I think it was a bit of each, David and Buggy. I did use the zoom, but this chap was also quite brazen!
It was sunny today and I managed to get out. I haven't been to the cardinal site for well over a month so I headed there this morning. I was also hoping for brown hairstreaks, which I hadn't yet seen this year. I saw both but got photos of neither. The Buddleia was almost completely over and I initially thought there would be no cardinals, but two bushes remained in a chalky hollow and there I saw my first male cardinal, at about 11h30. He didn't stop, even a second. His would zoom in, pointlessly attack every living creature in sight - mostly other butterflies gently nectaring in the evening of their lives - zoom across to the other Buddleia, then zoom off again, to return in about 10 minutes. I did take a video of one of his approaches but haven't uploaded it yet, and to be honest, it's not very good. At one point I thought there were two males, but I could have been mistaken, so swiftly do they move. Later, as I left the area, I saw a female taking flight over the trees. As for brown hairstreaks, I saw a single female in flight and two males, one of which settled briefly - but I couldn't get my zoom onto him in the bright light before he flew again. It's a shame, as I need photos of male brown hairstreak uppersides.
Other species flying were: a possible marbled skipper (if it was one, the only skipper I saw today), large white, small white, southern small white, green-veined white, clouded yellow, Berger's clouded yellow, common blue, Chapman's blue, Adonis blue, chalkhill blue, Damon blue, northern brown argus, red admiral, painted lady, comma, small tortoiseshell, Queen of Spain fritillary, high brown fritillary, wall, speckled wood, marbled ringlet, grayling and tree grayling.
A few piccies:
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/mannii24sep2016a.jpg)
(southern small white)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/mannii24sep2016b.jpg)
(same individual, showing the upperside)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/atalanta24sep2016a.jpg)
(red admiral)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/damon24sep2016a.jpg)
(a tatty Damon blue)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/semele24sep2016a.jpg)
(grayling)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/statilinus24sep2016a.jpg)
(tree grayling)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/montana24sep2016b.jpg)
(marbled ringlet)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/adippe24sep2016c.jpg)
(high brown fritillary)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/lathonia24sep2016a.jpg)
(Queen of Spain)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/coridon24sep2016a.jpg)
(chalkhill blue)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/urticae24sep2016a.jpg)
(small tortoiseshell)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/mantis24sep2016b.jpg)
(a member of some weird cult)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/minnie24sep2016a.jpg)
(Minnie taking things carefully)
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/minnie24sep2016c.jpg)
(Minnie trotting home - the day was still hot but we had things to do ...)
Guy
PS - the b******* haven't got Kenny yet!
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
This long zoom shot was taken yesterday:
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/iriscatkenny23sep2016a.jpg)