Kev Ling

[ernie f]

Kev. Finding and getting pics of Wall Browns would be a good enough ambition for me - not one that is likely to be fulfilled in my neck of the woods.
But you have them flying over cliffs! I think the one you have taken with the sea in the background is fantastic.

[millerd]

You're right, Kev, finding the unexpected is one of the joys of this hobby - and that was a cracker of a SPBF to boot! Great coastal Walls as well.

Dave

[David M]

The target species for me was the Wall and as we took the cliff top path we counted a total of four. They were very active and settle very seldom, which posed difficulties with photographs. However they were fun to observe and I did manage one or two aerial shots as well as a couple on the rocks.

Absolutely, Kev. Wall Browns are marvellous to watch. Theirflight pattern is the very definition of carefree happiness, and it's such a shame that they are largely confined to coastal districts these days.

I could watch them for hours on end and never get bored.

[kevling]

Thanks for the nice comments gents.

Wurzel: I hadn't considered a possible aberrant. You have got a keener eye for detail than me for sure

Ernie: They are a species that you sometimes have to travel for, but I hope you succeed soon. I was pleasantly surprised by the photo with the sea background. Right place at the right time

Dave: That SPBF was a gem, it must only have been a day old, it looked pristine

David: I agree with you how fun they are to watch. I did have an unexpected inland sighting last year, a colony on top of Mam Tor in Derbyshire


Slightly out of date sequence, but just prior to my holiday in Snowdonia, I continued to get my fill of Green Hairstreaks that were still putting in a strong show in Suffolk. Here is the best of the rest.

Kind Regards Kev

[Wurzel]

Great to see such a colour range on those Greenstreaks Kev
Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Green Hairstreaks DO seem to be having a good year. There are still plenty of them on my patch in south Wales.

[kevling]

I have had a busy winter helping Suffolk Butterfly Conservation with our Brimstone & Buckthorns project. Celebrating it's 20th anniversary this year, we delivered and planted a further 600 Alder & Common Buckthorn whips to interested parties throughout the county. Making a total of 5000 in total over the 20 years.
I kept a couple of Alder back for myself and planted them in my garden, not expecting anything in the first year. How wrong could I be. When I returned from holiday recently, one whip was being massacred by 18 Brimstone larva. The majority were re-housed to mature bushes in order to preserve their survival, however we kept a couple and yesterday were rewarded with finding one that had freshly pupated. Here it is in different forms of development.

Kind Regards
Kev Ling

[Wurzel]

That caterpillar has some really powerful looking legs/prolegs - it looks like the Stuart Pearce of caterpillars

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Lovely shots, Kev. I don't suppose you may be on hand when the adult emerges?

[kevling]

17th June 2018 Purdis Heath - Ipswich

The habitat at this fine heathland site has been managed by volunteers of the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation for several years. At the start there was just a single sighting, but on my visit today numbers were in their mid twenties with the peak emergence still to come. It included this nice looking female.

Kind Regards
Kev

[kevling]

22nd June 2018 - Wherstead & Old Hall Wood - Ipswich

Having seen early sightings in people's personal diaries, i visited my local woods today on the hunt for newly emerged White Admirals. I did not see any at Wherstead Wood last year and feared for this small colony, so I was glad to get an immediate sighting on this sunny morning. I'm sure numbers will increase in the coming days.

Kind Regards
Kev

[ernie f]

Nice to hear the White Ads are coming along in your neck of the woods, Kev. Hoping we get a bumper crop this year.

[David M]

I'd heard quite a bit about the Purdis Heath site, Kev, and all the good work that's gone into its management.

Nice to see this paying dividends.

[millerd]

A nice couple of White Admiral shots in their favourite poses on the brambles, Kev. We don't see many reports from that part of the country so it's good to see what's there.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Lovely White Admirals Kev, you've got them just right as the even darker markings are showing up on the dark ground colour

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[kevling]

Ernie, David, Dave, Wurzel: Thanks for your kind replies s

23rd June 2018
Next target species for me this summer was the Marbled White, a species that I had very few photographs of in my collection. An early morning walk paid dividends and they were not as active in the heat as they normally are, allowing me some protracted and rewarding observations.

Kind Regards
Kev

[Wurzel]

Beautiful golden glow on those Marbled Whites Kev

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Those images are so evocative of high summer, great shots.

[Andrew555]

Great selection Kev, I really like your clifftop Walls.

[Steve L]

Hi Kev

Great set of Marbled Whites, and the Large Skipper photo bomber. This is a species that's on the increase in my area, there's something about a black and white creature.

Cheers

Steve