millerd

[Goldie M]

Nice series of shots Dave, the Comma's seem to be every where this year Goldie

[millerd]

It's a curiously late spot for them at Chobham, Wurzel. Nearly a month after they start on my local patch they are still fresh. That one was a lovely colour too.

Thanks, Goldie. The Commas are a real joy this year.

Friday 7th July: With the world seeing Purple Hairstreaks at ground level, I got up early and arrived in the woods at Bookham Commons around 8 o'clock. It was of course another brilliantly sunny day, and already in the low twenties, and as I made my way along the oak-shaded paths searching the bracken and brambles, I had a sneaking suspicion I'd be unlucky. There were plenty of distractions by way of dozens of Silver-washed Fritillaries and the occasional White Admiral, along with all the other woodland and grassy verge species you might expect. After about three hours, I had drawn a blank on the target, with the exception of a few fleeting views high over the treetops. I had taken a fair few shots of other species, though.

Perhaps the highlight so far had been watching a couple of SWF courtship flights, plus finding a mating couple at around head height.

I decided to have a look at the Brown Hairstreak hotspot I usually visit - not with any hope of seeing any, but because there are always other things of interest here. I was certainly right on that score. In the adjacent meadow I found a lovely fresh Common Blue and and equally resplendent Small Copper.

Amazingly this was my first Copper of the year, and a great relief it was to see it. With that accomplished, I headed back to the car.

As I turned from the Small Copper, still in the meadow, I was amazed to see a very large butterfly flying across in front of me about three or four metres up. The markings were clear: this was a Purple Emperor, and by the size it had to be a female. It crossed the path and headed off into the field beyond. I probably stood there with my mouth open for a while, but eventually I carried on. Passing a large patch of thistles, I spotted a small butterfly fly from them into the hedge. It perched some way in, not within camera range, but it's markings showed it to be not the Holly Blue I expected, but a Purple Hairstreak. I cursed, but only for a second or two, as sitting on another nearby thistle was another one. It was not particularly new, or well-positioned, nor did it open its wings, but strictly speaking the day's mission was a technical success!

Quite a morning, really, with 20+ species seen.

Dave

[millerd]

Friday 7th July part two: After a siesta again (a habit I seem to be acquiring...), a brief walk locally revealed that second brood Common Blues were out here too.

However the heat kept most things hiding, with the exception of an occasional Gatekeeper and the irrepressible Commas.

I also found a stray male Large Skipper some way from the rest of the colony.

Dave

[millerd]

Saturday 8th July: More lovely sunshine, but today there were other things to do so I had to content myself with another local circuit. There were more new Peacocks around today, all very active, and the ubiquitous Commas, Red Admirals, Speckled Woods and various Whites.

Over in the open meadow part of my local patch, there were once again butterflies everywhere in the grass: fewer Small, but more Essex Skippers;

Gatekeepers by the dozen, and even more Meadow Browns;

a handful of Small Heaths; several new Common Blues;

a couple of new Brown Argus.

I watched a few Blues scrapping around the thistles, and one seemed particularly bright. It landed to nectar and revealed itself to be a Holly Blue, not a Common Blue, brilliant silvery blue on the underside. I've not seen one in such close association with its cousin species before.

Butterflies were constantly disturbing each other from their perches on flowers, and one such disturbance revealed a mating pair of Gatekeepers. They were almost constantly in motion (the female did the flying for two), eventually finding a spot right down in the grass where they were no longer disturbed.

On the way back, I suddenly started seeing Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars on pathside nettles - a whole variety of ages, including this odd one on its own.

I also spotted a Red Admiral laying this egg.

The positioning is almost exactly as a Comma would have placed it, so it is possible that the Red Admiral just happened to stop where a Comma had already laid.

Dave

[millerd]

Sunday 9th July: With yet another sunny day in prospect, I decided to take my youngest son to the seaside for the day. The beach at Studland is a bit of a drive, but is as good as you'll get in the UK, and it was glorious down there. The sea wasn't even cold, and my son spent about three hours in the water, and I was tempted in myself. However, there were not many butterflies, just a few Tortoiseshells and Red Admirals flying along the shoreline and a couple of Gatekeepers over the dunes. Graylings, commonly seen a few years back, were absent (or hiding from the heat, perhaps).

Part of the bargain was that we also spent an hour or so up at Durlston Country Park. Marbled Whites were everywhere, and after getting my eye in, I realised that Lulworth Skippers were just as widespread and numerous. There were Essex Skippers too, but these were noticeably larger and brighter and after a short while quite easy to distinguish.These are all Lulworths: the first four are male, the other two female.

Bugboy had alerted me to there being Small Blues around as well, and I managed to pick one out on a tiny kidney vetch plant.

We also saw several Walls, living up to their names by perching on the rock faces near Tilly Whim Caves. Unfortunately we couldn't stay as long as I would have liked, so another trip beckons before the summer is out! Here is the view eastwards, and a zoomed image of the Isle of Wight. It's a great spot.

Dave

[bugboy]

Hmmmm, those Lulworths look very familiar . Interesting you saw Essex as well, the day before I only saw Smalls flying with them but like you say, when you get your eye in, very easy to distinguish in flight.

[Wurzel]

A cracking set of post recently Dave - difficult to keep up! Brill Silver-washed and then Gatekeepers and Purple Hairstreak , glad you got your Small Copper too But as for the Lulworths - brill though again I missed you as Philzoid and I were there the day before We didn't see Graylings either - I'm not sure if they've started emerging in numbers yet as I've only seen a couple of records for them this far West

Have a goodun

Wurzel

ps wot no Holly Blue from Durlston?

[millerd]

Interesting, Buggy. All the Skippers I checked on Sunday were Lulworths (mostly) or Essex (a few). There could well have been Small ones as well.

Thank you, Wurzel - missed you again! Did you see Buggy? I think he was in the area on 8th as well. And no, no Holly Blue photos...

Monday 10th July: back to normal again, and a walk locally after work. The main entertainment at this time of day continues to be the amazing aerial ballet provided by numerous Commas and Red Admirals, which is being joined now by a handful of Peacocks; the the odd Speckled Wood and Holly Blue were also embroiled from time to time.

Up to nine or ten assorted butterflies were involved in one air display, moving so fast it was hard to follow them all: It really was uplifting to watch. At one point I allowed myself to be distracted from the spectacle and spotted a Holly Blue sitting out the action.

Down at ground level in the meadow area, more Common Blues were out along with a couple of Brown Argus, but the numbers of Skippers is diminishing now as the Gatekeeper numbers rise, and the Meadow Browns are becoming quite worn.

On my way back I found more of the Commas basking, including one that seemed to glow despite its shady position.

I watched another preen by running an antenna under its leg (presumably to wipe off something that had attached itself).

Not behaviour I think I've seen before.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Well you soon caught up with the Holly Blues Dave Great set of Comma shots as well with the behaviour nicely caught

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Thanks, Wurzel. There are so many Commas to choose from, sooner or later one will do something interesting.

Thursday 13th July: I was back in time from an overnight work trip to Folkestone to have another browse of my local patch. (No opportunity to look at the local hills while I was down there unfortunately)

I went straight to the meadow area to look for new examples of Common Blue and Brown Argus, and wasn't disappointed. There were a few other things of course...

...but the two target species provided some particularly lovely examples.
Male Brown Argus:

Female Brown Argus:

Male Common Blue:

Female Common Blue:

I also saw quite a brown female Common Blues, but failed to get a decent photo.

Commas and Red Admirals were duelling in numbers again as I returned, but I resisted the temptation to watch them for hours and headed for something to eat.

Dave

[Pauline]

Great shots from Durlston Dave - one of my favourite sites; You've captured that sunburst pattern perfectly A visit is long overdue.

[Wurzel]

Some fantastic fresh Brown Argus there Dave, you caught them as they were fresh out the box

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Thanks, Pauline - yes, there has to be at least one trip down to Dorset every summer!

Thank you too Wurzel - having Brown Argus on the doorstep is really good, and they are beautiful when brand new. That deep velvet brown is amazing, and you can sometimes get that sheen that new female Small Blues and Silver Studs display.

Friday 14th July: My evening local walk got bogged down within a few metres of the start when I found myself in a Red Admiral battleground, and became an integral part of the infrastructure. Three or four, plus a Comma or two and a Speckled Wood were indulging in their energetic evening tussles.

One Red Admiral decided to use me as a launching-off point - and soon became the target of other butterflies trying to dislodge it. No success there - I was stuck for some considerable while as Advance Base 1...

Also seen this evening were a few Holly Blues flying in the shade and nectaring on the pink bramble flowers - where I also found this rose chafer.

Finally, looking up at a large isolated oak, a sprinkling of Purple Hairstreaks could be made out. Of course, when you point the camera, they all settle - or nearly all. Spot the butterfly:

Dave

[trevor]

This year, for a change, we have to look down for Purple Hairstreaks rather than up,
easier on the neck !. Great variety from your local patch, as usual.

Trevor.

[millerd]

I've never seen one down near the ground round here, Trevor - but there's always a first time! The usual view is the one depicted...

Sunday 16th July (morning). I had a quick look locally early in the day for once and got as far as a large wild buddleia just a little way from home. It hosted Commas, Red Admirals, Peacocks, Large Whites, Gatekeepers, and for the first time this year, a rather worn Painted Lady.

On the brambles nearby, a selection of Holly Blues were sitting around or nectaring.

Dave

[Butterflysaurus rex]

WOW Dave, that Peacock is absolutely stunning! And those fresh Hollies are very nice too.

ATB

James

[bugboy]

I agree, I feel like I have 3D glasses on looking at it!

[millerd]

Thank you James and Buggy - there are some lovely fresh Peacocks around at the moment. I always look at them at this time of year and wonder whether I will be seeing the same individuals again in March or April. If they were rare we'd travel miles to see them.

Sunday 16th July: later that same day. I headed for Aston Rowant, which is moving into its most resplendent time of year. Unfortunately, despite remaining fairly warm, the sun became weaker and weaker, with very few really bright bursts. It was also surprisingly windy. Conditions were really far from ideal. However, there were lots of Marbled Whites being blown hither and yon like bits of torn paper, and towards the far side of the slope, numbers of Chalkhill Blues increased noticeably.

However, the most striking presence here today across the whole hillside was the Small Copper, with numerous examples to be found settled on the sheep paths and rabbit scrapes, taking advantage of the warm ground and relative shelter. There were several "blue badgers" and fresh examples of both sexes.

I had started out searching these areas for Silver-spotted Skippers, but kept finding Coppers instead; although a handful of SSS were seen only one stayed more or less within camera range.

The Small Coppers included a mating pair, something I've come across only once before.

Other species included a good number of Large Whites and a few Brimstones, plenty of Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns, Small and Essex Skippers, a Small Heath or two, and both Brown Argus and Common Blue.

Two ragged female Dark Green Fritillaries dashed about in the wind, and were almost impossible to approach.

The day definitely belonged to the Coppers.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Blooming fantastic Dave, a pairing of Coppers I wish I had one of those shots in my collection I don't know what it is this year but just as I catch up the next wave emerges and I'm behind again, Grayling, Silver-Spots, Brostreaks...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

I've never seen one down near the ground round here, Trevor - but there's always a first time! The usual view is the one depicted...

Nor me Dave, just the usual tree top flutterings for me here so far. I suspect the low down activities this year have mostly been a south-east phenomenon. Although we have had a decent summer so far here in the midlands with some hot weather, it has not been so consistently hot and dry as It seems to have been down there.

Great report from Durlston, I missed out on going down to Dorset last year but hopefully returning for a late season visit again this year

Cheers,

Neil.