Wurzel

[trevor]

HI Wurzel,
Your report and images of the Large Blue deserve nothing less than a load of mrgreens.
Mrgreen is particularly appropriate because i have never seen a Large Blue.

All the best,
TREVOR.

[bugboy]

is all I have....

[Pauline]

Wurzel, you've excelled yourself. That has to be the best post I've ever read in your diary. Cracking shots showing what was clearly a marvellous day . You just need to go back and photograph the larva now and then I'll be completely happy

[dilettante]

Not bad, I suppose, if you like that kind of thing.

[Maximus]

Great set of Large Blue shots from Collard, Wurzel and I'm in full agreement with other comments made

Mike

[Wurzel]

Cheers Dave After the bad year for them at Collard last year it was geat to see them bounce back
Cheers Trevor I put off and put off the trip unitl last year, and then it turned out to be surprisingly easy
Cheers Bugboy
Cheers Pauline I don't think they'd let me loose with a shovel on the site
Cheers dilettante...I think
Cheers Mike for agreement with the very kind comments

Kingston Lacey 21-06 – After the High...

As my Brother in-law was down we all made a visit to Kingston Lacey. I was still on a high after my Large Blues and Heaths and so I was hoping for lots but ended up scratching around for butterflies...

The day started well enough with a Small Tort near the entrance while all the females disappeared to the loo and that is usually a good portent of what is to come. But this time it went really quiet. There were no whites or browns on the lawns or borders, the Fernery didn’t have any Brimstones or Specklies and he Avenue of trees was a complete blank. Finally at the very end of the Avenue just before the track bent round and through the woods a few Meadow Browns flitted about amongst the small patches of longer grass; but that was it. I even took to photographing flies, various bugs and Hoverflies just so that I could have something to show for the day! I couldn’t decide if this was just the June gap, the weather was ‘wrong’ (cooler than it should be, patchy sun and the threat of rain) or a mixture of both. The fact that Meadow Browns were out suggested probably just the weather...

Over at the kitchen garden didn’t get any better with a single white flying about while we ate lunch and only 3 more Small Torts flapping around in the Allotments. I did manage a few shots of two but the second one was pretty distant and the third was in a “none shall pass” area. Luckily the first one posed very nicely just on the edge of the allotments otherwise I might not have a had a single butterfly shot to post on a PD on a Butterfly website

Even the Pacific Garden was quiet with just 2 Marbled Whites and a Meadow Brown constantly moving and stopping for only the briefest of sips of nectar. It was pretty infuriating as I’d watch the butterfly for what felt like an age, it would land and by the time I’d stalked a few paces towards it it would have finished drinking and off we would go again in the same fashion ad infinitum!
For once the Japanese garden was actually open and so we all Zened out and took in the Cheery trees, raked gravel and miniature tea house. Of particular interest was the pond as every now and again a Newt would come up for air and so cropping like mad I was able to get a few record shots which I will try and use on one of those cold, dark winter evenings to make an identification (I’m not up to speed on my Herp IDs).

Finally just as we were leaving I managed my second Butterfly shots of the day with a Meadow Brown hunkered down expecting rain at any moment!

Pretty disappointing again (this is my second visit this year) from what used to be a cracking little site due to the vagaries of the weather . Are we ever going to get some perfect weekend butterflying weather?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Katrina]

Superb Tortoiseshell and Meadow Brown shots Wurzel !

[bugboy]

Looks like you've peaked to early Wurzel nice pics though

[Paul Harfield]

Hi Wurzel
Just catching up with your diary Really loving your Large Blues and Heath Fritillaries especially 'three on a leaf', are they really that accommodating? These are two species I have yet to see, maybe next year.

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Wurzel,

Trying to catch up again on various diaries, like others I seem to keep running out of time, where does it go

Superb report and photos of the Large Blues, you seem to be in full payback mode, my turn for

Cheers,

Neil.

[Goldie M]

Wurzel just saw your beautiful Blues photographs SUPER Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers for your kind comments Katrina
Cheers Bugboy Not a case of peaking too soon just having a little breather, I've got to pace myself otherwise I might starting posting on the actual day I made the visit
Cheers Paul I don't know if they're usually that eager to pose but I think it was a combination of temperature and cloud cover
Cheers Neil "Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so!" Thanks for all the Mr Greens, much appreciated I was starting to run a little low after reading your PD
Cheers Goldie for your very kind comment

Tutor Time 22-06-2015

So today was Report Day as K had just sat her third set of Mock Exams gulp! Instead of acting like a parent I acted like a typical school kid and placed the report in the bag to deal with later and headed out through the back garden to the Down. A Common Blue on protected field on the way seemed to set the tone well. There was also a Small Tortoiseshell on main path again and I’m wondering if this is the same individual as I’ve previously seen and this is its territory?

There were butterflies aplenty as soon as I was through the gate and I spent the first 10 or so minutes just working my way round the shrubs and longer grasses as I looked set to pick up some firsts for the year. And so it proved to be with both Small Skippers and Ringlets putting in an appearance. The later only showed once and I couldn’t relocate it for a shot so I spent time instead with the Small Skippers as there were good numbers showing well. Strange to think that a week ago the weather was cool and cloudy and there was only just my first Marbled White and now the weather was glorious and there were Marbled Whites all over the place and Small Skippers buzzing all over the place. For me the Skippers make most summer visits as I just love their goldenness. There were a few Common Blues around here as well as another Small Tort and lots of Meadow Browns but for me it was the Skippers that were most memorable as each time I stopped there seemed to be another couple at least amusing me with their shenanigans.

I did make to the end of the path eventually and up onto the Down briefly with more of the same showing and adding to the Common Blue tally taking it up to 8 for the day. Somehow I came down off the Down and off my Skipper high and started to make my way back along the dry and dusty path to pick up K. While I’d been up the Down it seems that the Small Tort had received some (possibly unwanted) company and now there were four Small Torts battling it out and squabbling on the path. Plus a last minute addition was made to the tally as just as I was about to hop over the fence a Painted Lady landed briefly.

Once at home my wife and I looked through the dreaded report and it seems that not only is the tutoring a success in terms of me getting to get out for butterflies but it’s obviously working for K too. A pass rate of 71% is what’s needed and K managed an average of83%

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[MikeOxon]

Been catching up, after not commenting for some time. We seem to have been enjoying similar experiences with our butterfly species this year It's good news re. K's tutoring - I'm sure that it is an investment that you will not regret.

Mike

[Philzoid]

Unlike Trevor I have seen Large Blue at Collard. Nevertheless:-

Love your other insect shots Wurzel . The fly is a beaut but also a biter ...Tabanus bromius, Band-eyed Brown Horsefly I think.

Phil

[Wurzel]

Cheers Mike I know what you mean about catching up - there's lots of good reading to be done on the UKB PDs now
Cheers for your very kind comments and your ID Philzoid

Larkhill WB 22-06-2015

22-06
Didn’t stop on Monday as when I drove past there were still lots of Vans parked up and everyone seemed to be recovering from the celebrations!

23-06 PM

There were still some errant Travellers parked up as I drove by in the morning. I could see that my mate had moved on and so had the horse drawn wagon and as I didn’t know those that remained I left them in peace and went on to work.
I was able to stop on the way home and once I pulled in I was quite shocked at how much had been grazed. What I was most gutted about was that the little area that had held all the blues just days before was now totally obliterated in fact a huge swathe of the North bound path was completely grazed to buggery!

Gutted that such a thriving little area had been destroyed I checked the damage down the Eastbound path which was nowhere near as bad. Here there were plenty of butterflies flying so I felt slightly better. Ringlets are still going strong and still looking in fine fettle and a reasonable Brown Argus was a nice addition as I thought they were over.

24-06 AM

I roused myself this morning and headed down the Northbound path tutting all the way until I got about 50 metres or so down the path by the large Bramble patch when I started seeing the butterflies. The Meadow Browns are taking over as the most numerous butterfly from the Marbled Whites some of which are starting to look grey and shabby. I concentrated my efforts on trying to catch the sheens on some of the browns as for once the light was great.

Just as I was turning to go a Ringlet walked out to the tip of the branch as if to say “look at me” and so I did and was glad because it was very lightly spotted – a possible aberrant?

PM

This really was a flying visit and I got a bit mesmerised by all the butterflies flying down the Eastbound path. In the end I managed to pull myself away and was stopped short again as I found my first Small Skipper at Larkhill.

25-06 AM

It being Thursday I wouldn’t be able to stop on the way home as I’d already be late because of a Staff Meeting so I made sure to call in first thing despite being late leaving and having to get petrol on the way. It meant a bit of a flying stop again and it seemed that no-one had told the butterflies that I was coming and they were still in bed. It was strange as all the Marbled Whites seemed to be clustered together roosting communally some still with dew covering them.

26-06 AM

Another morning stop-off spent with the Marbled Whites who were again clustered in little groups along the Eastbound path. First however I encountered a bedraggled Brown Argus who looked most out off with the weather. From there I carried on down looking for Marbs. Most were about half way down the grass stems and as they started to wake up they would climb pirate fashion up the stem to the top where they would stretch their wings to wring out every last bit of the suns warmth. I felt a bit ad as at one point I almost stood on one on the path which wasn’t quite charged up and so I picked him up and gave him a lift.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Smashing Photos Wurzel, we seem to be seeing plenty of Small Skippers at present, I know your frustration as well at the loss of grass( destroyed, ) it seems quite a few of us have seen the same same destruction this year. On a happier note we've got an invite from our daughter to come to Kent next weekend ( 2 weeks) Great!! I should see some MW's hope fully, your photos are fantastic.
We are going to set off early and call at Fermyn Wood on the way down, who knows might see a PE yet Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie Good luck with a late PE showing

Five Rivers 27-06-2015

Finally the weekend arrives and with it the promise of some butterflies. All the while L was swimming I was keeping one eye on her progress and one eye on the large window and watching as the sun abed and flowed. L showered and dried, cat food collected from the vets and K picked up and in the swimming pool I headed out in the spare 20 minutes available.

I followed the path that ran along the river under the willows hoping for some whites but instead something much better landed before my lens. I’ve seen a couple of different Red Admirals this year at Aberaeron, Lulworth and the most recent in East Blean Wood. However not one of these has stopped for a photo but luckily that changed today with one walking from leaf to leaf and looking slightly frayed around the edges. Slightly further one was a second, even more battered and torn, this one had most of its wings missing!

Chuffed that I finally ‘had’ a red Admiral I carried on briefly to the banks. It seemed quiet for this part of the site for the time of year, but things are slightly behind last year so the waning Marbled Whites and Ringlets haven’t been fully replaced by the Smessex Skippers yet although they are on the rise and there seemed to be 6 or more on each of the banks. I suspect that they’re all Small at the moment and despite looking I didn’t see any noticeable Essex.

All too quickly time was passing and I had to head back for the second round of hair washing and drying and all the usual Saturday chores, still I’d had my daily butterfly fix.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

HI Wurzel,
After all the mrgreens i awarded to your Collard Hill escapade, it's nice to receive some from you in return.
Two unusual Butterflies in one week is too all too much !.

All the best,
TREVOR.

[millerd]

I love the Marbled underside, Wurzel, and of course the Skipper on the thistle - unbearably cute little creatures!

Dave

[Willrow]

Wow Wurz! I've finally managed to catch up with your recent posts and like most of the other guys I'm really impressed with your Collard Hill report, your Large Blues are absolutely spiffin'

BW's

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"