Goldie M

[Goldie M]

Sorry you missed the WLH's Neil, I was lucky there it took me two days to get them and I couldn't believe my eye's when I finally did. I'd been told about Brockholes, but the first day I went too early, so the next day I went back at tea time and there they were.
I think they're still on the move here, they've been sited at two new places in Rossendale my old home town So I'll know next year where to go.

We're off this week-end all being well Wurzel to Kent, I do hope there's some Butterflies there, I've not seen a Gate Keeper at HLB
yet so I'm hoping they'll be here when I get back or hope fully in Blean Wood, My Husbands much better so we may call at Fermyn
on the way down, you never know.

Today once again after two day's of rain the Sun was out, in my Garden the Tortoiseshell paid us another visit and at HLB in spite of them once again cutting the grass the Meadow Brown's were still about, no Peacocks yet!
They left the grass in one meadow which was full of thistle's so the shots i took were mostly from a distance. Goldie

[Wurzel]

Good luck on your travels Goldie As everything is so early you might get a Brostreak

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Thanks Wurzel, it looks like I'm off to a flying start,

I can't put every thing down so far that I've seen, I'll have to do a Wurzel on this holiday But i've got questions on some of the Butterflies I was watching my Grand Son's playing Cricket yesterday and of course I'd to do a wander round the field which was left at the edges full of Thistles and I took these shots.
I'm not much good at sorting the Essex Skipper's out from the Small so I wonder if any of these are Essex?
I also saw this White Butterfly which flew off has I approached it but I did get a quick shot, it seems to have some green on the wings? Is it some kind of day Moth? For some reason I can't get my shot of the white Butterfly in ?
Then to my surprise I saw this lovely Copper but it was so dark brown I thought ( but for it's size) it was a Meadow Brown is it an ab i wonder. Goldie

[Wurzel]

Doing a Wurzel - I like it Your third Skipper shot shows a definite Essex, you can see the ink dabs on the antennae Looking forward to more, eventual reports

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

That's a lovely Copper . I'd say Essex for all those skippers. All males from the looks of things but no obvious 'Small' scent patch.

Looking forward to see what else you see

[Allan.W.]

Hello Goldie,
That's a lovely Copper ,Goldie ,maybe AB; Fuscae or Fuscata (have a look on Cockayne ), these dusky individuals turn up quite often at Dungeness
( or have in most years !),but as Hoggers has mentioned ,the numbers there this year seem well down ,around this date last year I counted 150 + on a couple of occasions ,but struggled to find 8 a few days back,that said it would probably still be my first stop for a Small Copper! I believe you,re down in Kent at the moment ,another good place for Coppers is Hothfield Common (or heathlands ) near Ashford ,in particular the "old football field"
at tq 971461 keep your eyes on the ragwort, I found 9 in about 20 minutes a few days back ,its also very good out on the Common itself.
Also if you visit Lydden/ Temple Ewell down ,you often see Small Coppers there too . Good hunting !! Regards Allan.W.
PS ; lydden,s also a good site for Clouded Yellows.

[millerd]

I'm very envious of your Kent excursion, Goldie. The hills around Dover are full of interest as I'm sure you know. I never made the most of the years I lived there. Have a great time! Your Small Copper is very dark - a splendid find.

Dave

[Goldie M]

Hi! folks, Thanks Bugboy for the ID I'd only got a shot of one before so I'm really pleased.

Thanks Wurzel, I've seen so much on the way here and whilst here, so I thought of you, I can't get every thing in at once, makes sense to do it gradually, another reason, weather's too nice for sitting in.

Hi! Alan thank you very much for that ID, I thought it looked different I saw the ab Copper at Bossingham on the small Cricket feild there, it's worth a ride but quite narrow roads there.
I was at Temple Ewell yesterday and the Butterflies were every where CHB, MW's, BA, and many other's I'll definitely be going back there to look for Clouded Yellow

Many thanks Millerd, I'm really enjoying my trip, we'd cream tea's yesterday on the Cliff's after our trip to TE. Goldie

[Janet Turnbull]

That's an amazing Copper you've got there Goldie! Envious of your Kent trip - it's a long way to go for a weekend but well worth it I'm sure! Janet

[Goldie M]

Hi! Janet, thank you, I'm lucky I get to visit every year in summer for a couple of weeks it's great. Goldie

I'm off out again shortly shopping for food then off out again but I thought I'd just put a few more shots in my posts.
Monday Night we went to East Blean Wood to look for Purple Hair Streak, we got there about 4.30pm and in the Oak tree's I was delighted see them flying about.
Also went Yesterday to Samphon Oh! I think thats spelt right! and saw the Ranger there bent down on the path taking photos.
Caterpillars were every where, on the sea walls and paths, he said it was twenty years since the Oh! was opened to the day and that's the last time he'd seen these moths until now and to the day, I took a few shots of the cat's they were lot's of different colours. He said the Moth was called Bordered Sallow.
Afterwards we went to the Battle of Britain Memorial and in the grounds I saw this Skipper, I think is a large Skipper but I'm not sure. Off now I'm being called Goldie

[Wurzel]

Great that you got a Purple Hairstreak Goldie And that is a very tried looking Large Skipper I've not seen one in almost a week now, looking forward to the next installment

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Good effort with the Purple Hairstreaks, Goldie - it's a notoriously difficult species.

[Goldie M]

Thanks Wurzel and David, we went back there yesterday but although we saw some they quickly hid, the wind was very strong and blowing the trees all over the place. Goldie

Last Friday the 14th July we set off for Fermyn Wood, the Idea was to stay over night in a motel giving ourselves some breathing space before setting off on the Saturday for Kent.
When we arrived it was lunch time so we decided on a short walk into the woods before we had our Picnic, has we walked along this small brown butterfly flew up from the path and landed down again near to us, I was so surprised to find it was a White Letter Hair Streak Irony really when you think just how long it took me to get a shot of until last month.
Further along the path in a clearing I was startled by this White Admiral that missed me by inches but delighted when it landed on a flower in front of me After that we went back to the car for Lunch.
After lunch I set off leaving my Husband who was still feeling the affects of his Gout in the car. I walked back to where we'd seen the Admiral and in the same glade clearing I spotted a Silver Washed Fritillary in not too good a condition but I realised it was a Female so had to take a shot After that a much fresher one came into sight and even that was slightly worn but I really didn't care it was such a great feeling to see them again
I walked further along and up high in the trees I saw his highness flying about unfortunately he didn't Land for a photo but at least I'd seen him After that I saw lots of other BF , considering the weather had been mostly clouded I 'd had a good day. Goldie

[Janet Turnbull]

Glad you had a good day at Fermyn, Goldie! And you even got a WLH !
Janet

[Goldie M]

Thank's Janet, I was really pleased with the Hair Streak, it's just a pity i couldn't get to Fermyn earlier because a lot of the Butterflies were not really at their best but at least I saw them. Goldie

[Goldie M]

Monday was a great day, lovely weather and lots of Butterflies
We went to Temple Ewell NR and I couldn't believe the amount of Butterflies there, MW's LW's GK's BA and Chalkhill Blues etc.
It was very hot so after a couple of hours wandering about we'd had enough and decided to go to the White Cliffs in Dover for a cream tea
We didn't walk about much after that but enjoyed the breeze and watched the boats, just off the path loads of wild flowers were growing and I enjoyed watching a Painted Lady fluttering about and the Red Admirals landing and seemingly looking for shade.
On the way back we called at East Blean Wood and I've already posted some shots from there. it was a day to remember over the Winter time. Goldie

[Allan.W.]

Hello Goldie'
Thought you may be interested, just got back from a late afternoon visit to Dungeness ,spent just over an hour there and in this time ,saw only 3 battle worn Coppers,fair numbers of Common Blues including 2 pairs "in-cop" A cracking Painted Lady ,numerous Gatekeepers and one very confiding Clouded Yellow , if you,re thinking of a trip at the weekend (although the weathers not meant to be up to much ),if you don,t mind me suggesting,park by the old lighthouse and follow the power station wall around to the left ,towards the sea ,and then along the front wall ,always a good spot for incoming Cloudies,also good numbers of Common Blue ,and an excellent spot For Hummingbird Hawk ( a pair was photographed in-cop,on the power station fence last week ,see Dungeness Web-site ) ,of course another,and probably better than Dungie for Cloudies ,is Reculver ,a lovely walk ,with lots of good species ! and then of course you have Samphire Ho! which is probably equally as good .
Good hunting ! I,ll post a pic of todays Cloudie on the July sightings. Regards Allan.W.

[dave brown]

Hi Goldie.
Dungeness has been quieter this year for butterflies in general but especially Small Copper. The one exception has been the Small Skipper which has numbered in the hundreds. I agree with Allan that your best chance of Clouded Yellow and Painted Lady is around the Power Station perimeter concrete wall area on the Ragwort and Valerian. There is a Lay By by the large metal gates. Just walk along the wall area. We have seen a few at other locations but they have all been on passage.
You seem to have seen most of the Butterflies that are on the wing at present, ensuring a most enjoyable holiday.

Dave

[Goldie M]

Many thanks Alan and Dave, We've got another week yet and the weather seems okay after Tuesday with some breaks Sat so if we do get some breaks tomorrow I think we'll try Reculver it's much nearer to us.
On Wednesday I saw two Cloudies at Seasalter but they didn't stop for very long and yesterday one flew passed me on the road stop at Lydden, so I'm hoping I'll get to see one yet.
If we go to Dungeness next week we'll definitely take your advice Allan Goldie

[Allan.W.]

Hello again Goldie,
Just a word to the wise ,if you do go to Reculver , get there reasonably early ,because the car park soon fills up !
Another thing you may be interested in ,if you follow the path ,not the towers path ,but the path that takes youaround the front of the pub ,and skirts the caravan park,around the outer wall ,the walls are covered in ivy and is always a great place for low perching Holly Blues,in fact if you get it right ,actually the best I know ,you,ll also notice loads of Elm sucker growth,and I,ve always thought this looks good for White -letters (but have never visited at the right time myself !) keep following the path (mind the cyclists !) and you,ll come out below the towers and on the sea wall,keep you,re eyes on the scrub area . Good hunting !! regards Allan.W.