Lee Hurrell

Wurzel · Post by **Wurzel** » Thu Dec 08, 2016 10:09 pm

Never been Lee but now I want to

Great butterfly shots but that penultimate landscape/tree shot is a cracker, real ethereal

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Lee Hurrell · Post by **Lee Hurrell** » Thu Dec 08, 2016 10:13 pm

3rd & 4th July 2014 - Chiddingfold Forest

I visited on the 3rd July on my own and then spent a lovely day on the 4th July with an old friend, at Botany Bay in search of His Imperial Majesty.

: Chiddingfold Forest, Surrey, 3rd July 2014

: Chiddingfold Forest, Surrey, 3rd July 2014

: Large Skipper, Chiddingfold Forest, Surrey, 3rd July 2014

: Silver Washed Fritillary, male, Chiddingfold Forest, Surrey, 4th July 2014

: Leptura quadrifasciata, Chiddingfold Forest, Surrey, 4th July 2014

: Chiddingfold Forest, Surrey, 4th July 2014

Plenty of butterflies and Purple Emperors were seen on both days, but no alas no purple photos.

After Chiddingfold, we went on to Hindhead Common, which was quite beautiful.

: Hindhead Common, Surrey, 4th July 2014

: Hindhead Common, Surrey, 4th July 2014

: Hindhead Common, Surrey, 4th July 2014

: Hindhead Common, Surrey, 4th July 2014

: Hindhead Common, Surrey, 4th July 2014

: Red Admiral, Hindhead Common, Surrey, 4th July 2014

David M · Post by **David M** » Fri Dec 09, 2016 8:52 pm

Those first two images evoke everything I love about summer - promising looking rides with mature growth as well as fine weather.

Sometimes, the UK does it better than anywhere else!

Lee Hurrell · Post by **Lee Hurrell** » Thu Dec 15, 2016 10:36 pm

Thanks Wurzel and David

Lee Hurrell · Post by **Lee Hurrell** » Thu Dec 15, 2016 10:52 pm

12th July 2014

My local allotments in Epsom and a very photogenic Comma

: Comma, Epsom, 12th July 2014

: Comma, Epsom, 12th July 2014

: Comma, Epsom, 12th July 2014

trevor · Post by **trevor** » Fri Dec 16, 2016 8:31 am

Lovely images of Summer, Lee. Particularly of Chiddingfold forest.
There is no better place to spend a fine Summer's day.

Are there any Silver Studded Blues on Hindhead common, habitat looks good.

Best wishes,
Trevor.

Lee Hurrell · Post by **Lee Hurrell** » Fri Dec 16, 2016 8:53 am

Thanks, Trevor.

I love Chiddingfold Forest and completely agree. I'm looking forward to going next season; I didn't make it this year.

I don't know about Hindhead Common and SSB, but will see what I can find out.

Best wishes,

Lee

millerd · Post by **millerd** » Sun Dec 18, 2016 2:44 pm

I can't say I've ever seen them at Hindhead, but it's a big area, and I may just have missed them. There are usually plenty not far away at Thursley.

Dave

Wurzel · Post by **Wurzel** » Sun Dec 18, 2016 5:42 pm

Cracking Comma shots Lee - especially the second one - I like the partial stained glass/Batman-esque pose

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Lee Hurrell · Post by **Lee Hurrell** » Mon Dec 19, 2016 10:46 pm

18th July 2014

Time for Chalkhills and a evening trip to Denbies.

This male Meadow Brown had the most mites I've ever seen on one butterfly

: Meadow Brown, male, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 18th July 2014

While this Marbled White was being shined on from above.

: Marbled White, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 18th July 2014

Plenty of these about too.

: Five-Spot Burnet, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 18th July 2014

But the stars of this evening were the blues.

: Chalkhill Blue, male front, Dorking behind, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 18th July 2014

: Chalkhill Blue, male, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 18th July 2014

: Chalkhill Blue, male, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 18th July 2014

: Chalkhill Blue, male, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 18th July 2014

: Chalkhill Blue, male, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 18th July 2014

I have a thing for butterfly photos with a bit of blue sky.

: Chalkhill Blue, male, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 18th July 2014

Lastly, this ab had a symmetrical underside but looked normal from above.

: Chalkhill Blue, male, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 18th July 2014

Lee Hurrell · Post by **Lee Hurrell** » Mon Dec 19, 2016 10:49 pm

millerd wrote:I can't say I've ever seen them at Hindhead, but it's a big area, and I may just have missed them. There are usually plenty not far away at Thursley.

Thanks, Dave. I've not been to Thursley, but I should. I will probably see you at Fairmile this year

Wurzel wrote:Cracking Comma shots Lee - especially the second one - I like the partial stained glass/Batman-esque pose

Thanks, Wurzel. I liked that one too

Matsukaze · Post by **Matsukaze** » Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:08 pm

I think the burnet moth is a six-spot burnet, rather than a five-spot; the spot at the shoulder counts as two spots (it is often split by a narrow black line). July is late for the downland form of five-spot burnet, as well.

Lee Hurrell · Post by **Lee Hurrell** » Mon Jan 09, 2017 8:59 pm

Thanks, Matsukaze, happy to stand corrected.

Best wishes,

Lee

Lee Hurrell · Post by **Lee Hurrell** » Mon Jan 09, 2017 10:17 pm

26th July 2014 - Sheepleas

Another high summer trip to the Sheepleas complex, which was fast becoming a favourite location.

This female Meadow Brown had become dinner.

: Meadow Brown, female, Sheepleas, Surrey, 26th July 2014

These were in a thankfully healthier state, busy making new Meadow Browns.

: Meadow Brown, mating pair with second male, Sheepleas, Surrey, 26th July 2014

: Meadow Brown, female, Sheepleas, Surrey, 26th July 2014

: Meadow Brown, female, Sheepleas, Surrey, 26th July 2014

: Meadow Brown, male, Sheepleas, Surrey, 26th July 2014

However, it wasn't only Meadow Browns in the meadow.

: Gatekeeper, female, Sheepleas, Surrey, 26th July 2014

: Comma, Sheepleas, Surrey, 26th July 2014

Each meadow within the complex is slightly different. The Nettle Meadow is lovely, while the adjacent Cowslip Meadow has a more calcareous feel to it, with lots of wild thyme. It is also home to Chalk Hill Blues.

: Cowslip Meadow, Sheepleas, Surrey, 26th July 2014

: Cowslip Meadow, Sheepleas, Surrey, 26th July 2014

: Mating Six-Spot Burnets, Cowslip Meadow, Sheepleas, Surrey, 26th July 2014

Lee Hurrell · Post by **Lee Hurrell** » Thu Jan 12, 2017 10:57 pm

1st August 2014 - An evening with the Blues

A return to Denbies for some roosting Chalkhills.

: Chalk Hill Blues, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 1st August 2014

: Chalk Hill Blue, male, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 1st August 2014

: Chalk Hill Blue, female, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 1st August 2014

: Chalk Hill Blue, male (front), female (back), Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 1st August 2014

: Chalk Hill Blue, female, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 1st August 2014

: Chalk Hill Blue, male, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 1st August 2014

It wasn't only Chalk Hills, Common Blues were there too.

: Common Blue, male, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 1st August 2014

: Common Blue, male, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 1st August 2014

Another spider dinner; this time a Marbled White. I'm not sure the spider got its colour disguise right

: Marbled White, Denbies Hillside, Surrey, 1st August 2014

Goldie M · Post by **Goldie M** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 10:31 am

Lovely shots Lee, they take me back to the Summer and Sunshine, bitter cold day here with Snow. Goldie

Wurzel · Post by **Wurzel** » Fri Jan 13, 2017 11:21 pm

I agree with Goldie - lovely warming shots!

The female Chalkhill is beaut - I'm sure she's an aberrant as I'm convinced that I can see white/blue spots in her marginal spots - a bit like a Silver Studded Blue's sometime look?

Have a goodun
Wurzel

Lee Hurrell · Post by **Lee Hurrell** » Sun Jan 29, 2017 7:32 pm

Wurzel wrote:I agree with Goldie - lovely warming shots! The female Chalkhill is beaut - I'm sure she's an aberrant as I'm convinced that I can see white/blue spots in her marginal spots - a bit like a Silver Studded Blue's sometime look?

Thanks, Goldie and Wurzel.

I agree with you on the Chalk Hill Blue, although I think I have seen that spotting before. They are such a variable species.

Best wishes,

Lee