millerd

[millerd]

Thank you everyone for all the enthusiastic comments! Much appreciated... I've been away for a week and unable to post anything, but hopefully that will be rectified shortly... It's been sunny and/or hot everywhere I've been, sometimes uncomfortably so, and as far as I can see almost the whole of England is turning yellow.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Having beaten Sweden surely your anxiety; "almost the whole of England is turning yellow" is slightly unfounded

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Fair point, Wurzel!

I'd better start catching up, being more behind than a hyper-gluteal African elephant...

After Chiddingfold on 26th June, I popped into Box Hill, where Marbled Whites abounded.

The DGF were also in good numbers, with the now slightly worn males being joined by a few darker females.

However, the latter hid down in the grass for the most part and were very hard to find settled.

On Wednesday 27th June, the target for the day was the first flush of Graylings at Dawneys Hill. As usual, as soon as I stopped to survey the scene, one of this fascinating species bounded over the gorse and settled on my leg.

This was to happen several more times, and I ended up with more photos of them sitting on me than on the ground.

There were still good numbers of Silver-studded Blues too, mostly females now, and mostly showing signs of age, but with a few newer males in the mix too.

On Thursday 28th and Friday 29th June, I met up with Bugboy down at Bookham as there seemed to be a large emergence of Purple Hairstreaks and some opportunities to see them low down. We were not disappointed, and the large amount of oak woodland contained good numbers, as well as lots of Silver-washed Fritillaries and White Admirals.

We also saw a few Purple Emperors on the first day, but curiously not on the second, and the first of the new brood Brimstones and Holly Blues were around.

However, the target species proved reasonably accommodating, particularly a female which opened up and gave me my first close open-winged views of the species.

A quick visit to Denbies later in the day revealed that the Chalkhills were still to emerge, and the Marbled Whites still had the hillside largely to themselves.

After today, I set off on a week of wandering further afield.

Dave

[millerd]

Saturday 30th June: I drove up to Stamford in Lincolnshire to spend the night with an old school friend. On the way I stopped off at Bedford Purlieus, near Peterborough. This is a curious piece of woodland with several rides crossing it, but only one, running East-West, seems to have a good population of butterflies.

Immediately I saw Silver-washed Fritillaries, Ringlets and Meadow Browns in good numbers, but the heat was keeping them mostly in the shade. It was a bit later I spotted an area of the path that had been neatly trodden down by a stand of brambles, and in this area I discovered a colony of White-letter Hairstreaks centred on a relatively small stand of small elms. There were a couple of dozen butterflies flying energetically around the trees, but quietly nectaring on the flowers were several others.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that one of these was in fact an elderly Black Hairstreak, having forgotten that they also occur here. The two species were briefly on the same plant, but not quite long enough to be photographed together unfortunately.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Cracking stuff Dave - any two Hairstreak day is a goodun in my books

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

In fact, strictly speaking there were three Hairstreaks flying in the woods on 30th, as I saw several Purple Hairstreaks around the tops of the many oak trees (though none came down). Now that would have been a sight with all three together...

On Sunday 1st July, I resumed my travels and headed in leisurely fashion northwest to a hotel I'd booked in Lancaster. On the way I passed quite close to the fire up on Winter Hill and the TV mast almost engulfed in smoke. The smell of burning was quite apparent. I arrived in unusual heat, and after a break (hoping it would become cooler) I headed the extra ten miles up to Arnside Knott. As it turned out it was no cooler up there, even on the higher slopes, and I didn't spend as long as planned. There were lots of butterflies, mostly Ringlets, but the first individual I came close to on a bramble was a White-letter Hairstreak. I had no idea they were up here and it came as a bit of a surprise.

Soon afterwards, I found my first ever Northern Brown Argus, but none of them stopped moving for even the briefest moment. Moving on to part of the open scree I was quickly accosted by Graylings.

I then spotted a mating pair on a tree branch, merging nicely with their perch.

I saw no Fritillaries this evening, but did encounter a Red Admiral and a new and quite intensely coloured Small Tortoiseshell.

With it still hot, I decided to head back to the hotel for refreshment and return early on Monday morning.

Dave

[bugboy]

Good spot with that Hairstreak Dave. I'll be interested to see what else you came across there since it was less than week from when I was there!

[trevor]

I see you are now wearing Graylings quite regularly Dave !.
Good to read of your recent travels and conquests, complete with some great images.
All we need now in this wonderful season, are a few surprises from the Continent,
there's still time !.

Trevor.

[millerd]

It wasn't the first thing I was expecting, Buggy, but very welcome all the same. Part Two of the Arnside adventure coming up.

I reckon they think I'm a tree, Trevor. It invariably happens. Fingers crossed you're right about continental immigrants - even some Clouded Yellows would be good, but anything more unusual would be even better...

Monday 2nd July: Up early and on the Knott at Arnside shortly after 8am. It felt nearly as hot as it had the previous evening, with even brighter sunshine, so any hopes for dozing butterflies disappeared immediately. However, I did soon spot a Fritillary, a female DGF. This was the first of several seen during the morning - but no males.

Everywhere were Ringlets, Meadow Browns and Small Skippers, plus the first of the year's Gatekeepers.

Another potential large Fritillary turned out to be a Painted Lady, and then I started seeing pale orange wraiths floating over the brambles. These turned out to be a selection of very worn Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries, which proved far more approachable than those I'd seen in woodland down south.

I then wandered down to the meadow on the south side of the Knott, scattering Graylings as I went, but on the way spending an inordinate amount of time following various Northern Brown Argus - they never stop! Eventually, one did, but only long enough for a brief record shot - my first and only photo of this species!

It appeared pretty fresh and I wish I had been able to do better. Once in the meadow, I started chatting to a very sociable lady from Glasgow. As we chewed the fat and spotted Common Blues, we became aware of a large orange butterfly alternately buzzing us and settling on the nearby brambles. It particularly liked the lady's white hat for some reason, but when it paused for a while on the foliage we quickly realised it was a High Brown Fritillary.

A very successful morning though uncomfortably hot especially when climbing the steep paths! As ever, though, the views were stunning.

Over the two days I counted 20 or 21 species (Small and/or GVW), an impressive total - and anywhere that provides three Fritillaries has to be good!

I now drove across the country to my sister in York, where I had a different sort of day planned for the 3rd.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Brill stuff Dave Have you visited Arnside earlier this time as I seem to recall that there are also Scotch Argus here ? Looking forward tot eh next installment

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[ernie f]

Dave - you've had a fine time recently haven't you? Great encounters with WL and P Hairstreaks and NB Argus, etc but for my money the Grayling on the knee shots are the most memorable.

[millerd]

Thanks, Wurzel - yes, it was three weeks earlier than I've ever been up there and there were no Scotch Argus out. Hopefully I'll manage another trip at the end of the month and unless they've taken one look at the hot weather and given 2018 a miss they should be flying. There might still be a female HBF then, but I can't see the NBA asting that long.

Cheers, Ernie - a pair of faded jeans is all you need and Graylings will be your best buddies!

So... over the top to York, and a couple of days with my sister. On Tuesday 3rd July while she was at work (I vaguely remember the concept... ), I drove up onto the North York Moors to a spot roughly halfway between Pickering and Whitby. This is Fen Bog, an upland bog whence streams flow out both north and south. However, trickle would be a better word at the moment. It lies in a bowl with heather covered banks at the sides, and is bordered by the North York Moors Steam Railway.

It was blissfully cool when I arrived (only 17 degrees), with overnight cloud just beginnining to clear. Nevertheless, there were butterflies from the moment I stepped out of the car, with the heather and bracken full of Ringlets, plus Meadow Browns and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries. The latter were common and ubiquitous and the efforts I made to see them in Sussex and Wiltshire seem bizarre in this context.

I made my way down to the flat area of the bog itself, noticing that the side slopes "leaked" trickles of water every so often. There was one solitary fellow out in the middle with a camera, so I hailed him and asked where a safe route might be out to where he was. He replied that normally it wasn't possible to get get out there easily, but in this very dry spell, it was actually possible to just walk straight across. So it proved: the ground was tussocky and even between tussocks the grass gave a bit underfoot, but nowhere was at all squishy. Now, why was I here? Ah yes, this location is a known hotspot for the Large Heath, a species I had never seen, and the cotton grass all around was evidence of this. However, the first thing I noticed was that the thistles around the edge of the bog were hosting a gathering of Dark Green Fritillaries - almost all fresh males.

More Small Pearls were also flying over the bog itself.

However, I eventually noticed another kind of butterfly popping up whenever the sun shone (and sometimes when it didn't). I had been led to expect that Large Heaths would be difficult to approach, but it was only really the nature of the terrain that proved any obstacle. Given a clear path I found I could get pretty close, especially if the sun went in. I probably saw fifteen to twenty individuals at varying distances, mostly quite worn as it is at the tail end of their season this year.

my first ever Large Heath!

At one point, I did find my knees were wet from getting down close to one target - the water hadn't completely disappeared.

Returning to the car park, I found the thistles amongst the heather and bracken were home to more splendid fresh DGF.

Mission accomplished - and at a lovely spot as well, enhanced by the astonishing weather. No doubt this is quite a different place at other times!

Dave

[bugboy]

Well done Dave, two more lifers in the bag for you now. Even if they weren't fresh those Large Heath are nicely marked. How many species you got left to find now?

[David M]

You've filled your 'northern boots' there, Dave. Arnside is a lovely part of the world and having the best concentration of High Browns in the UK makes it even better.

[Wurzel]

Congratulations on the Large Heath Dave, you're ticking them off this year

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[CallumMac]

Having spoken to a few local people who know Fen Bog quite well, I can tell you that that's a remarkable count of Large Heaths, Dave! I saw one on my visit and felt pretty pleased even about that! Well done, they must be having an exceptional year.

Fab WHLs from Arnside as well. I love the one on bramble with the meadow in the background.

[trevor]

Your most recent excursion to the North seems to have been a bit of an epic, Dave !.
And two life time firsts. I do like the thought of Large Heaths near the NYMR, with
Gresley teak coaches passing by !. I could use some of that sort of therapy.
It was also pleasing to read of the Small Pearls that you found, presumably a natural wild colony.

Great images, and a good read.
Trevor.

[millerd]

Cheers, Buggy and Wurzel - yes, two lifers, leaving only three to go plus such recurrent maybes like the Large Tortoiseshell. Also 49 for the year at this point...

Arnside is a splendid place, David, though I have to say finding HBF is usually quite hard work up there, especially in scorching heat!

There did seem to be quite a few, Callum, especially when the sun came out properly. I was there a couple of hours and covered quite a bit of ground, but of course double-counting is quite possible. I did have a couple of views with three or four in sight at one time, and got views of more than half a dozen different individuals settled in the grass (there were some awful shots I didn't post!). Thanks for the WLH comment too - I may try a different crop with that photo and incude a bit more of the top of the view to include more distant sea.

The steam railway backdrop worked very well, Trevor. With a famous named guest loco in shot, you could get some cracking photos. The Small Pearls were a real bonus (and the unexpected DGF too), and like those at Arnside occupy a different sort of habitat and behave differently to those down here in the south of England. They just fly with all the other common butterflies. I don't know how widespread they are over the NYM - Callum may have an idea. PBF on the other hand are very restricted up there.

From 4th to 7th July, I stayed with my friend in Holmfirth. The weather here was still amazing, something I have never experienced before over many visits! There were butterflies every day, mostly Ringlets all over the place, but the garden was visited by Red Admirals, Commas, Small Tortoiseshells, Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers and all three common species of White.

The most interesting sightings were not actually butterflies. On a local walk above the town, I spotted a bird on a wire which was too far away for me to even begin to identify. I zoomed in as far as I could and then enlarged the image. Staring directly at me (and no doubt seeing me far clearer than I could see it) was this little chap:

I'm told this is a Little Owl, but any confirmation or rebuttal gratefully received.

The same evening amongst a host of small moths that appeared after dark was this much larger beast, sadly somewhat worn and battered. I really don't know what this one is:

Finally, a couple of views towards Holme Moss. The second was taken very early on 7th, when the wind had gone round to the west, and the smoke haze from Saddleworth was drifting across.

Dave

[bugboy]

Yup, that's a Little Owl alright and your moth is a A Swallowtailed Moth.

[Wurzel]

Great shot of the Little Owl Dave Isn't Holmfirth near to where they shot Last of the Summer Wine - or am I barking up the wrong tree?

Have a goodun

Wurzel