essex buzzard

[David M]

That's not a bad combination, Mark, White Letter Hairstreak and Marbled White; two species that are tricky to observe easily in south Wales.

[Pauline]

I struggled for half a morning Mark and couldn't get a shot of a WLH anywhere near as good as that. How did you get it to pose so nicely Some lovely shots recently, especially the WA, BH etc and that Frit ab was a great find

[Neil Freeman]

Some more great photos in your recent posts Mark, especially that Heath Fritillary ab. and the WLH, but for me the Dark Green Fritillary underside stands out, a cracking shot

Cheers,

Neil

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks David. Essex does have its treasures

Thanks Pauline. You’re right, such views don’t always come easy. But Hadleigh Castle CP is a special place.

Neil, the DGF is a fine insect, found throughout Europe but sadly not in Essex, so I have to travel to see it. Not far mind you- just over the border in Kent! The underside is quite as attractive as the upper.

[Janet Turnbull]

That WLH is a cracker, EB ! I have been searching the elms around Somerton but haven't seen any butterflies. The leaves look eaten though.

[Wurzel]

That Whitter has the longest tails I've seen It looks like one of the more tropical species

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks guys, yes not bad for a brief visit. I’ll be heading back to Hadleigh tomorrow or Monday, for a more intensive search of the area, and hopefully a few more images...just need to decide which forecast to believe. Met Office says cloudy, BBC says sunny Or perhaps I’ll just look out of the window in the morning!

[Goldie M]

Hi! essex, I'm trying to catch up with posts etc, Love the shots of all your Butterflies especially the Hair Streak , the Heath Frits variation is a good find too, I'm hoping the HF's may still be about in East Blean Woods when I'm there in a couple of weeks,Fingers crossed. Goldie

[essexbuzzard]

Well I looked out of the window, and it was hazy blue. So it was time go get out at dawn today, to visit my nearest Marbled Whites in south Essex, and see them warming up in the morning sun. Lots of Meadow Browns were doing the same.

[ernie f]

Meadow Browns are so common its difficult to get "interesting" pics of them but you seem to have achieved it. I love the markings on the first pic and assume the concertina-shape of the hind wings of the second are because it was super-fresh.

Cheers

[essexbuzzard]

That’s right. Despite being our most abundant butterfly, getting decent pictures of them can be tricky! The scalloped hindwing is deeper in females.

Sunday continued. Then on to Hadleigh Castle Country Park. This vas a vintage day. I’ve been coming here for many years, but this was probably my best ever visit. I soon found the first White- letter Hairstreaks, many flying around the bushes, but several low down as well. I think this is a female, which tend to come lower than the males, but there were males down as well.

Here is another, on the same bush but slightly further back.

[Janet Turnbull]

That first WLH looks beautifully fresh EB - do you have to get out at dawn for them too?

[essexbuzzard]

Hi Janet, those pictures were taken at around 9AM, on a warm sunny day. But they were still coming down at 5PM.

Further on, in the ponds and drainage ditches, lots of noisy marsh frogs were found, as well as scarce emerald damselflies and small red-eye damsels.

[essexbuzzard]

Nearby, a small clump of thistles had several WLH feeding on it. Later, I met a chap down from Cumbria. He had been to Knepp and various other places during the week. Here he had seen plenty of Hairstreaks, but just out of reach for really good pictures. So I took him to the thistle patch,and I think he went home happy!

[Wurzel]

More supremely tailed Whitters Essex B the way which forecast did you go with and was it reasonably accurate?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Fabulous White Letter Hairstreak shots, Mark. I can only dream about getting THAT close.

That's one hell of a frog too. Are these the ones that make all the noise during the late evening after it's gone dark?

[essexbuzzard]

I went with my own forecast, I E I got up early and looked out of the window! But the BBC was nearest.

Hi David, yes, Marsh frogs are very noisy at night-and sometimes by day! And the noises they make are most peculiar.

White-letters are also attracted to wild privet. These are males.

This super day ended watching Marbled Whites, Essex and Small Skippers going to roost. This is Essex Skipper,

Small Skipper.

And, of course, Marbled White.

While Purple Hairstreaks spun around the oak tops, and Hutchinsoni Commas looked on.

[Wurzel]

I like your forecast method - it seems that it was more reliable than the Beeb Great set of Essex Skippers Essex buzzard and of course the Whitters

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Nice sequence again, Mark, especially the White Letter Hairstreaks.

[Goldie M]

Love your Frog essex, it looks like it's grinning Those HS shots are great too, hope you didn't get bitten whilst taking them, we took our shots of WLH's at about 4pm and all the flys seemed to be on the same bush, Horse Fly's UGH! Goldie