millerd

[ernie f]

Dave

Fantastic shots. I particularly like the second shot of the Small Heath. I have yet to see one of these this year.

[Wurzel]

A lovely sequence of shots Dave Those Grizzlies really do stand out with those lovely chequered margins Hopefully Bentley will 'wake up' this weekend and the Pearls will be out

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Hi! Dave, great Hair Streak shots, I've not met up with the Dingy yet, hope fully the weather will have some more Sunshine in the coming weeks to find them and other Butterflies, Goldie

[David M]

Must admit, Dave, I thought your moth in the final image was doing a plausible impression of a Dingy Skipper given what had transpired before!

You have an enviable range of species within easy access of where you live and yes, well done with the Small Heaths, a butterfly I get greater delight in seeing again with every passing year.

[Allan.W.]

Some great shots Dave ,I reckon your last (moth ) image ,is the scarsish (?) Small Yellow Underwing ,pretty notable down here in Kent. nice find ! Regards Allan.W.

[Andrew555]

Wow Dave you have been busy!

A fantastic selection, I particularly like your female Holly Blues. And like Ernie I think your 2nd Small Heath shot is a cracker!
Good to see your Noar Hill Dukes, I had a visit there at the weekend as well. You also have some more great Green Hairstreak shots.

I'm very interested in your Denbies trip. I've walked through and around that area quite a few times, but never yet as a butterfly enthusiast.
I've got the next couple of weeks off, split between the south east and Dorset, I may have to pay a visit.

Cheers

[millerd]

Thank you all for the appreciative comments - it has been a busy time recently (and there's more to come!).

Denbies Hillside can be a great site, Andrew. It's only just getting started at the moment, but in a week or two the variety should increase much more.

On Wednesday 9th May, after collecting Bugboy from a train, we headed down to see Trevor in Sussex. He had promised us a look at his local patch (the Old Railway through Hailsham) and then Abbots Wood and possibly High & Over.

It took rather longer than expected to get down there, but we were out on the old railway by half ten or so. The change in the weather to cooler conditions seemed to have subdued the butterflies here, as we saw only a smattering of Holly Blues, Orange Tips and Speckled Woods.

On to Abbots Wood, which is a complete maze to the uninitiated. Trevor however led us unerringly to two areas where Pearl-Bordered Fritillaries were flying. And flying was the word, as the midday sunshine kept them almost constantly airborne. Distant shots of briefly settled butterflies only!

High & Over is not far at all from here, so we carried on the next spot, hopeful for Wall Browns. Unfortunately, the main hotspot was very windy, perched high up above the Cuckmere River, and we only managed a glimpse of a single Wall; there were a couple of Small Tortoiseshells enjoying the breeze though, and a pale Nymphalid which could only have been a Painted Lady. The more sheltered wooded areas had Holly Blues and Orange Tips.

So, not a terribly successful day at this point. However, much better was to come...

Dave

[Wurzel]

You did mighty well with the Pearls even if they were very active...though having read Trevor's PD I'm more up to speed (spoiler alert ) so have an inkling of what's coming next...still something to look forward too

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

They all look like rather familiar butterflies Dave, can't wait to see how the second half of the day turned out . Not sure when I'll be able to get round to reporting my version of events though, I'm so far behind now

[millerd]

That's cheating, Wurzel!

After High & Over, the three of us headed back to Abbots Wood. The sun was lower, and hazy with it, but initially the Pearls were still in active mode. Then briefly they started to sit and nectar or bask in the fading sunshine.

They also started to drift noticeably towards the trees at the back of the clearing and one by one they disappeared. However, one individual became marooned in a halfway house on an oak sapling.

Another ended up in roosting position near the ground.

At one point it slipped from its perch and I was presented with a full spread underside.

An unusual and very attractive view normally only available by dint of extreme contortionism! We all managed a series of normal underside shots, and the now docile butterfly eventually found itself photogenically perched on one of the many bluebells.

A highly successful end to the afternoon. But was it all over? Trevor elected to walk home, and after reassuring ourselves that we knew the way out of the maze and back to the car, Buggy and I set off too. With plenty of daylight still, weak sunshine even, we headed west along the A27, failed to take the A23 and ended up at Mill Hill. I think that should form a separate post...

A big thank you to Trevor for hosting our visit and taking us to the Pearls in Abbots Wood.

Well worth the drive down there.

Dave

[Wurzel]

There was still a great reveal Dave Cracking set of shots but that double spread is a corker Looking forward to Mill Hill

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

Well done Dave, I'm pleased you and Paul found the day worthwhile.
As usual the day passed by too quickly !
Surprisingly it only took half an hour to walk home, the route being far more direct on foot.
Might do it again to keep fit!.

A pleasure to meet you both again,
Trevor.

[millerd]

I was particularly pleased with that full-spread underside, Wurzel. One of those split-second poses and I was luckily in exactly the right position to catch it.

Yes, a very good day out Trevor. We thoroughly enjoyed it and your company. After you left us, there was a brief moment of worry until we remembered which way we'd come into the wood...

But, as mentioned earlier, there was more to come. The great advantage of the long (and still-lengthening) evenings is that you can still be seeing butterflies after seven in the evening. Buggy and I reached the slopes of Mill Hill just before seven, in fact and headed for the path along the bottom. The hill is turning yellow as the horseshoe vetch starts to bloom and in the gradually fading light it almost glows. Before long, we spotted two Grizzled Skippers roosting on the same small piece of hawthorn scrub, and along the bottom of the slope, once we got our eye in, we found another ten. All were on similar plants. Often these were in pairs, and in one case there were four on one plant, three of them in a group.

Knowing that Dingy Skippers were also out here, we started to look for the old seed heads that this species prefers when roosting. Not an easy task - but Buggy managed to find two altogether and the camouflage is quite extraordinary.

In the process, he also spotted a slumbering Small Heath.

By the time we left, the sun was behind thicker cloud and quite low and the light was quite dim. I'm surprised we managed any photos at all...

A splendid finale to a really cracking day!

those eyelashes!

Dave

[bugboy]

Great report Dave, I've still not gone through my pics properly. Thanks for being my chauffeur for the day . It was probably my longest day ever for butterflying, didn't get home til 10.30

[David M]

Dave, your posts should come with a health warning to those with a weak heart! What a time you’ve had with those PBFs and Grizzlies! It’s still early in the season so I dread to think what you’ll be sharing with us next!

[Andrew555]

Now that's an epic day Dave, love the full spread Pearl.
And fantastic Mill Hill action.

[Maximus]

Beautiful Pearl-bordered Fritillaries, Dave, well worth staying late for Not bad Grizzlies either

Mike

[Neil Freeman]

Great selection of PBF shots Dave...I really like the one on the wood

and the roosting Grizzled and Dingy Skippers

Cheers,

Neil.

[millerd]

It was a very good day, Buggy. I really didn't think we'd still be seeing butterflies in the relative gloom at half past seven...

Thank you David! A short period of relative rest is called for I think before the next big outing.

Thank you, Andrew. It wasn't so much action as inaction at Mill Hill - they were very sleepy butterflies after a hard day whizzing about like lunatics no doubt.

Thanks, Mike. Definitely worth prolonging the day for on both counts.

Thank you Neil - yes, when the PBF calmed down they provided some great opportunities.

Thursday 10th May. Back home today, and back to the land of Holly Blues. They are still out in good numbers and seem to have forgiven me for my absence over the last few days.

Plenty of Orange Tips too, and GVW, plus a surprise rather elderly Small Tortoiseshell.

I also saw my first Cinnabar moth of the year.

Yes, you can never have too many Orange Tips...

Dave

[Goldie M]

MAGIC!! Dave, I can't add any thing else, it's all there in your great shots of the Pearl's and Grizzlies, Goldie