Somehow I managed to get off work very slightly earlier than usual so I called in to a couple of place on my way home. First up was Scotchell Reserve a small local reserve fen which had a mass of bramble growing up a railway embankment at the edge of the reserve. This was a very popular place wiht H...

You sound a bit unhappy about the PE shot but I really, really like it! I've only ever seen 1 definite and 1 possible, never photographed them (yet) but have read loads about them and your picture matches up with how I imagine them and expect them to be. It seems to be acting in a haughty, aggressiv...

That Marbled White shot is simply lush

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Alright Philzoid? I was at Bentley Wood on Sunday and the book had recorded PE from earlier in the week. Also I bumped into another group who informed me that they had seen PE (down the Switchback from the car park, turn left at the crossroads and carry on down the path). I too also thought that I s...

Thanks for the ID help - as with everything the minute someone points out an identification feature (like the sex brand) it all becomes so clear, and then you fell like a muppet for not seeing it so easily in the first place!
Oh well now I know!

Cheers again, have a goodun

Wurzel

Sounds like a great morning butterflying - I too noticed that they were extremly flighty on Sunday - fully charged
Still I'm sure that there will be some great shots to look at later.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

As the weekend approached a migraine struck but luckily had passed by Sunday when I dug out our old little point and shoot for my daughter who accompanied me to Bentley Wood. She had a fantastic time getting shots of Large Skipper and Ringlet and helping me to see Hummingbird Hawk Moth, SPB Frit and...

Can anyone help me out - is this golden skipper an Essex? I'm pretty sure that it is as it has black ends to the antennae but I thought it best to check as the androconial line appears straight in ever other shot except the bottom one here...
Cheers

Wurzel

You beat me to the question...I've been wondering the same thing. All I can offer is that you could try phoning Portland Bird Obs as there is apparently a small colony behind the Pulpit Pub there and the people at the Obs let you know if they've been sighted and where the best palce to see them is -...

As it was Father's Day I managed to persuade the entire family to head out for a walk at Bentley Wood. I knew it would be a good day when a Silver Washed Fritillary was there to greet us in the car park. We started off along the ride that headed North along the edge of the eastern Clearing and there...

Bentley Wood this morning had Purple Hairstreak, Ringlets, Large Skippers, White Admirals, Silver Washed Fritillaries and singles of Red Admiral, Hutchinson's Comma, Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary and Dark Green Fritillary Photos and more details to follow tomorrow on my personal diary if I get a c...

I am actually hoping to capture an image of Purple Emperor (it would be my first) on poo this year as I am thinking about writing a book specifically about that. So far I have Small Blue on dog, Wall on horse to name just a few!I think PE on fox would be the crowning glory of this tome :D Have a goo...

I'm no expert myself but judging by the location I would say Dark Green Fritillary. Also I just discovered that the way to tell is by looking at the spots that line the wing, if they're all in line as they are on your shot then it's a Dark Green. The 3rd spot in from the wing tip has to be indented ...

Stunning shot of the female :mrgreen: - I'd agree with you as it doesn't have the androthingy scales/brand thingy (still learning the technical terms!). Was it keeping low to the ground as that is supposed to be one of the behaviours that they show as opposed to the males? Anyhoo keep up the good wo...

Last night we took the whole family to Martin Down for an evening picnic tea. While everyone else was munching down on cous-cous and home baked rolls I managed to slip away and briefly check out the hedges. Meadow Brown, Large Skipper, Small Blue and Small Heath were all about but there was no sign ...

Cheers Bill! I did try to cram as much as possible in - I think that if I'd have finished off at Bentley Wood as I had intended I would probably have gone home to an empty house or if not that certainly a very disgruntled Mrs Wurzel

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Excellent shots, I think my favourite is the first one I know what you mean about watching the weather reports - I had a look tonight on a 10 day forecast and it doesn't look good But hopefully they'll get it wrong like they do mostly

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Taking inspiration from Alan Thornbury's recent blog post I set out on the quest of "new", and bearing in mind that the weather might be against me I crammed 3 visits into one day. I tried an old area with new habitat (due to some recent clearing), a new part of a many times visited spot a...

Welcome Angela - I too am a Dorsetian (although currently exiled to Salisbury) so if you need any ideas about where to go ask away and hopefully my limited knowldege may be of some use.

Have a goodun, and good butterflying

Wurzel

Some great shots - I like the way that your skipper shot is from side view. I was at Martin Down too yesterday, from about midday on and it was terrible, and then just as I was giving up there was a break and there was loads of stuff about. I too managed to get (a much worse) picture of the moth so ...