Hoggers

[Goldie M]

What can I say Hogger's, it's like sitting in on a fairy story Fantastic photos of beautiful Butterflies and the berries add to the magic I love the close up's and well done chasing that horrible critter a way, keep them coming Goldie

[Hoggers]

Hi Allan, the Obliterata was in the garden of the last cottage by the Observatory so it had travelled quite a way ( for a Copper! )

Yes, my brother was at Straws Tools for 22 years then he went to work one day and was told he was redundant..

Good luck finding a nice a Blue Badger!

Goldie, thanks so much for your comments and I'm glad you approve of my chasing that spider away!

The Coppers wouldn't have stood a chance!

Best wishes

Hoggers

[Wurzel]

Some cracking shots Hoggers; the blue 'huge' badgers, obilterata and the stunning close ups

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Hoggers]

Hi Wurzel, I've certainly been lucky with the Small Coppers this year!

Today after work I headed down to Dungeness. It was blowing a gale and now and again the heavens would open but in between the rain when the sun came out it was glorious.

Because it was so windy I didn't expect to see many Small Coppers so I decided that I'd spend most of my time just watching one, if I could find him!

Fortunately I came across this male

Poor chap had had the end of his antenna knocked off

But it didn't appear to trouble him at all and he was busy flitting from one flower

To another

To another

All within a modest area. He was greatly concerned with nectaring and I can only suppose he was making the most of the sunshine after at least two days of inclement weather.

In between visiting flowers he would perch alertly on the ground on the watch out for other Coppers. But it was so windy no other butterflies were on the wing (although I did see him launch himself at a passing Bumblebee!)

In fact I saw only 9 Small Coppers this afternoon and notably all were males. So intent are they on manning their perches in the hope of finding a female that they will carry out their duties despite high winds. I've no doubt that the females were safely hidden away out of the wind.

He was nectaring when a black cloud blotted out the sun and it began to rain. I wondered if he would seek shelter but he did not, he closed up his wings and sat it out

You can see how dark it became

After the rain had stopped, the sun came out and he resumed nectaring

I do so admire the wavy orange line on the hind wing, it always reminds me of a pencil shaving

So not many Coppers today but to be honest, one's enough

[Goldie M]

Glad your still finding these lovely Butterflies Hoggers and great photos too Goldie

[Hoggers]

HI Goldie, what a blessing it is to still find these wonderful butterflies just as Summer is packing her bags to leave!

On Wednesday of this week I bent down to pick up a newspaper and my back "went"..

Holy Moly, but it HURT!

I've never experienced pain quiet like it and I'm still struggling to believe that I could cause so much damage to myself by doing something so simple and everyday.

Luckily for me things are getting back to normal and I'm now able to walk again. When the sun came out this morning I was keen as ever to get down to Dungeness to see some Small Coppers and fortunately both my Dad and my brother were able to come along with me just in case my spine locked up somewhere out in the shingle.

The Coppers are still very much present. I liked the hindwing pattern on this female

Some battered individuals

This one looks how my back feels

But most in very fine condition

Females dozing in the sunshine

Less lucky females being chased up hill and down dale by lusty males

Enjoying the last of the flowers

I came across this unusual bird

I'm not sure but think it's a young Pied Flycatcher.

Painted Ladies and Small Tortoiseshells were there too

As well as Small Heaths, Large and Small Whites and a Meadow Brown.

I saw 33 Small Coppers today

Did me the power of good!

[Allan.W.]

Hi Hoggers,
Didn't see you at Dungie today ,like you say ,still plenty to see,i'll have to wade through my shots later.Yes, Pied Fly on the fence,some of the birders would have liked to find that .....nice one, we saw about 25 Coppers in all, one or two beauties,and Hoggers ,a pair ,at last !! oh and a single Cloudie.
Regards Allan.W,

[Hoggers]

Hello Allan, thanks for confirming the identity of the Pied Flycatcher. It's not a bird that I'm familiar with (I think the last one I saw was when I went on holiday to Wales about 20 years ago!)

Well, it seemed like Spring had returned to Dungeness this morning. Not only was it the most gorgeous of days but there has been a fresh emergence of Small Coppers

These must be true third brooders. Of the 33 Coppers I saw today ( curiously I saw 33 yesterday - but not the same ones!) most were fresh. I can only think that after days of foul weather they have emerged this weekend because of the sunshine.

I sat watching a male and he did the "Stalk Dance" for me

Look how quickly he is pattering his feet

Such a delight to witness and a complete mystery as to just why they're doing it!

Until this morning I'd never seen a Holly Blue and a Small Copper sharing the same flower

I liked this Copper with the wide orange hindwing band (something I come across now and again)

Plenty of action around the Ragwort

But it is so wonderful to be finding fresh butterflies

[Allan.W.]

Hi Hoggers,
Your Pied Fly on the fence,might not be....... to me it does look like a Pied Fly,but I noticed today on the Dungeness website that an Alder Flycatcher(Empidonax ) sp; has appeared near the fishing boats this is a new one to me! I haven't seen any pics as yet ,I think it was found around 11 am today, and if it stays will probably become a mass twitch( god forbid !!) theres a chance that you may have found it first !! you could send your pic to Dave Walker for a look . Regards Allan.W.

[Butterflysaurus rex]

I agree with Allan Hoggers, it looks like a female Pied Flycatcher to me as well. I had a look in my small library of bird books and it looks like the Alder Flycatcher has two very pronounced white bands on its wing whereas the Pied only has the one.

There's no doubt about it, you are the undisputed Small Copper King on UKB Hoggers. I've often thought about following a species very closely for a year. You've shown how rewarding such an endeavour can be.

ATB

James

[CJB]

Good morning Hoggers,

I believe it is an Acadian Flycatcher, because it is all over the RareBird Alert website:

http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/RealData ... me=&sort=4

Twitchers are descending on your patch as I type..... I hope the coppers are bracing themselves.

Flutter on!

CJB

[Hoggers]

Hello! Well, how very exciting! The best identification I could manage was "unusual bird" so if it does turn out to be an Arcadian Flycatcher then I've learnt something new!

By strange coincidence I went down to Dungeness today before having read your comments and I saw a high number of birdwatchers wandering about. I wondered what they were looking for..!

It was sunny there but with a cold breeze at first. Fortunately it wasn't long before I came across my first Coppers

And to my great surprise I found my third radiata of 2015

She just wouldn't pose nicely for me unfortunately

But you can see the wonderful tail markings

So if I've discovered anything at all this year it is that there's a radiata gene in the Dungeness Small Copper population.
She was quite damaged and this photo shows a very curious pattern of damage on her wings

Another damaged female caught my eye

With those bold wing markings I do wish I'd seen her when she was pristine!

I watched another female feeding off the blackberries

Then as I walked back I had the additional good fortune to bump into our very own Maximus and his wife on a Copper Hunt of their own.
It was lovely to meet you both and I hope you found some nice Coppers!

[Goldie M]

Lovely Coppers again Hoggers, I've not seen any here yet but they've been seen by others so if we get a nice weekend maybe I'll see some yet, the Butterflies seem to be late coming out here so fingers crossed Goldie

[Allan.W.]

Blimey Hoggers not another one !! brilliant, it shows time and dedication in the field, pays off,thoroughly deserved,another great find ! Back to the bird
Having seen the pics of the Flycatcher,i.m now pretty sure your bird was a Pied,as you(and Butterflysaurus Rex) thought and not the one every ones travelling to see,(well everyone but me) ,if we visit Dungeness this weekend we'll still be looking for the Coppers !! Regards Allan .W.

[bugboy]

I guess with a density as high as your spot, abs would be comparatively common. Looks like that Radiata is also a member of the blue badge gang by a few scales

[Paul Harfield]

Hi Hoggers
Lovely selection of Small Coppers as usual You will be pleased to hear I have notched up my 4th of the year I think your special delivery must have got lost in the post

[Hoggers]

I saw in your diary that you'd had some success with the Coppers, Jack : let's hope 2016 yields up rather more!

Hi Allan and Buggy, I couldn't believe it: three radiata this year! All in the moat which as you know has a concentration of Coppers, almost a little environment all of its own. But this was my first female radiata and you're right, there is a bit of blue there too!

Thanks Goldie, I've got my fingers crossed for you!

Today I went down to Dungeness straight after work. I quickly found a male that I'd watched last sunday, still on his same patch

He kept a close eye on me

And had a wash and brush up

before returning to his watch

Although I counted only 18 Small Coppers today most were in excellent condition

so they are still emerging.

But despite the new arrivals there's a distinct autumnal feeling

Others not so pristine

but full of life

Would you believe that this one

(half rather than a full Copper!)was flying about and I even saw him chase off a Painted Lady!


Little Beauties

Just bursting with character

[Maximus]

Lovely photos of Small Coppers as always, Hoggers. It was great to meet you at Dungeness too, and yes we saw some beautiful Small Coppers. Thank you for kindly pointing us in the right direction for the radiata.

[Neil Freeman]

Only 18...that's more than I have seen all year.

Great photos as usual Hoggers, I love the face on close ups

Cheers,

Neil.

[Hoggers]

Hi Neil, I often look at the Small Coppers and wonder just what they are thinking

Today I headed down to Dungeness with the intention of re-finding two male Small Coppers that I've previously noted as having very definite territories. I wanted to see if they were still there and if so, to check up on them.

First port of call was close to the last cottage on the way down to the Observatory. Sure enough, there he was

using exactly the same little patch of shingle as his main perching place as when I first found him 6 days ago. I think he had either emerged on that day or possibly the day before (judging by his condition) and so I was pleased to see how well he looked this morning.

When you consider that the adult Copper is expected to live no longer than 3 weeks, he's kept to this one patch for roughly a third of his life expectancy.

Next I headed out into the Desert where I was over the moon to discover another male that I'd located 6 days ago was alive and well and in precisely the same territory as when I found him

I later came across a very fresh Copper and sat down to watch

He was in an area of the Desert where there's no grass whatsoever, just ankle snagging Brambles. He used an exposed patch of shingle as his main launching pad. I saw him fly up, alight on a Bramble leaf and begin to rapidly tap his feet on the leaf surface

and I soon realised that he was carrying out the "stalk dance" but because there was no grass for him to perform it on he was making do with Brambles!

Why are they doing this? It is purposeful behaviour so there must be a reason.

I like to think that just like aTiger in the jungle, the male Small Copper is scent marking his Kingdom!

I found 20 Small Coppers in the Desert

Elsewhere, a Brown Argus (big surprise!)

Painted Ladies

Common Blues