Bugboys mission

[Katrina]

Hi Buggy, lovely to see you today. Glad you saw a helice and thanks for the plant ids.

[Goldie M]

I second that Bugboy and I've never seen one yet so well done Goldie

[bugboy]

Thanks everyone, despite the lack of LTB's it was still a good day

21st September, Newhaven Tide Mills

Yes, I was there again today! A glorious sunny, warm early autumn day welcomed me to another LTB hunt. The wind was coming from a more southerly direction today so perhaps a few more would have been tempted across the channel…

Like Sunday, Small Whites were everywhere, a mating pair attracting my attention but were rather camera shy and a Speckled Wood gave me a nice autumnal pose.

There were some new Common Blues on the block today, looking only hours’ old and in the absence of anything with a tail I spent some time with them.

A couple of female Coppers also turned up, both looking for Sorrel, so didn’t really settle for me but a Migrant Hawker dragonfly (possibly the same one Trevor saw on Sunday) posed perfectly.

I also had Comma, Peacock and Cloudie flyby’s but yet again no LTB were located.

On the other hand, I did have a rather exciting birdie encounter. What I at first glance I took for a rather plump looking Warbler turned out to be a juvenile Red-backed Shrike. It turned up not long after I’d arrived, hanging around a patch of Everlasting Pea, and after getting a few distant shots I found that it was quite bold and I was able to get to within 10 feet of it. For the Non-birders, Red-Backed Shrikes are all but extinct in the UK as a breeding bird and are now only found on the east and south coasts on their spring and Autumn migrations from and to Africa. This particular bird is my first Shrike of any species I’ve ever seen.

Over the course of a few hours it didn’t go far and was easy to relocate when I wandered off and came back.

By 2 I decided to call it a day, wanting to avoid the rush hour, but just as I was leaving I bumped into B’rex and Badgerbob who were both rather excited when I mentioned the Shrike. Again it wasn’t too difficult to locate and behaved impeccably for its two newest fans. I’ve no experience with Shrikes so I didn’t know whether this individual’s boldness was normal for the species but the big grins of disbelief on James and Bobs faces told me it was ridiculously tame. All three of us watched as it pretty much ignored us and continued hunting, skilfully catching bees in mid-air or plucking them from flowers. After a quick call Bobs son arrived to join the Shrikes growing fan club and kindly lent me his lens so I could finish my day with some nice close shots.

An hour later than planned I finally left, hoping and praying that no LTB’s turned up in my absence…

[badgerbob]

Hi Paul. That was a heck of a find. I was still there at 5pm filling my boots with pictures of this fabulous bird. Glad Matt turned up and was able to let you use his lens. It was too good a chance to let go. Needless to say the LTBs were keeping their heads down with this bird around!!

[bugboy]

Hi Paul. That was a heck of a find. I was still there at 5pm filling my boots with pictures of this fabulous bird. Glad Matt turned up and was able to let you use his lens. It was too good a chance to let go. Needless to say the LTBs were keeping their heads down with this bird around!!

Ha I was struggling through the living hell that is the London rush hour by then! Yes huge thanks to your Matt. Great to catch up with you again and glad you had a good few hours with that gorgeous bird

[Paul Harfield]

Hi Bugboy
Love your superb recent Clouded Yellow shots, especially that helice

[bugboy]

Thanks jack432r, I've had a bit of luck with Cloudies this year

23rd September, Walthamstow Marshes

I quick browse of my (rather neglected this year) local patch after work today only turned up one solitary butterfly. I didn't have long with the sun vanishing behind buildings and trees but he was worthy of 10 minutes of my time

I happened to notice the other day on the UKBMS that there is a active transect at Walthamstow Marshes. If the person who's doing this transect is reading this I'd love to hear what's been seen to see how close it matches up to my casual browsing

[millerd]

You've had an interesting week, Buggy! That Shrike seems to be the bird equivalent of an LTB at the very least... That's a nice Painted Lady, too.

Dave

[Wurzel]

The RBS is a great bird to find Bugboy I haven't seen one for a number of years now Hopefully the LTBs will put in more of a show later this year and of not definitely next

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Lovely Bird shots Buggy, you've certainly seen some great things this year , its been interesting reading your posts and seeing your photos Goldie

[David M]

Lots of excitement on your diary lately, Bugboy. I think you're having a better autumn than most!

[bugboy]

Thanks guys, yes I've been having an eventful few weeks of late.

I took my camera into work today and took a few snaps during one of my transects. Small Whites and Speckled Woods are pretty much the mainstay here at this time of year, with just the occasional Vanessid flyby, (a Small Tortoiseshell nearly took my head off today!)

Speckled Wood numbers have really picked up in the latter half of the season here to become the most numerous butterfly recorded by quite some margin!

[bugboy]

28th September, Bookham Commons

I’ve not been here for a little while, what with failed LTB hunts and rare birds to find for the Sussex twitchers, so I was eager to see what life I could find here. Small Coppers was what I found, by the bucket load!

The forecast had predicted cloudy with sunny spells leading to wall to wall blue sky by lunchtime. I got there at 9 under mostly blue sky which by lunchtime had clouded over leading to wall to wall cloud in the afternoon…
I had a Red Admiral flyby, heading south to start with followed quickly by the first, second, third and fourth Coppers for the day, all feeding on a large patch of Fleabane that still had enough flowers to keep them occupied.

Meandering along the open scrubby areas Coppers kept appearing, the females in general looking much fresher than the males. I suspect these two males with sparse spotting, trying to occupy the same territory, had the same mother!

I found a particularly fresh female, probably only hours old, who gave me the slip when a female Migrant Hawker caught my eye.

After a couple of minutes with the Dragonfly I turned and disturbed a mating pair of coppers (the first time I’ve ever seen Coppers in cop ), and close inspection revealed a male Copper had snuck in whilst my back was turned and taken the same female I was admiring just 5 minutes previously!

On my last visit here I found a batch of second brood Peacock cats and it was quite easy to find the remains of said batch. They were all in pre-moult mode in their penultimate instar and the evidence suggests they successfully made it through.

Into the woods there was little going on, a few Red Admirals at polar ends of wear and tear and the occasional Speckled Wood fluttered by.

I kept my eye’s peeled for White Admirals since a few second brood adults have been seen this year and also checked any Honeysuckle I could reach but I found no evidence of second brood here.

Back into the open the Coppers still ruled the roost, some fresh individuals looking absolutely stunning in the overcast light.

A third Red Admiral was found and out of the corner of my eye a larger patch of orange was decorating a Bramble thicket, I’d hoped I’d come across some Comma’s today, as it turned out this was to be the one and only.

Making my way back to the train station the Copper count continued to rise, with individuals still in varying states of wear, eventually ending up somewhere between 30 and 40, easily doubling this year’s tally and probably the most I’ve ever seen in one day!

I had one last surprise shortly before leaving for home. A slightly larger orange and brown butterfly appeared and proceeded to taunt me for a couple of minutes, occasionally landing for a couple of seconds, once threatening to land on me before deciding the perfect place to sit was halfway up a Blackthorn bush. I wasn’t expecting to find a Brown Hairstreak this close to October and she looked to be in remarkably good condition all things considered.

A thoroughly good day, now I know what Hoggers feels like when he's out

One last thing, if any birders are able to ID this flock of Geese that flew over I'd be very grateful, I'm not to good on my geese and I don't know if there's enough detail in my picture

[Wurzel]

You're definitely giving Hoggers a run for his money Bugboy Great Copper shots and a Brostreak as well The geese are difficult but judging by the time of year I'd go for Greylags

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[badgerbob]

You might, and should be interested in the attached Paul!!

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=5943

[Mark Colvin]

Hi Paul.

One last thing, if any birders are able to ID this flock of Geese that flew over I'd be very grateful, I'm not to good on my geese and I don't know if there's enough detail in my picture?

The geese are difficult but judging by the time of year I'd go for Greylags.

I agree with Richard. I think there's just enough detail in the image including, as Wurzel says, the time of year, to make this a skein of Greylag Geese.

Nice work with the Shrike ...

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

[Hoggers]

Great Coppers, Buggy! I especially like the one perched on a blade of grass- lovely photo.

It's interesting how after a very quiet ( or non-existent ) start to the Copper season for many, the Coppers have surged forward!

Best wishes

Hoggers

[bugboy]

Hi Paul.

One last thing, if any birders are able to ID this flock of Geese that flew over I'd be very grateful, I'm not to good on my geese and I don't know if there's enough detail in my picture?

The geese are difficult but judging by the time of year I'd go for Greylags.

I agree with Richard. I think there's just enough detail in the image including, as Wurzel says, the time of year, to make this a skein of Greylag Geese.

Nice work with the Shrike ...

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

Thanks both, I did have them down tentatively as Greylags but wasn't 100% sure.

Ps. I see you've been down to see the Shrike too Mark, nice pictures

You might, and should be interested in the attached Paul!!

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=5943

Hahaha, that's brilliant. Good to know so many people are enjoy Sid the Shrike, yes I've named it now

Great Coppers, Buggy! I especially like the one perched on a blade of grass- lovely photo.

It's interesting how after a very quiet ( or non-existent ) start to the Copper season for many, the Coppers have surged forward!

Best wishes

Hoggers

Thanks Hoggers, yes it's great to see how their population has exploded these past few months after the best part of two years in the doldrums

[Goldie M]

I wish your luck rubbed out on me Bugboy , a Brown Hair Streak , I've yet to see one
Goldie

[trevor]

HI Paul,
Very much enjoyed ' your Bird ' yesterday. The surprise being it's continued presence at Tide Mills.
I fear for the Bee population there, I saw it consume three Bumble Bees. Someone else said it had
also caught a Lizard. It does seem to enjoy posing for the photographers.

Well found, I am sure your discovery has given pleasure to many people.

All the best,
Trevor.