Hi All, it's a curious thing but I too am seeing more Coppers than usual : I counted 4 yesterday where I walk Pip close to home. Today Pip and I popped back to Dungeness IMG_9268.JPG The Coppers now emerging are stunning : I mean, look at this beautiful creature IMG_9266.JPG Simply glorious! Pip sni...

A return to lovely warm sunny weather on the last day of August so I went to see how the third brood of Coppers is getting on at Dungeness IMG_9179.JPG I counted 7 in all IMG_9139.JPG IMG_9171.JPG One was a bit off colour IMG_9173.JPG But this one (with just a touch of blue) absolutely glowed IMG_91...

Hi All, I thought I'd turn a wet and windy afternoon to good use so I dug out some of my old butterfly notebooks from storage (I moved home a few months ago, still in Ashford but also still unpacking ! ) Here are a few Small Copper counts from Dungeness and all relate to the third brood : 22nd Augus...

I am delighted to introduce to you the newest recruit to Team Copper IMG_9118.JPG Pip After the loss of our beloved Springer, Monty, earlier this year we though it was time to let another little life into our home and our hearts. Today was his first visit to Dungeness and he loved it! I am training ...

I do think something unusual is going on. During this heat wave I've seen one Common Blue and two Brown Argus in the garden. Not unheard of but rare. Then a Small Copper (rare again) and to top it all there was yesterday's Wall. The nearest Wall colony (as far as I know) is on top of Wye Downs, so f...

Good luck with it Old Wolf - they're always worth a closer look! My diary entry today is going to be very brief but concerning a most unusual sighting : when I got home from work today I found a fine Wall, in tip top condition, flying around my garden! I've lived in Ashford all my life and never had...

A Small Copper in my back garden this afternoon ( central Ashford)...!

The fact that there’s a gale blowing probably has a lot to do with it. In this wind it’d take about 5 minutes from Dungeness!

Hoggers

That's very kind of you to say, David! Thank you. If my enthusiasm for Small Coppers inspires anyone to take an interest in them then I'm most honoured! Sadly, I haven't been able to get down to Copperness as often as I would have liked this year, but I managed it today and counted 85 IMG_8899.JPG I...

Exactly my experience too : today I saw one very small Small Copper female and a miniature male Common Blue !

Hoggers

Hi David, we had an unusually large first brood this year and the general consensus is that this was due to the great success of the Sorrel which was well watered and so grew lush and healthy. Because of the large first brood I'd hoped for an even more prolific second brood but numbers are pretty av...

Very nice Allan! David Walker spotted one amongst the first brood, you've found one in the second ..maybe I'll be lucky in the third! ( I wonder if we should start calling ourselves "The Three Copperteers"? Just a thought... Maybe have a badge made up, or matching T-Shirts?...) I thought t...

Hi Ernie, thats for your comments, they are much appreciated. The Copper aberration that you like IMG_8452.JPG Reminded me very much of one I found last year IMG_6139.JPG And of this one too (from 2015) IMG_1786.JPG Wing ground colour and spot patterning are similar, the overall effect being greasy ...

Hi Allan, I was stuck on Household Duty yesterday otherwise I'd probably have seen you at Dungeness. I took advantage of being a member of Bumblebee Conservation and they've identified my bumblebee as a female Southern Cuckoo. I've got a guide book but still find bee ID very tough indeed. It was alr...

Hi Dave, that's just what I suspected, and it certainly has been hot for the second brood! It was 23C at Dungeness today and I was delighted to see the Small Coppers in tip top condition IMG_8403.JPG My walk covers only a small part of the Reserve yet I counted 104 The only unhappy note being the st...

Hi Ernie, UV sprang to mind - let me know how you get on with your lamp! Hi Neil, that's most interesting. By comparing notes we are gradually learning new things about this amazing butterfly! Hi Allan, I remember us talking about Aish Tor - I bet you were delighted to see the High Browns. I look fo...

Believe it or not,David, that is the only day I've ever drawn a blank! It's true that there's a very sharp divide between the first and second broods (not so for the other broods), numbers plummet, but I can usually come up with at least one Copper! And you are spot on about the duskiness : it's som...

On 15th June I went down to Dungeness : conditions for butterflying were excellent but despite a long search I did not see any Small Coppers (although I did come across my first Small Skippers of the year.) So this year's first brood was well and truly over. I've heard scientists say that "Zero...

Hi Ernie, once my Observers Book of Lichens arrives I hope to be able to put a name to some of what I find - and I will definitely tread carefully! Hi David, you're right : It won't be long before the second brood appears and there's a good chance it will be a bumper one! Hi Goldie, I'm lucky in tha...

Hello again and thanks for the comments : after posting about the Coppers of Dungeness for some time now and reading all the messages from my fellow UKBers expressing amazement at the numbers we get here I am indeed, Janet, beginning to think Dungeness is the UK's Copper HQ! But you wouldn't guess i...

Cheers Ernie - even at the end of the brood there's still a lot to see. I went back to Dungeness today, this time with my brother, for a gentle stroll. It was 21C according to my car dashboard with just a slight breeze. The entire estate has come in to bloom now so is a real treat for the eyes and t...