Thurs/Fri 14th-15th July 2016
Southwater Wds
Spent a couple of days wandering round Marlpost and Madgeland woods in Sussex,hoping for some woodland butterflies.
Bumped into a female Silver Washed taking in the first rays of the morning,this was the last of the "sitters",it all went rather manic after about 10 o'clock.
- Southwater Silver Washed Fritillary female
Then about 20 yards down the track a White Admiral was doing that fluttering just above the ground searching out minerals and suchlike,quite a battered individual,but a White Admiral nonetheless.
- Southwater White Admiral
- Southwater White Admiral 2
I only noted 3 of these in the two days I spent here,last year there seemed to be a riot of these going on at this time of year.
This one was quite a bit fresher but the photo was rubbish....also a bit later on in the morning nectaring on the bramble flowers.
- Southwater White Admiral 3
- Southwater White Admiral 4
So key to getting close to Silver Washed Fritillaries......find a big bank of bramble in bloom and be quick of the mark with the camera, perseverance is the key here!
- Southwater Silver Washed Fritillary Male 2
- Southwater Silver Washed Fritillary 3
Also worth noting that Commas seem to faring rather well this year,beating up anything that comes close to their bramble perch!
- Southwater Comma
- Southwater Comma 2
Also plenty of Large,Small and Essex Skippers,Large Whites some woodland Marbled Whites,Purple Hairstreaks in the Oaks with Binoculars and one Purple Emperor at height.Not sure how their season is going here,I'll have another go next weekend.
- Sussex Woodland sunny glades.
But the Silver Washed are always worth spending a few days with.
- Southwater Silver Washed Fritillary Male
Dave
