MikeOxon

[Goldie M]

Hi! Mike love the two some of Skipper and SPBF great photo, I only wish I could find a SPBF here, I'd no luck with the Pearl hope fully I may see the SPBF yet Goldie

[MikeOxon]

Glad you like it, Goldie. Those SPBFs were being really difficult (for photography), so I was very pleased when my wife spotted that one nectaring, a little away from the main 'herd'. The Skipper was an unexpected bonus

Another Heath Fritillary underside that I meant to attach before; it has larger than usual dark patches on the underwings:

Haddon Hill, Exmoor - 16th June 2015
Olympus E-M5 with 40-150 mm lens - 1/800s@f/9 ISO400

Mike

[Padfield]

Another Heath Fritillary underside that I meant to attach before; it has larger than usual dark patches on the underwings ...

If you mean the marginal markings, are they not the (particularly dark) upperside showing through tears in the wing edge?

Guy

[MikeOxon]

I now think you're right Guy, though it's hard to tell exactly what belongs where even in a detail enlargement; the marked bit of fringe seems to be showing through a tear.

detail

Also, I've been looking through my pics and I think the following is the opposite side of the same butterfly, which looks normal

Haddon Hill, Exmoor - 16th June 2015
Olympus E-M5 with 40-150 mm lens - 1/800s@f/9 ISO400

Mike

[Pauline]

Hi Mike, Although I read it regularly I have been very remiss in not commenting on your diary for a while (not on or off line ) especially as you have been posting some wonderful images, in particular the Heath Frits. I can only put it down to the hassle here of having to have my house re-wired and losing pc connection frequently

[Jack Harrison]

Mike:

Also, I've been looking through my pics and I think the following is the opposite side of the same butterfly, which looks normal

With a bit of PhotoShopping, you could make BOTH sides look normal And while you're about it, why not bokeh ?

Jack

[MikeOxon]

Thank you for 'looking in' Pauline. I'm sure that many people enjoy reading posts without commenting (I know that I do). I've been enjoying all your posts about earlier stages; something that I've not got to grips with, yet.

I know that you know that I like playing with Photoshop, Jack and, sometimes, there is a place for the sort of modification you suggest. I would clean those photos up a lot, if I wanted them as pictures for the wall, for example. On the whole, though, I'm happy to show the butterflies as I find them (though I sometimes remove a particularly irritating bit of vegetation).

There is a danger in starting to see 'aberrations' everywhere and I'm pleased that Guy Padfield led me to looking a bit more closely at the image that, at first glance, looked unusual. It also showed me the detail that is present in my Olympus images, even though I'm only using their 'budget' 40-150 mm lens. I know Gruditch doesn't worry about the weight but I'm very grateful for its relative absence in my Olympus kit, compared with my Nikon. I'm even finding advantages in the electronic viewfinder, in that it shows very clearly when exposure compensation is needed.

Mike

[Jack Harrison]

I know that you know that....

That's blatant plagiarism

From the Goon Show 1957: Neddy Seagood: "Little does he know that I know that he knows that....."

(If that's lost on you youngsters, I can only express my condolences for what you missed).

Jack

[MikeOxon]

I know that you know that....

That's blatant plagiarism

I know that too

I've just edited some previous posts since I kept referring to my Olympus 40-150 mm lens as a 70-150 - I had one of those once, a very long time ago!

Mike

[Willrow]

Very comprehensive and most enjoyable report and images from Haddon Hill, Mike Hope your happy with the Olympus set up, much lighter than your D300 rig eh!

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"

[MikeOxon]

Yesterday's weather (21st June) turned out considerably better than the local forecast, so I took the opportunity for a walk on Silchester Common in search of Silver-studded Blues.

These butterflies tend to occupy quite small territories within the area of the common but once one of these has been found, the butterflies are locally very abundant. One of the first specimens I spotted was a very small female, which I initially thought to be a Brown Argus:

Silchester Common - 21st June 2015
Olympus E-M5 with 40-150mm lens - 1/640s@f/7.1 ISO400

It was already quite late in the afternoon and the low sun was spotlighting the wings of the butterflies. I have never seen the underwing studs shining so brightly before, fully justifying the name 'silver-studded':

Silchester Common - 21st June 2015
Olympus E-M5 with 40-150mm lens - 1/2000s@f/7.1 ISO400

I spotted an almost copper-coloured female just before a couple of males also spotted her, although I think the one on the right in the first of the following photos is probably a Common Blue! The Silver-studded male indulged in some impressive aerobatics, which induced considerable wing fluttering by the female. Unfortunately, all this display did not result in a consummation.

I photographed another pair engaged in what looked like serious discussion:

Silchester Common - 21st June 2015
Olympus E-M5 with 40-150mm lens - 1/1600s@f/7.1 ISO400

Finally, I show one of the males, with its characteristic leaden blue colour:

Silchester Common - 21st June 2015
Olympus E-M5 with 40-150mm lens - 1/1000s@f/8 ISO400

Today (22nd June), I was pleased to get another opportunity to photograph a white Starling in my garden. I believe that this bird is one of the two white offspring raised by the white bird I have been watching since 2008 (you can read the history at http://home.btconnect.com/mike.flemming/WStarling.htm:

garden, Abingdon - 22nd June 2015
Nikon D300s with 70-300mm lens - 1/180s@f/5.6 ISO800

Mike

[edited to correct weblink]

[Pauline]

Brilliant shot and great news - the Starling, naturally. I was going to ask you the other day but assumed you would let us know if you'd seen them . Interesting that you too have seen a really small SSB Mike. Yes, Brown Argus size is about right for the ones at Bramshott too.

[MikeOxon]

Thank you, Pauline - I knew you would like to know about the Starling.

Yesterday (23rd June), I paid my, now annual, pilgrimage to Daneway Banks, Glos. for the Large Blue. I confess to mixed feelings about the increased popularity of this site, although I must also admit that these feelings are mainly due to selfishness on my part. In earlier years, I have enjoyed the tranquillity of having this marvellous site almost to myself. This year, on a mid-week morning, I almost had to join a queue to watch the best butterflies. It is good to see that most people appeared really interested in these butterflies and I hope that now the site has been acquired by Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust it will be well-managed, to ensure the continuing success of its varied wildlife. It is not only a great place to see the Large Blue but has many other natural treasures, all set in wonderful Cotswold scenery.

Daneway House from the Reserve

Within minutes of arrival, I had seen four butterfly species: Large Skipper, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, and Small Tortoiseshell, soon followed by Ringlet and Green Hairstreak. The carpet of wild flowers is beautiful, with a good sprinkling of Common Spotted and Pyramidal Orchids. The Large Blue proved slightly more elusive and, compared with my previous visits, seemed to have moved up the hillside, to the area around the dew pond. I was initially mis-led by a very dark blue female Common Blue - this blue form seems to be the norm for females this year!

Daneway Banks, Glos.- 23rd June 2015
Olympus E-M5 - 1/500s@f/7.1 ISO400

But soon I was seeing good numbers of Large Blues in the higher parts of the reserve. I followed one particular female for some time as she moved from one Thyme plant to another seeking places to lay her eggs. Her investigation of each plant was very thorough, involving much pirouetting around a flower head before deciding on the optimum spot. Then, wings spread and off to the next flower head! I've tried to capture her routine in the following animation, made from about a dozen individual photos. For anyone interested in the process that I use for making an animation, I have written a short article about it on my website - see http://home.btconnect.com/mike.flemming/animation.html.

Large Blue on Thyme
[GiF animation]

LgeBlueAnim.gif (344.03 KiB) Viewed 635 times

Below, I include a full resolution shot showing the actual ovipositing, after she had selected her favoured spot on the flower head. While she was busy egg-laying, she was repeatedly hassled by other Large Blues - presumably males - and at one time, three were all vying for her attention, even though she was clearly not interested. I was concentrating too much on following her egg-laying activity, to get photos of these encounters, but it was a great pleasure to see several of these beautiful insects all flying together.

Daneway Banks, Glos.- 23rd June 2015
Olympus E-M5 - 1/800s@f/9 ISO400

Following all her hard work, she then flew to some Marjoram to enjoy nectaring for a while, although I believe that Large Blues also sometimes lay on Marjoram as well as on Thyme.

Daneway Banks, Glos.- 23rd June 2015
Olympus E-M5 - 1/800s@f/9 ISO400

The following photo includes other wild flowers, such as Eyebright (at lower left):

Daneway Banks, Glos.- 23rd June 2015
Olympus E-M5 - 1/800s@f/9 ISO400

As luck would have it, the only shot I got of fully-spread wings was as she took off from one site, to fly to another, and the result is none too sharp but it shows the fore-wing markings, which clearly distinguish this species from other British Blues.

Daneway Banks, Glos.- 23rd June 2015
Olympus E-M5 - 1/800s@f/10 ISO400

Although the blue colour usually looks quite dark, it can catch the sun to give a much brighter appearance.

Daneway Banks, Glos.- 23rd June 2015
Olympus E-M5 - 1/800s@f/10 ISO400

The survival of the Large Blues is dependent on maintaining the colony of Myrmica sabuleti ants on this site. For anyone who hasn't read it, I strongly recommend Jeremy Thomas' account in 'The Butterflies of Britain & Ireland' by Thomas & Lewington, which describes the remarkable research project that led to successful re-introduction at several former sites. Unfortunately, there are still quite a few selfish collectors, trying to undo all the hard work that has been done.

Daneway Banks, Glos.- 23rd June 2015
Olympus E-M5 - 1/640s@f/10 ISO400

As it happened, the focus of attention of some of the visitors was taken away from the Blues by a very large and spectacular Privet Hawk Moth, roosting on one of the fence posts. I illustrate the size of this remarkable insect by showing it alongside my wife's iPhone

Daneway Banks, Glos.- 23rd June 2015
Olympus E-M5 - 1/160s@f/11 ISO400

The amazing technology incorporated into the iPhone's tiny camera provided an image not far short of that taken on my Olympus!

Daneway Banks, Glos.- 23rd June 2015
Olympus E-M5 - 1/320s@f/5.6 ISO400

Mike
Edited to include link to my website

[Willrow]

Super report and good images to support it Mike...now why didn't that superb Privet Hawkmoth put in an appearance when I was there last week such fantastic insects!

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"

[David M]

Interesting to note that, like me, you found most of the Large Blues at higher elevation on the site.

Is this down to climatic conditions (e.g, light winds) or could it be that they are not yet tempted to disperse because their favoured bloom, Marjoram, is largely yet to flower?

[MikeOxon]

Thank you Bill and David. It's always nice to know when people have enjoyed my writing

Only time will tell the answer to your question, David, but I suspect that your guess about the Marjoram carries some weight. I was once told that the 'traditional' site was at the far Northern end of the upper level so, perhaps, the 'new-comers' are gradually returning to the old habit.

Mike

[Neil Freeman]

Great report from Daneway Banks Mike, a site I have yet to visit and will probably not get chance this year before the Large Blues are over so reading reports like yours is the next best thing

I love the Privet Hawk Moth, I have not seen one of these for a few years now. One of the species that I reared through a few time when I was much younger. Some of my Dads mates knew about my interest at the time and used to bring me any unusual caterpillars that they found in their gardens and I acquired a few Hawk Moth larvae of various species this way, usually Elephant Hawk but occasionally Poplar, Eyed and Privet Hawks.

Cheers,

Neil.

[MikeOxon]

Thank you, Neil. It's a pity that so many of our moths are rarely seen because they fly at night. The Hawk Moths, in particular, are really spectacular and surprisingly common, though it's a matter of luck to find them in the daytime. I've been lucky to come across all those you mention during recent trips.

Mike

[Jack Harrison]

May I tell a gruesome story?

In my very young days, I used to catch butterflies and sometimes moths, kill them by squeezing the thorax and then sticking pins through them.
Before Gruditch gets too excited, I have to say that this was quite normal in the 1940s.

I caught a Poplar Hawk, squeezed it and I thought I had killed it. Pin was stuck through it and it was put on the setting board.
It wasn’t quite as dead as I had thought and proceeded to lay large numbers of eggs.

Jack

[MikeOxon]

I believe an insects nervous system is more 'distributed' than ours - a bit like 'fly by wire' - so I expect it was just the egg-laying 'motors' that were still working.