We've got the decorators in today so I have not been able to get out but I did go out for an hour yesterday afternoon (another of those "Garden Centre" trips). 3.30-4.30pm, Straits Enclosure, 23 degrees, sunny start, clouded over later 4 W Ad, 2 Comma, many S,E,L Skips, usual MB,R&G. O...

Wurzel, Dave

I like it when I can be sure I've seen an Essex Skipper. I come from Essex originally so I have a kinship with them.

9th July 2019, 10-11 am, Farlington East, weak sun through slight cloud, 19 degrees, onshore breeze Speaking with Mark yesterday, he put me onto a good WL Hairstreak site near the south coast just east of Farlington Marsh. It is I found out today the closest point to me where I can access the coast ...

Wurzel - Funnily enough he was on the ground but none of us noticed until he flew up!
David - Re "where do I find the energy" - well I took a tip from the Minions - I eat a banana a day.

8th July 2019, 10.15-12.15, Straits Enclosure, 80% cloud, 19 degrees 8 SWF, 2 M White, 2 S White, 4 W Ad, 3 R Ad, 1 P Emp, 15 L Skip, 7 S Skip, 4 Pstreak, 3 Gkeeper, 1 Brimstone 1 Golden-ringed Dragonfly P1100641.JPG Good views of P Emp in trees and seen flying low around a group of butterfly enthus...

Wurzel, David - Yep the Purple Hairstreaks seem to be building up nicely again this year and again like last year often seen low down.

7th July 2019, 10-11 am, Binswood, Overcast after a misty drizzle, 16 degrees I admit I am an optimist. I didn't know what to expect under such conditions but I came here anyway - and the answer was that no Purple Hairstreaks moved and none were roosting low down. So I diverted my attention to a ver...

Trevor - love the pic of the skipper making friends with the Marbled White.

Goldie - glad to see you got out. Those Large Skips are pretty good.

5th July 2019. 5-5.30 pm and 6th July 2019, 7.30-10am, Binswood, mostly sun both times, 26 degrees afternoon, 15-19 degrees following morning Two trips to the same site but a different location within that site each time - separated only by one night so I shall combine up. 3 Comma, 1 Common Blue, 2 ...

Wurzel - talk about the persistence of male SSBs. A few years ago I watched one male trying to mate with a rejecting female but she didn't do this wing-vibrating, rear-up technique. She may have done before I got there but while I watched she just clung on to a heather frond. She had probably by the...

5th July 2019, Alice Holt: Abbot's Wood, 10.15-11.15 am, Mainly sun, 22 degrees 2 Pstreaks, 11 SW Frits, 2 P Emps (same two as last time no doubt), 8 L Skip, 2 Red Ad, 2 Wh Ad, 1 S White, 1 L White, 1 M White. One Pstreak was demonstrating how to use a leaf as a sun parasol! Purple Hairstreak using ...

It has just occurred to me. Yesterday I reported I had seen a Small Blue at Noar Hill. Now Magdalen Hill has a whole bundle of them and last time I visited there were none - which did not surprise me as I was just out of their season. So what was this one doing at Noar Hill and then it dawned on me ...

Goldie - I hope you can get the boot off soon, too. We need you back in the field as soon as possible. David - Thanks - There is always something of interest to see and every so often you get one of those "moments". Sitting beside an ab White Ad and a Purple Hairstreak with its wings ajar ...

4th July 2019, 9-10.30am, Noar Hill, 16-19 degrees, full sun L Skip, S Heath, P Lady (2), MB&R, Comma, S&L&M White, Cinnabar, Small Magpie and one Small Blue. But the stars of the show today were the four DG Frits. P1100369.JPG 10.30-11 am, Chawton Estate Elms, 19 degrees At last - my fi...

Janet - thanks. Regarding the Purplestreaks wrestling, there is no referee to break them up either. Only they know when they are finished!

Wurzel - Thanks - I liked the underside of the ab White Ad too - lovely colouration. Mark - It was good to see you again and to get some of your valuable knowledge on Purple Emperors and White Admirals. I do not mind you or anyone else posting pics on my PD. The more the merrier I say, especially wh...

Goldie - Just love your sunbathing bird. Hope it remembered to put on its "Factor 50".

Andy - nice to see you are having luck with purples (both Emperors and Hairstreaks). I only saw my first two Emperors yesterday - and you are already on 16 - but that's Knepp for you I suppose! AND you got a Gatekeeper. It's difficult to keep up. We wait in anticipation for all this to happen after ...

Great bunch of photos as usual, Wurzel. Loving the Marshies and the Argent and Sable is one I have not yet managed to get. Re Marsh Frits. I have just heard that their re-introduction to a site in East Hants near Farnborough has been successful. I may well pay it a visit next year. Its a bit closer ...