I can't help noticing that your PE has turned its back on that tin. Perhaps it prefers Waitrose?trevor wrote:..... I'll bring some of my special potion !.
Wurzel
Re: Wurzel
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Re: Wurzel
I was at Bently Woods about 3 years ago and didn't see any PE's, but the one's at Ferymn were attracted to Dog Poo Have you got a Dog Wurzel 
Goldie
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Re: Wurzel
Cheers Mike 
I too noticed that the PE was turning it's nose up at the tine, but if could get a few more shots like that I wouldn't mind how much of a diva the butterfly is being
Cheers Goldie I don't have a dog but I do have an indoor cat...Teddy is fed on raw oraganic/wild caught meat (which is a lot better than the stuff I get 
) so perhaps that would work? 
I've seen and photographed them on specially mixed bait, my own urine, decomposing rabbit and dog poo before but only ever on a three year cycle If this continues then I won't get any photos until 2018 
Have a goodun
Wurzel
I too noticed that the PE was turning it's nose up at the tine, but if could get a few more shots like that I wouldn't mind how much of a diva the butterfly is being Cheers Goldie
I don't have a dog but I do have an indoor cat...Teddy is fed on raw oraganic/wild caught meat (which is a lot better than the stuff I get ) so perhaps that would work? I've seen and photographed them on specially mixed bait, my own urine, decomposing rabbit and dog poo before but only ever on a three year cycle If this continues then I won't get any photos until 2018 Have a goodun
Wurzel
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Re: Wurzel
For the record, that Purple Emperor was indulging in my offering at the time.
I placed the tin behind the butterfly so as not to scare it off. I will stick to the
same brand this year. Imagine getting all the way to Chiddingfold, then finding
that His Majesty rejects the Waitrose concoction , which is probably more refined,
and thus less attractive.
Trevor.
I placed the tin behind the butterfly so as not to scare it off. I will stick to the
same brand this year. Imagine getting all the way to Chiddingfold, then finding
that His Majesty rejects the Waitrose concoction , which is probably more refined,
and thus less attractive.
Trevor.
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Re: Wurzel
I reckon you're onto something there Trevor, I can't imagine the Waitrose faithful assaulting their noses with the smell of Tuna fish 
Fritillaries
22 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, 30-05-2016 Bentley Wood
Another coincidence with a very high probability – my first SPBF of 2016 came on the same date as in 2015. Locally this was the species which had the worst year. I saw a single Small Pearl all year! To slightly mitigate this doom and gloom it should be noted that I did visit as they were first appearing and I didn’t venture farther than the Eastern Clearing, plus the weather was less than adequate but a singleton? Very poor and very worrying as for a while now the population at Bentley seems to have been thinning. Usually the Pearl gets all the attention so perhaps it’s time the local branch turned the spotlight on this species? It wasn’t just me, others too found the going hard for this species at Bentley, in some cases there were even fights breaking out as people strove to get a shot.
Hopefully the few that were encountered were particularly fecund and we might see a turn around this year.
23 Pearl-bordered Fritillary, 08-05-2016 Bentley Wood
Unlike their smaller cousins the PBF seemed to be doing okay in 2016. Again I kept to the Eastern Clearing but I saw slightly more here this year and after a later start they held up well so I was able to encounter them over three visits. The first was when they’d just emerged, then there was the furore over the aberrant and the final visit was when the Small Pearls were on the wing, though by then the Pearls were looking a shadow of their former selves.
The aberrant was the obvious highlight of the year for this species and as some have suggested the melanism has a genetic basis I’ll be looking out for other melanics this year, fingers crossed!
24 Dark Green Fritillary, 26-06-2016 Duke Site
If the plight of the SPBF was a depressing start to the Frits tally then the PBF was a welcome upturn and things got even better with the DGF. I’m basing this on the fact that two of the sites that I saw them at were ‘new’ and I also saw ‘multiples’ at Larkhill! Even more impressive than this I finally bagged a Larkhill DGF photo! In fact they were in good numbers at all sites so when I think about the DGF I’m left with a much more cheery feeling. Again this year I was struck by how different the genders appear. The earlier males appear two tone, black and vibrant orange whilst the later emerging females are often straw coloured with greenish-purple near the body and the sub-marginal spots can be almost white.
25 Silver-washed Fritillary, 17-07-2016 Bentley Wood
Almost a fortnight later this year although that could have been because I was away for a week of that time in Iceland and so didn’t manage to get out for that fortnight. Mind you when I did get to see them it was a petty mixed bag. On the positive side I found one at The Devenish again which suggests that my first there wasn’t just a one off and the Silver-washed is present in the Woodford Valley. Also on the positive side I found a Greenish again this year, I’m having a good run with this form. Unfortunately we now get to the negative, it’s bigly, sad (sorry too much Trump). I don’t think I’ve ever had a worse year for this species. True I didn’t get to Bentley as much as usual but even when I did they were so few and far between that I only managed a handful of shots.
26 Marsh Fritillary, 15-05-2016 Marshie Site
It’s hard to judge the fortunes of this species as they are in such large numbers. Whilst there were still loads around it felt like they were slightly down on last year – perhaps owing to their success. Thy do have a boom and bust population dynamic and so after a few years of boom perhaps this year was a little bust, not a full on collapse though, more pf a slight dip. I saw my first 2 days later this year although they had been flying for a while. Then a few weeks later on a visit with Philzoid we still found good numbers but there were still some caterpillars crawling around the ground – possibly because they didn’t find enough food and so developed too slowly? Hopefully after a year of lower numbers the balance will shift and they’ll be up in 2017.
27 Glanville Fritillary, 22-05-2016 Hutchinson’s Bank
I didn’t see this species in 2015 and so I can’t make any comparisons. Also I finally bit the bullet and made it to Hutchinson’s Bank to see the released population. I have had qualms about this before but then it’s a shorter trip to get to this site compared to the Isle of Wight and visiting here means less pressure and disturbance on the truly native population. Also with only one site remaining for this species it’s good to have a safety net should there be a disaster on the Isle of Wight.
Personally I’d love it if a female travelled across the Solent and the now extinct mainland colony was re-established as that’s even closer!
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Fritillaries
Another coincidence with a very high probability – my first SPBF of 2016 came on the same date as in 2015. Locally this was the species which had the worst year. I saw a single Small Pearl all year! To slightly mitigate this doom and gloom it should be noted that I did visit as they were first appearing and I didn’t venture farther than the Eastern Clearing, plus the weather was less than adequate but a singleton? Very poor and very worrying as for a while now the population at Bentley seems to have been thinning. Usually the Pearl gets all the attention so perhaps it’s time the local branch turned the spotlight on this species? It wasn’t just me, others too found the going hard for this species at Bentley, in some cases there were even fights breaking out as people strove to get a shot.
Hopefully the few that were encountered were particularly fecund and we might see a turn around this year.
Unlike their smaller cousins the PBF seemed to be doing okay in 2016. Again I kept to the Eastern Clearing but I saw slightly more here this year and after a later start they held up well so I was able to encounter them over three visits. The first was when they’d just emerged, then there was the furore over the aberrant and the final visit was when the Small Pearls were on the wing, though by then the Pearls were looking a shadow of their former selves.
The aberrant was the obvious highlight of the year for this species and as some have suggested the melanism has a genetic basis I’ll be looking out for other melanics this year, fingers crossed!
If the plight of the SPBF was a depressing start to the Frits tally then the PBF was a welcome upturn and things got even better with the DGF. I’m basing this on the fact that two of the sites that I saw them at were ‘new’ and I also saw ‘multiples’ at Larkhill! Even more impressive than this I finally bagged a Larkhill DGF photo! In fact they were in good numbers at all sites so when I think about the DGF I’m left with a much more cheery feeling. Again this year I was struck by how different the genders appear. The earlier males appear two tone, black and vibrant orange whilst the later emerging females are often straw coloured with greenish-purple near the body and the sub-marginal spots can be almost white.
Almost a fortnight later this year although that could have been because I was away for a week of that time in Iceland and so didn’t manage to get out for that fortnight. Mind you when I did get to see them it was a petty mixed bag. On the positive side I found one at The Devenish again which suggests that my first there wasn’t just a one off and the Silver-washed is present in the Woodford Valley. Also on the positive side I found a Greenish again this year, I’m having a good run with this form. Unfortunately we now get to the negative, it’s bigly, sad (sorry too much Trump). I don’t think I’ve ever had a worse year for this species. True I didn’t get to Bentley as much as usual but even when I did they were so few and far between that I only managed a handful of shots.
It’s hard to judge the fortunes of this species as they are in such large numbers. Whilst there were still loads around it felt like they were slightly down on last year – perhaps owing to their success. Thy do have a boom and bust population dynamic and so after a few years of boom perhaps this year was a little bust, not a full on collapse though, more pf a slight dip. I saw my first 2 days later this year although they had been flying for a while. Then a few weeks later on a visit with Philzoid we still found good numbers but there were still some caterpillars crawling around the ground – possibly because they didn’t find enough food and so developed too slowly? Hopefully after a year of lower numbers the balance will shift and they’ll be up in 2017.
I didn’t see this species in 2015 and so I can’t make any comparisons. Also I finally bit the bullet and made it to Hutchinson’s Bank to see the released population. I have had qualms about this before but then it’s a shorter trip to get to this site compared to the Isle of Wight and visiting here means less pressure and disturbance on the truly native population. Also with only one site remaining for this species it’s good to have a safety net should there be a disaster on the Isle of Wight.
Personally I’d love it if a female travelled across the Solent and the now extinct mainland colony was re-established as that’s even closer!
Wurzel
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Re: Wurzel
The Glanville Fritillaries would benefit from another natural migration from IOW to either Hurst Castle or Hordle Cliff [if it is still suitable], as the 2 other former/hanging on mainland sites are on the Brink. [Sand Point and Wrecclesham]
There are Historic links of this species to Sand Point and Hutchinsons Bank, Sand Point was the home of Eleanor Glanville, she lived next to the site, and Hutchinsons Bank was probably one of the "Dulwich" colonies, noted by Petiver, as other species seen in West Wickham and Addington were also recorded as "Dulwich" which is a couple of miles away. [White Admiral] "He later gave the London locality as Dulwich, and later still in 1717 "Wickham near Croydon" = West Wickham, at the same time changing the name to White Admiral". [Glanville Fritillary], Melitaea cinxia As: Lincolnshire Fritillary (1703), Dullidge (i.e. Dulwich) Fritillary (1717), so we know Petiver was in the area of Addington & West Wickham in 1717 from the White Admiral name change.
The HB population has spread into 4 x 1km squares in 2016, larval web searches will be carried out in late March and April, to see its status, the Kent Border sightings in June 2016 need to be followed up as well, as the site is also very warm and sheltered, and had males and females flying together. The Kent Border site, would fall into the "Wickham" description, as it is on farmland in the Parish of West Wickham, on the edge of ancient woodland. The pictures of the habitat were taken in July, but there were still lots of young plantains in warm bare earth habitat.
Photo Greenie
There are Historic links of this species to Sand Point and Hutchinsons Bank, Sand Point was the home of Eleanor Glanville, she lived next to the site, and Hutchinsons Bank was probably one of the "Dulwich" colonies, noted by Petiver, as other species seen in West Wickham and Addington were also recorded as "Dulwich" which is a couple of miles away. [White Admiral] "He later gave the London locality as Dulwich, and later still in 1717 "Wickham near Croydon" = West Wickham, at the same time changing the name to White Admiral". [Glanville Fritillary], Melitaea cinxia As: Lincolnshire Fritillary (1703), Dullidge (i.e. Dulwich) Fritillary (1717), so we know Petiver was in the area of Addington & West Wickham in 1717 from the White Admiral name change.
The HB population has spread into 4 x 1km squares in 2016, larval web searches will be carried out in late March and April, to see its status, the Kent Border sightings in June 2016 need to be followed up as well, as the site is also very warm and sheltered, and had males and females flying together. The Kent Border site, would fall into the "Wickham" description, as it is on farmland in the Parish of West Wickham, on the edge of ancient woodland. The pictures of the habitat were taken in July, but there were still lots of young plantains in warm bare earth habitat.
Photo Greenie
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Re: Wurzel
Lovely shots Wurzel, I've yet to see a Glanville Frit don't know where to start to look either,
I've tried to fit my travels into different times of year to see the Butterflies I've yet to encounter , has you know, this doesn't always work out, this year I thought I'd take a journey to Cornwall in May, I've not seen the Marsh Frit for a while and they're on Bodmin Moor I believe, so I thought if I traveled there looking for the Grizzled Skipper which I've not seen yet I'd also see both and may be other's as well, any advice on this would be great!
I've also heard The Lizard is a good spot for Butterflies, Goldie
I've tried to fit my travels into different times of year to see the Butterflies I've yet to encounter , has you know, this doesn't always work out, this year I thought I'd take a journey to Cornwall in May, I've not seen the Marsh Frit for a while and they're on Bodmin Moor I believe, so I thought if I traveled there looking for the Grizzled Skipper which I've not seen yet I'd also see both and may be other's as well, any advice on this would be great!
I've also heard The Lizard is a good spot for Butterflies, Goldie
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Re: Wurzel
Wurzels Marshy Site has Marsh frit and Grizzled Skipper, and Hutchinsons Bank has Glanville Frit and Grizzled Skipper, at both those sites the species are on the wing at the same time.Goldie M wrote:Lovely shots Wurzel, I've yet to see a Glanville Frit don't know where to start to look either,
I've tried to fit my travels into different times of year to see the Butterflies I've yet to encounter , has you know, this doesn't always work out, this year I thought I'd take a journey to Cornwall in May, I've not seen the Marsh Frit for a while and they're on Bodmin Moor I believe, so I thought if I traveled there looking for the Grizzled Skipper which I've not seen yet I'd also see both and may be other's as well, any advice on this would be great!
I've also heard The Lizard is a good spot for Butterflies, Goldie
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Re: Wurzel
Cheers for the info Mr Spock I wasn't aware of the history of some of the Glanville sites, it puts a new slant on it. It would be good if the Kent site came to fruition as then it should be possible to view both Glanvilles and Heath Frits on a single trip - always good in terms of petrol/carbon Dioxide/Brownie points I wasn't sure that we were supposed to publicize the name of the naturalized mainland sites on UKB hence why I didn't refer to them in my Tally Posting.
Cheers Goldie If you want directions to my Marshie site then send me a PM - you could visit it on the way down to Cornwall - it's a slight diversion of the M5 and you can easily get back on the A303 which heads on down to Exeter and beyond It's got Marshies, Grizzled and Dingy Skippers, Greenstreaks, Small Blue, Adonis Blues and (possibly) Wall Browns. If you're lucky they all go up in a massive 'Battle Royale'
Have a goodun
Wurzel
I wasn't aware of the history of some of the Glanville sites, it puts a new slant on it. It would be good if the Kent site came to fruition as then it should be possible to view both Glanvilles and Heath Frits on a single trip - always good in terms of petrol/carbon Dioxide/Brownie points I wasn't sure that we were supposed to publicize the name of the naturalized mainland sites on UKB hence why I didn't refer to them in my Tally Posting.Cheers Goldie
If you want directions to my Marshie site then send me a PM - you could visit it on the way down to Cornwall - it's a slight diversion of the M5 and you can easily get back on the A303 which heads on down to Exeter and beyond It's got Marshies, Grizzled and Dingy Skippers, Greenstreaks, Small Blue, Adonis Blues and (possibly) Wall Browns. If you're lucky they all go up in a massive 'Battle Royale' Have a goodun
Wurzel
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Re: Wurzel
Hi! Wurzel, I've sent you a pm ( hope fully you'll get it okay) I've not sent before only replied, so just in-case you don't get it, I'm very interested in going to your site.
Thanks mrSpock has well, I'm putting the Glanville into another year as one yet too see! Goldie
I've not sent before only replied, so just in-case you don't get it, I'm very interested in going to your site. Thanks mrSpock has well, I'm putting the Glanville into another year as one yet too see! Goldie
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Re: Wurzel
No worries Goldie I didn't get your PM so I'll send you one now so then you can reply a bit closer to the time for the details
First Brimstone today whilst out at work - hopefully might get a post done for later - that would be two posted on time
Have a goodun
Wurzel
EDIT: Just tried but for some reason it wouldn't let me PM you Goldie - do you have to switch something on on your Control Panel in order to send/receive PMs?
I didn't get your PM so I'll send you one now so then you can reply a bit closer to the time for the details First Brimstone today whilst out at work - hopefully might get a post done for later - that would be two posted on time
Have a goodun
Wurzel
EDIT: Just tried but for some reason it wouldn't let me PM you Goldie - do you have to switch something on on your Control Panel in order to send/receive PMs?
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Re: Wurzel
Work 09-03-2017
As the pupils were sitting an early starting Maths Mock I was able to get out for a brief time at lunch today but it was hard watching the sun shine into the room and feeling the warmth as I crossed the Quad knowing that on the best day of the year so far I'd be trapped inside. When I did make a break for it at lunch I thought it was going to be easy going but I ran up against the one of the new Groundsmen’s penchant for locking gates. Finally after trying my fourth gate I was able to cut across the school field to the small path which is my usual early season haunt.
Once there I almost immediately spied a Small Tort fluttering about. It was quite active and stayed just that little bit too far away on the other side of the fence for both my liking and any chance of a half way decent shot. Nevertheless I took a couple of record shots holding the camera at arms-length and staring myopically down the viewfinder.
It took off and I tried to follow it as it looked to be heading to land on the bank which would have given me a much better chance of a shot but I got distracted by a brilliant yellow – my first Brimstone of the year! It was very busy bombing up and down the path, nipping over the fence into gardens and so disappearing from view. In the end I set the camera to Sports and clicked away each time it appeared in the hope that maybe one photo would make a passable record shot.
The rest of my walk up and down the path didn’t yield much else and so with time ticking ever onwards I started back towards work, taking a short cut through the housing estate when a second Brimstone flew ahead of me. It accompanied me all the way back to work, always staying that little too far ahead and never landing. Oh well it was just a joy to see it…and now it feels like Spring is actually here. It doesn’t matter if it Snows next week, now I’ve seen a Brimstone it’s officially Spring!
Have a goodun
Wurzel
As the pupils were sitting an early starting Maths Mock I was able to get out for a brief time at lunch today but it was hard watching the sun shine into the room and feeling the warmth as I crossed the Quad knowing that on the best day of the year so far I'd be trapped inside. When I did make a break for it at lunch I thought it was going to be easy going but I ran up against the one of the new Groundsmen’s penchant for locking gates. Finally after trying my fourth gate I was able to cut across the school field to the small path which is my usual early season haunt.
Once there I almost immediately spied a Small Tort fluttering about. It was quite active and stayed just that little bit too far away on the other side of the fence for both my liking and any chance of a half way decent shot. Nevertheless I took a couple of record shots holding the camera at arms-length and staring myopically down the viewfinder.
Have a goodun
Wurzel
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Re: Wurzel
Sorry about that Wurzel, I've received PM's in the past so i don't know May be that's why you didn't receive mine ! I'll take a look but I'm not too well up on these things, I'll try again.
Well done incidentally with the Butterflies, it was a lovely day here yesterday as well but the wind was strong and very cold, today it's dull and cold again Goldie 
Think I've cracked it Wurzel, hope you get the post Goldie
May be that's why you didn't receive mine ! I'll take a look but I'm not too well up on these things, I'll try again.Well done incidentally with the Butterflies, it was a lovely day here yesterday as well but the wind was strong and very cold, today it's dull and cold again
Goldie Think I've cracked it Wurzel, hope you get the post Goldie
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-
Neil Freeman
- Posts: 4434
- Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2010 6:25 pm
- Location: Solihull, West Midlands
Re: Wurzel
Hi Wurzel, just catching up on your recent posts...great reports and some interesting observations on last season
Good to see you managed to escape for a brief lunchtime session and see some butterflies
...something I haven't yet managed being stuck in the office this week
Cheers,
Neil
Good to see you managed to escape for a brief lunchtime session and see some butterflies
...something I haven't yet managed being stuck in the office this week Cheers,
Neil
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Re: Wurzel
No worries Goldie The PM came through so now I have to work out my description of how to get there The problem is that I get asked each year and each year I forget where I saved the description from the previous year 
Still there's a couple of months to get myself sorted
Cheers Neil I sure I'll be returning the envy when things kick off in your garden My lunch time sojourns are going to be less frequent this year as we now have to offer intervention over several lunchtimes a week and they've shortened the lunch break to 30 minutes. This means that I can just about leg it to the hotspot, have 10 minutes there and then leg it back. Mind you on the flip side I finish at 2:45 so I can have longer stop-offs on the way home
Have a goodun
Wurzel
The PM came through so now I have to work out my description of how to get there The problem is that I get asked each year and each year I forget where I saved the description from the previous year Still there's a couple of months to get myself sorted Cheers Neil
I sure I'll be returning the envy when things kick off in your garden My lunch time sojourns are going to be less frequent this year as we now have to offer intervention over several lunchtimes a week and they've shortened the lunch break to 30 minutes. This means that I can just about leg it to the hotspot, have 10 minutes there and then leg it back. Mind you on the flip side I finish at 2:45 so I can have longer stop-offs on the way home Have a goodun
Wurzel
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-
Paul Harfield
- Posts: 854
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2011 9:48 pm
- Location: Hampshire
Re: Wurzel
Hi Wurzel
Those pesky groundsmen
Great review of last season as always and thanks for keeping us entertained through the dark months
Looks like you had a cracking birthday surprise with that Small Tortoiseshell.
Those pesky groundsmen
Great review of last season as always and thanks for keeping us entertained through the dark months
Looks like you had a cracking birthday surprise with that Small Tortoiseshell.
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Re: Wurzel
Cheers Paul The Small Tort was a welcome B'Day pressie, I've still got a few groups to go on the Yearly Tally but I'll have to fit them in and around my sightings for 2017
Five Rivers 11-03-2017
After the briefest of runs out on Thursday lunchtime I was hankering to get out again but Friday didn’t work out either work or weather wise and the forecast for Saturday didn’t look that promising and so I didn’t make any plans. However it seems that the forecasters have had enough of being moaned about for their optimistic forecasts and now we have quite pessimistic ones instead and so it was on Saturday morning which cleared up nicely, the sun came out more and more and the temperatures rose nicely.
Whilst little L was at her Modern Dance lesson I somehow managed to wangle some free time. I was tempted to make the visit to Middle Street for a Peacock but getting there and back would take too long. Instead I tried Five Rivers; drop L off early, 5 minutes there and back and boom I had about 40 minutes on site.
I headed straight away towards Comma Corner. So many people had seen Commas already this year I was confident that there should be one about here, plus I’d checked with the Oracle (K) and she assured me that I would both see and photograph this species. Comma Corner was all quiet and I walked the entire length of the Banks and back without seeing a single thing. So I started my second lap and just up from Comma Corner something fluttered up from the foliage. I could tell it was a Comma from the ginger colour. I watched it for what felt like an age because it didn’t want to settle. It would land for a fraction of a second before going up again, a bit like a Brimstone. I managed to fire off one shot of it and then it took off again and flew up and I lost it in amongst the tree branches. I had my sighting, I had a record shot but nothing more meaty; ‘is this the way my season is going to pan out?’ I wondered, glimpses and half shots?
Oh well I took another wander across the Banks and back and noticed that some work had been done on the reed beds lining the path, they’d been cleared back so now there was an ‘almost’ path running along the waters’ edge sheltered by tall reeds on either side – I likely looking spot for a butterfly. I strolled down towards it scanning ahead and there was a Comma down on the deck. Looking at the images now I’m fairly confident that it was the same individual, but there was a second here slightly further along the path. Occasionally one or the other would take off and fly into the others territory, a small fight would ensue and they would spiral upwards before breaking apart and landing pretty much back where they started. The second was slightly more worn than the first and the first obviously wanted to stay looking good as it spent a good while preening and cleaning its antennae.
One of the reasons that I love Brimstones is that whilst following them patrolling and awaiting for them to land I often stumble across something else. And so it was now with my first and as it turned out only Small Tort for the visit. It didn’t hang around long and after a few shots it was off to harass the third Comma of the day. This one stayed up high taking nectar at the tree tips and posing nicely for a different looking shot.
After this I realised that I needed to make my way back to pick everyone up after Dance. So I made my way across the Banks and was almost at the end when I remembered that I hadn’t checked the other side of the Bank where it meets the Spinney. This is a good little area for Peacock so I cut up through the wall of trees. As I did a Red Admiral took off. I saw it a few more times but I just can’t seem to get Red Admirals to pose for me at this time of the year? Still a welcome addition to the day list. On the other side of the Bank in the scallop of grass bordering the Spinney two Brimstones were patrolling. ‘Oh well they won’t land’ I thought. But bugger me if they both didn’t! They were really very nice about it. Whilst one was down and I was getting a few shots the other fluttered about and when I’d finished with the first it too settled down in an area without grass stems or twigs in the way.
So I headed back over to get the girls with 3 Brimstones, single of Small Tort and Red Admiral and 3 Commas – is it just me or is this cacophony of Commas a little bit unusual - I can’t recall a time when they’ve been more numerous than Small Torts?
From here, with girls in the car and my wife dropped off at her sisters to do her product photography I headed North to meet up with Trevor…
Have a goodun
Wurzel
The Small Tort was a welcome B'Day pressie, I've still got a few groups to go on the Yearly Tally but I'll have to fit them in and around my sightings for 2017 Five Rivers 11-03-2017
After the briefest of runs out on Thursday lunchtime I was hankering to get out again but Friday didn’t work out either work or weather wise and the forecast for Saturday didn’t look that promising and so I didn’t make any plans. However it seems that the forecasters have had enough of being moaned about for their optimistic forecasts and now we have quite pessimistic ones instead and so it was on Saturday morning which cleared up nicely, the sun came out more and more and the temperatures rose nicely.
Whilst little L was at her Modern Dance lesson I somehow managed to wangle some free time. I was tempted to make the visit to Middle Street for a Peacock but getting there and back would take too long. Instead I tried Five Rivers; drop L off early, 5 minutes there and back and boom I had about 40 minutes on site.
I headed straight away towards Comma Corner. So many people had seen Commas already this year I was confident that there should be one about here, plus I’d checked with the Oracle (K) and she assured me that I would both see and photograph this species. Comma Corner was all quiet and I walked the entire length of the Banks and back without seeing a single thing. So I started my second lap and just up from Comma Corner something fluttered up from the foliage. I could tell it was a Comma from the ginger colour. I watched it for what felt like an age because it didn’t want to settle. It would land for a fraction of a second before going up again, a bit like a Brimstone. I managed to fire off one shot of it and then it took off again and flew up and I lost it in amongst the tree branches. I had my sighting, I had a record shot but nothing more meaty; ‘is this the way my season is going to pan out?’ I wondered, glimpses and half shots?
From here, with girls in the car and my wife dropped off at her sisters to do her product photography I headed North to meet up with Trevor…
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Diary entries for 2017 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
Re: Wurzel
You certainly struck gold before heading for Great Cheverell.
I have now seen plenty of Brimstones but none have stopped.
Looking forward to your images from the Churchyard.
I'm glad your girls enjoyed playing with Lorna's three, that's one disadvantage
of living in a village, not many kiddies to play with.
I'm sure they'll all meet again ( by popular demand ! ).
Great day, Saturday.
Trevor
I have now seen plenty of Brimstones but none have stopped.
Looking forward to your images from the Churchyard.
I'm glad your girls enjoyed playing with Lorna's three, that's one disadvantage
of living in a village, not many kiddies to play with.
I'm sure they'll all meet again ( by popular demand ! ).
Great day, Saturday.
Trevor
Diary entries for 2017 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
Re: Wurzel
Love the shots of the Comma's up high Wurzel, nothing but dark skies here and rain at the weekend in-between we caught a glimpse of the Sun but that didn't last long, at least it's warmer! Goldie
Diary entries for 2017 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
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Neil Freeman
- Posts: 4434
- Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2010 6:25 pm
- Location: Solihull, West Midlands
Re: Wurzel
Hi Wurzel,
I too love the Commas against the sky, particularly the second shot, and also the last Brimstone photo
Still no butterflies for me...Saturday was wall to wall dull grey cloud here and Sunday little better although the sun did make a bit more of an attempt to break through but just not for long enough.
Cheers,
Neil.
I too love the Commas against the sky, particularly the second shot, and also the last Brimstone photo
Still no butterflies for me...Saturday was wall to wall dull grey cloud here and Sunday little better although the sun did make a bit more of an attempt to break through but just not for long enough.
Cheers,
Neil.
Diary entries for 2017 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.