millerd

[Wurzel]

A great 'set' of Small Heath Dave You can really see how differently marked they can be...(I know I have a thing about counting spots )

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Thanks, Neil - certainly no shortage of Holly Blues to study round here. I usually see the first one before shutting the front door on a sunny day.

Thanks, Wurzel - I was particularly pleased with that pair of Small Heaths. You're right, there is quite a bit of variability with markings (including spots!) - something else I could study as they are also a reliable species hereabouts.

And talking of Denbies, Essex - I paid another visit on Tuesday 16th, late in the afternoon, and there were thankfully some Adonis flying. As predicted they were favouring the areas where the rabbits have kept the grass shorter.

I also saw Chalkhill and Common Blues (the former very worn, but the latter with some fresh examples).

There were Meadow Browns, Small Heaths and several Silver-spotted Skippers, but they all eluded the camera. I spoke to a group of people who relayed the fact that a couple of Clouded Yellows had been seen at the bottom of the slope earlier on, but I'm afraid I couldn't track them down.

Dave

[millerd]

Sunday 21st August. The weather forecast was not very clear cut, so having resolved that today would be a Brown Hairstreak day, I had to decide where to go. I took the nearest option, on the basis that if it turned out cloudy or wet, not much effort would have been expended. I therefore headed for Bookham Common, arriving around 11.

The sun was just showing signs of appearing, and the strongish wind looked set to assist in blowing away the cloud cover. The first thing I saw was a surprise - a male Large Skipper, nearly three months after I'd seen the first one this year.

I wandered slowly up and down the path running west from the Hundred Pound Bridge, disturbing lots of Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers, a few Speckled Woods and a Comma.

As the sun came out properly, I ventured into the field adjacent to this path, and was pleased to see the Small Copper colony here was doing fine.

There were a reasonable number of Common Blues as well.

On my second circuit, around one o'clock, I spotted a small dull-looking butterfly down on the brambles by the path. As I approached, I identified it as a male Brown Hairstreak, but before I could even wave the camera at it, it set off for the treetops. However, this disappointment was immediately countered when a female Brown Hairstreak appeared, meandering along the hedgerow, stopping frequently and opening up a little too. It has large cuts in its hindwings, showing the value of those tails when thwarting bird attacks.

Eventually, it disappeared over the hedge into the field. On my next walk in this meadow, I encountered the same butterfly again, where it was spending time in the hedge seeking out blackthorn on which to lay.

A short while later I found another female sitting in the hedge, but it took off as I came near and was swept off by the wind. I returned to the main path, and was having a final look round when there in front of me was another female Hairstreak, basking with wings fully open.

It stayed like that a while, before hopping along the hedge as the other one had done, stopping enough to give some underside views. It was in better condition, with one tail at least partially intact.

Dave

[bugboy]

I was at Bookham this afternoon, got there around 1.30. You had better luck than me though, a Hairstreakless day for me

[millerd]

I left around 2 o'clock - must have missed you somehow, Buggy. Bad luck with those Hairstreaks - I've had many a blank day looking for them here in the past.

Dave

[Goldie M]

Now I'm really envious Dave BHS and Adonis all on the same day Goldie

[millerd]

Thank you, Goldie - not quite on the same day, but not all that far apart. Denbies and Bookham are about five miles apart in a straight line.

Over the last couple of days, I've posted the more interesting excursions, but I've been several times locally as well. All these trips have had the same themes - lots of Holly Blues, good numbers of Meadow Browns and assorted White butterflies, Red Admirals and Speckled Woods cropping up everywhere (especially the more shady bits), Commas of both types with the new overwintering ones gradually replacing the summer hutchinsoni, and a sprinkling of other species. Holly Blues First:

Fading hutchinsoni Commas:

Sparkling new Commas:

Red Admirals:

And some of the rest, including another Painted Lady seen yesterday:

Dave

[Wurzel]

Great set of posts recently Dave - somehow I missed your Brostreaks - still looking good Interesting looking GVW too, those markings on the fore wings look different to normal?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Hi! Dave, Brostreaks confirmed at Gait Barrow isn't that great Goldie

[millerd]

Yes it is, Goldie. Now you'll have to go up there egg-hunting in the winter to see how they are doing!

I had to go into Central London for a meeting today - not the best sort of day to do it with temperatures over 30 degrees. Luckily the trains (and even the District Line tube) have air conditioning. How did we manage without? I did see a butterfly - a Small White in a small patch of green on Horseferry Road.

Dave

[millerd]

That GVW, Wurzel - I did wonder about it at the time. There are distinct black lines along the veins on the upper hind wings, which look noticeably odd.

It's been really hot round here over the last three days. After the meeting in London, the next two days have been spent at work. However, I managed to get out for an hour at lunchtime on Wednesday 24th, and visited Bedfont Lakes Country Park. I had hoped a few Clouded Yellows might have made it here (they do most years), but the closest I came was a female Brimstone.

Aside from that, there were a scattering of Brown Argus and Common Blues, tussling with each other and rarely keeping still, and a handful of Small Heaths.

A couple of Holly Blues, some worn Meadow Browns and a fast-flying Comma completed the picture. Whilst trying in vain to persuade a nice fresh Common Blue to settle, I was sidetracked by this rather splendid spider.

Dave

[millerd]

Today (25th) I wasn't able to visit my local patch until nearly six - it was still hot, but the butterflies were fast disappearing to roost. At one point I disturbed about a dozen together - a mixed bag of Common Blues, Brown Argus and Small Heath.

I saw a few of all of these elsewhere too. Even the ubiquitous Holly Blues had mostly settled down out of sight, but a few were still around the ivy, high up. Late on, I came across a Green-veined White, avidly nectaring on fleabane in the shade, almost undisturbable. A nice, nearly new female.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Lovely sequence of shots Dave - again the GVW's are particularly cracking

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

I was pleased with that GVW too, Wurzel. Nicely marked top and bottom, quite fresh and very obliging. Ideal, really!

More from another visit to my local patch on Friday 26th August, only a bit earlier in the day, and with strong sunshine. The highlight was the arrival of a male Clouded Yellow: however, its appearance was relatively brief, as it was constantly disturbed by Meadow Browns which seemed to take exception to it for some reason (much as I've seen them do with DGFs at Box Hill). I failed to get anywhere near enough for a photo, but hopefully it or others will appear again.

Other than that excitement, the mix was the same as before, with rather more Speckled Woods than in previous days, and a big increase in the Small Heath population.

There were lots of courting pairs of SH making the most of the sunshine, and it was noticeable that the butterflies were perching at the end of plant stems and on flower heads rather than low down as I usually see them. I counted well over 30 today.

I was also pleased to see a Small Copper again, in amongst the squabbling Common Blues and Brown Argus.

Both types of Comma were around, but it was the hutchinsoni old guard that were most in evidence in the heat, whizzing around and chasing anything that moved.

After the lovely GVW the other day, I saw far more Small Whites today, also making the most of the fleabane which is a godsend at this time of year.

Dave

[bugboy]

Bookham might be worth loitering around on a Clouded Yellow hunt, I noticed a couple have been seen recently and there's more than enough Fleabane to keep them occupied there!

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Dave, you are capturing some cracking photos of whites from your recent trips, the Green-veined in the earlier post and that last Small White especially

Great stuff,

Neil.

[millerd]

Thanks, Buggy - I might go down again and go beyond the hairstreak haunts and see if I can find some Cloudies.

Thanks, Neil. The period just before they roost seems to be best for getting shots of Small and Green-veined Whites, particularly on hot days. Rather like Orange Tips, really.

DAY OUT IN DARKEST DORSET

Saturday 27th August. I had been promising my smallest son a trip to the beach for a while, and this was the chance. The forecast didn't look ideal, but we set off early and were on the sand down at Studland by 10. It was cloudy, warm and there wasn't a breath of wind, and there were a few drops of rains every now and again. The sun did try to come through as well, and it was very pleasant sitting there by the sea. My son did brave the water (18-19 degrees apparently), but not for long. The only butterfly was a splendid Red Admiral on one of the buddleias near the shop.

After a few hours, we returned to the car and headed through Swanage to Durlston Country Park. We left Studland in a particularly sharp shower, but drove through the town in sunshine, and once up on the hills on the other side, it came out quite strongly. We walked over towards the lighthouse and then back along the coastal path. I had hoped there might be a few Lulworth Skippers still around, and it turned out that there were. I saw six or seven in various places, all worn, all female and mostly nectaring on yellow flowers.

Species number 48 for the year - I had also vaguely hoped for a Wall here to make it 49, but it was not to be. Aside from the welcome Lulworths, we spotted Meadow Browns, Brown Argus, Small Heaths, Common Blues and Elliot pointed out a very late Marbled White. This is a late site for them, though - I saw one on the last day of August here a few years back. No picture today, though - it was far too active.

However, the highlights of the walk were the relatively numerous fresh male Adonis Blues. They popped up all over the grassy slopes down to the cliff tops (much of this is at a much lower grass length than the downs of SE England), a glorious sight of brilliant blue gems studding the grass.

Getting home to the heat of the environs of Heathrow I found that we had done well to miss some quite violent weather - very lucky, and a great day out.

Dave

[bugboy]

Nice pics even if they were a little past their best. I wonder if any of them were fresh on my visit a few weeks ago (no idea of the life expectancy of a Lulworth adult). That's yet another gorgeous part of the world to go butterfly hunting and when I was there I could hear Peregrines calling from the cliffs, presumably a nesting pair.

[trevor]

The first and last Adonis shots are what the tabloids would call ' stunna's '.
They are also worthy of a mrgreen, and no grass blades in the way.

All the best,
Trevor.

[millerd]

Thanks, Buggy. One year I will try to see Lulworths earlier in their long season - I only have photos of tired-looking individuals.

Thanks, Trevor. The shots you've picked out are the same butterfly and what a stunning specimen it was too. The colour was amazing, and possibly even more so in flight, when it if anything looked a deeper blue. I would also say that the colour is enhanced when there isn't bright sunshine, bright overcast being perhaps the best. None of these shots was in full sun.

Sunday 28th August. A thoroughly autumnal feeling day - rain, wind, cloud and much cooler. Odd bits of sun forced their way through in the afternoon, and following the old advice I shed doubt and ventured out. It was only locally, mind, but I was hoping as ever for another Clouded Yellow. No luck there again, but what sun there was brought out a few things. Common Blues must still be emerging, and maybe Brown Argus too - they still seem quite fresh.

Other new arrivals were several Commas in winter colours and a fresh Small Tortoiseshell.

Plenty of Meadow Browns and Small Heaths were around, hiding in the grass today.

The Holly Blues seem to be fading now, but an ageing female made an effort to open up between nectaring bouts.

The bursts of sun brought out lots of white butterflies.

I spotted a pair of Small Whites circling each other closely. They dived to the ground and by the time I had reached them they had already joined. I think this is the first time I have ever found a mating pair of this species.

Dave