Hot Bank Holiday

Glad we didn't go to the coast on Sunday.  Heard that there were queues all along the approach road to Holme jam packed with holiday makers with the wardens only letting a car through when someone left the car parks. Good job there wasn't a rarity there (like in 1993 when we turned up on spec to find that a Ruppels Warbler had just been found). Think it was the same everywhere, the very hot spell encouraging everyone to spend a day at the seaside.
We decided to avoid any traffic woes and stay inland, around the Chilterns. It was a bit hot though and the afternoon got a bit unpleasant.
We started off at RSPB Otmoor, a place we often end up visiting during August, though not normally this late. Unfortunately the seasonal trail through one of the meadows had been closed due to the breeding Turtle Doves (which we didn't see and they may have already departed). The nearby feeders had a lot of tits, some Chaffinches and Goldfinches and there were a few Bullfinch knocking around as well.
The grazing marsh was bone dry and there weren't any chats around, but a lovely Yellow Wagtail dropped down onto the overhead wires briefly.

Colin had bought a new scope and we were testing it out on a nice juvenile Whitethroat in the blackthorn. While we were watching, a Brown Hairstreak flew past. Good job too as we couldn't find any later along the Roman Road.
Lots of big dragonflies with several Southern and Brown Hawkers, hoards of Migrant Hawkers, Common and Ruddy Darters. One Black Tail Skimmer provided some variety, but strangely there weren't any damselflies of any kind.
We walked up to the northern blinds overlooking the pools but didn't get a great deal. We were told there was a Great White Egret around, and we missed a big flock of Greenshank that had dropped down onto one of the scrapes.
No sign of any Hobbies, Marsh Harriers or Cranes either so it was a bit of a let down really. One Migrant Hawker did the decent thing and settle down to pose for the camera, though it was rather hard to reach with the 60mm macro. The Ruddy Darters were a bit more obliging.

After lunch we drove down to Warburg. Rather too late for any of the orchids (which had been bad again this year with most being eaten). The wardens are looking at ways of reducing the damage.
We didn't get many butterflies here, apart from Common Blues, whites and a Brimstone. As it was getting very hot and humid we kept to the shaded rides but did venture out to the furthest meadow to see the Chiltern Gentians. There is some debate as to whether they are Chiltern, Autumn or hybrids and they are due to be investigated shortly.
The first one I saw I assumed to be a pale Autumn as it was rather narrow, and the ones we saw further along were much better with broad petals and much much wider than the ones up on Therfield Heath the day before. Whatever, thy are nice.