Andrew555

[Goldie M]

Hi! Andrew looks like you found the Garlic Flowers as well I Think! I'm no expert on Flowers Nice Holly Blue, it's a lovely little Butterfly. Goldie

[Wurzel]

Lovely set of shots Andrew, the Holly Blue is especially ethereal Good luck at the Hill

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Andrew555]

Hi Goldie and thanks. Me neither! But yes I think you are right!

Cheers Wurzel, the Hill was awesome!
And your advice was very much appreciated!

[millerd]

I also like that Holly Blue - subtly atmospheric...

Glad you had a good trip to Wurzel's Hill: it is quite a place!

Dave

[Andrew555]

Cheers Dave. Wurzel's Hill was indeed amazing!

[Andrew555]

05-05-18 Noar Hill

I decided to try somewhere new for my first Duke's of the year, and Noar Hill in Hampshire was the place. An interesting site, full of dips and depressions, a legacy of old chalk workings.

On my initial wander around I saw Orange-tip, GVW, Holly Blue and a nice Green Hairstreak.

A few like minded individuals had started to arrive and one of them spotted some Duke's on the wing, and a pairing.

After that the sightings seemed to come easier, although open wings were rare.

Cowslips, of which there were many, made nice little perches.

These Adela reaumurella moths seemed to be having a good time.

With exploring a new area and seeing the Duke of Burgundy's again, it's safe to say I did too.

Cheers

[trevor]

Great Duke pairing image, and Green Hairstreak, lovely colour.
How did you get on yesterday ?.

Trevor.

[Wurzel]

A great shot of the pair in cop Andrew and an great open wing shot I was there the next day but missed out on a pairing they were all really hyper so that open wing shot was something of a rarity

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Andrew555]

Cheers Trevor, really good thanks!, loads of Wall on Portland.

Thanks Wurzel. Damn, just missed you!
Yeah I feel pretty lucky, too warm I guess.

Cheers

[ernie f]

Andrew - Good to see you had a great Duke day at my local reserve - Noar Hill.
Sorry I missed you by one day. I went the following day to you!

[trevor]

That's a pretty rare Wall shot, male and female together, not up to anything !.
It may be the male is trying to woo an uninterested female, who may have already mated.

Great stuff,
Trevor.

[Neil Freeman]

Just catching up on your recent reports Andrew, some great photos to accompany them. I particularly like the pair of Wall Browns and the swarm of Adela reamurella . I have attempted to take photos of swarms of those little longhorn moths before and only succeeded in getting lots of little blurs.

Cheers,

Neil

[Andrew555]

Thanks Ernie, I enjoyed Noar Hill a lot.
I've had both near misses and chance meetings with UKB'ers this year!

Nothing seemed to come of it Trevor, they each flew off separately soon after, so I think you are right.

Thanks Neil, focusing on the foliage with a fast shutter speed seemed to do the trick.

Cheers

[Janet Turnbull]

I'm very impressed with your Dukes, Andrew! I have yet to see one!

[Wurzel]

We're like ships in the night Andrew Great non-pairing pair of Walls (that took some working out) I don't think I've ever seen two members of this species so close together when they haven't been courting or pairing, a field guide perfect picture

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Fantastic shots Andrew of all the Butterflies especially the pairing Dukes, Goldie

[David M]

That's a pretty rare Wall shot, male and female together, not up to anything !.
It may be the male is trying to woo an uninterested female, who may have already mated.

Very likely, Trevor, particularly given that the female looks older than the male (who seems mint fresh).

I agree it's a lovely image though.

[bugboy]

I'm struggling to keep up with diaries even more than normal this year. It's good to catch up on some though especially with some fantastic images of those springtime species which are now looking decidedly worn when I see them in the field now.

[Andrew555]

Thanks a lot Janet. I hope you get to fix that, my first was only a couple of years ago.

One day it will happen, by chance or arrangement. Thanks Wurzel.

Thank you Goldie. Credit to the chap that spotted them.

Thanks David. I think they were the first male and female Wall I had seen together, it was a very exciting moment!

Cheers Bugboy, I know what you mean! But you're right, there are some cracking images here.

[Andrew555]

06-05-18 Lullington Heath

The word on the street was that Small Coppers were back, I headed down to Lullington Heath to investigate.

Stopping at Winchester's Pond, right next to the Heath, I found a swimming grass snake and recently emerged Broad-bodied Chaser.

Knowing from previous visits that Small Coppers could be found almost anywhere on the reserve I started a slow search.
After 20 minutes or so something caught my eye, small, flying fast and low. Then it landed, and that beautiful colour hit my eyes, I'd found them!

There were around a half dozen in this small area. I spent some time watching (I'd forgotten how fast they fly in combat!) and saw several times the 'pole-dance'.

It was time to go, but what a joy it was to see the Small Coppers again, and I knew I had to come back again soon.

Cheers