heading north to their breeding grounds. Related: Country diary: wigeon come at me like an arrow out of the blue dazzleContinue reading...