Wurzel

[Vince Massimo]

Hi Wurzel, your beetle is a Western Conifer Seed Bug which is native to the USA, but is spreading and first appeared in the UK around 2007-2008. More details here: https://www.britishbugs.org.uk/heteropt ... talis.html

Yours is one of the best photos I have seen of one.

Vince

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie That's the thing with having 'a duty of care' you have to take some of the risks on behalf of others - although I can't recall seeing 'snake wrangling' on the list of expected duties
Cheers Vince I was quite chuffed with the shot, thanks for the ID, always good to have the proper lowdown on something

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Southbourne 07-10-2018

After a winters’ day yesterday I drove down to Bournemouth in the hope that the colony still persisted in the microclimate at Southbourne and also that they hadn’t been knocked out by the winds and rain and cool temperatures the day before. I dropped all three of the girls off near the Odeon and started for Southbourne. It had been a few years since I’d taken the particular road so I turned on SATNAV which turned out to be a damn good idea as the road I needed was closed for a Marathon. In the end I kept to the streets and ignored the SATNAV’s insistent instructions to “Turn right” because every right turn was closed. After working through a labyrinth of streets I pulled up slightly further along the beach from where I’d intended but at least I was somewhere in the right neighbourhood!

I then made my way to the front and looking left then right set of right as that took me back towards Bournemouth. I was accompanied for most of the way by runners of various calibres. I still can’t work out why it’s called a fun run as all the people I saw looked tired, sweaty, miserable or positively suffering. Not one of them appeared even remotely cheerful let alone like they were having fun not even the bearded fellow in a pink Tu-tu. After a while I finally reached ‘The Bistro on the Beach’ and started up the footpath scanning the banks on either side of the path for anything yellow. I needn’t have bothered as the temperature was still below double figures and despite the sun shining unfettered by the thin streaks of cloud it was still mighty chilly, so cold in fact that I was starting to lose the feeling in my fingertips. After spying some yellow flowers and a few dead leaves I gave it up as it was too cold and settled instead for a walk along the front. It felt good to be striding along back in Dorset.
As I reached the spot where I’d decided to turn around I noticed that my back was feeling much warmer than my front being bathed in the sun. I saw a few bees and more than a few mining bees on the exposed and weathered sandstone cliff faces. I turned round and started back, now with the sun warming my front side and even my fingertips were starting to thaw. I started noticing more wildlife; a few more bees, a crow, and then as I watched and listened to a collection of 4 ‘ticking’ Stonechats a pair of Dartford Warblers materialised out of the scrub. This siting made my day and I started back with renewed vigor.

I’d reached the Bistro and so I set off up the cliff paths once again checking all the sources of nectar but the yellow things that I saw stayed dead leaves and flowers and not the butterfly I was hoping to see. Still cheered by the Dartfords I followed one of the paths right to the top and into the car park behind the Bistro. This was actually the spot that Dave had mentioned and so I scanned across the car park even more carefully. Something went up, it was a dead leaf surely? Nope it was a Cloudy. I watched with baited breath hoping that it would end its flight quickly and land soon. It did and I was able to get in for a few shots. Job done! Dave said they’d be here and they were cheers for the directions!

I spent some time (well time for me but actually 10 minutes or so) watching it as it flew around and about never straying from the bank of the car park. The sun was quite strong by now almost to the extent that a coat wasn’t necessary and the butterfly was acting accordingly. As I watched it it started to land in more and more exposed areas with fewer and fewer obstructions and shadows getting in the way of the shot. The flights also got longer each time and it started to stray away from the confines of the bank veering out across the barren tarmac of the car park, standing out vividly against the dull grey. Eventually I had to leave it and make my way back to the car to pick everyone up from the film so I wished the Cloudy luck and set off across the car park. As I strolled triumphantly across the car park I spied a smaller movement on the bank. As I approached closer it resolved into a Small Copper and a Blue Badger at that. Doubly chuffed I carried on strolling back to the car and made it back in time to pick the girls up.

After this we made a pit stop in Asda for Humus and rolls and then called in at the Waldorf Shop to take advantage of their picnic benches. Food eaten we started packing up and that’s when I spied the biggest Fly Agaric that I’ve ever seen. This species of fungus is often portrayed as a comfy seat for a cheeky Imp or Pixie but this one was so large I think it would have been used as a nightclub!
I know that I only saw two butterflies all day but a cracking one all the same!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Im glad to see your dedication and persistence paid off in the end, Wurzel, with that nice Cloudie and the bonus copper too. In the right conditions, it's a really reliable spot for the Yellow ones.

Cheers,

Dave

[trevor]

HI Wurzel,
Well done with your solitary Cloudie. Southbourne sounds, from what I've heard,
like a fascinating site. I no longer consider the Brown Hairstreak to be the last
new Butterfly of the year. As the BH fade, fresh Clouded Yellows appear, and
take us well into Autumn.

Here's to the new season!.
Trevor.

[Goldie M]

Lovely Cloudies Wurzel, I saw loads last year but only got the one shot they were so busy, maybe Autumn is a better month to see them if there slower Goldie

[Andrew555]

Wow you got really close! Great stuff, well done.

[Neil Freeman]

Ooh! nice Wurzel

I have often read about the Cloudies at Southbourne and the fact that there seems to be a permanent, or at least semi-permanent colony there.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Dave I think I worked harder than the 'Fun Runners' Cheers for the tip off
Cheers Trevor I know what you mean, the Brown Hairstreak has been demoted to Penultimate species. I did find it odd though seeing them there at that time of year but served as a reminder that butterflies are often tougher than we give them credit for
Cheers Goldie I think the cooler temperatures certainly helped calm this one down - mind you it was bit of a shock to my system as at one pint it was so cold I had to put my gloves and hat on
Cheers Andrew I was chuffed that I managed to get right up in it's grill
Cheers Neil I too had read about them so it was great to finally check them out for myself. I've often promised myself that one year I'm going to go for it and break my personal '50 species in a year' challenge and having Cloudies hanging about could prove to be the ace in the hole

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[MrSp0ck]

I've often promised myself that one year I'm going to go for it and break my personal '50 species in a year' challenge and having Cloudies hanging about could prove to be the ace in the hole

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Ive done 50 species in a year, without going up north, that was the good year of 1996, and a male Pale Clouded Yellow at Noar Hill. ive also ended a few years at 49 Species. So it can be done without the Scotch Argus, Mountain Ringlet, Chequered Skipper, Large Heath, Northern Brown Argus etc. You should get Glannies easily in 2019 by the look of it.

[Wurzel]

Cheers for the encouragement MrSpock My personal best was 49 and I missed out on a Cloudy that year That won't happen again now

Keeping it Local 20-10-2017

At either end of the year I generally find myself staying quite local and heading to one or all three of my nearest sites; Middle Street, Five Rivers and The Devenish. This afternoon was no exception and though I set off in reverse order noting a fly-by Brimstone on the way which was a nice sighting to get the ball rolling. Once parked I made my way up to the Small Paddock and scanned across the huge patches of Ivy hoping for an Admiral or Specklie to put in an appearance. I soon had to move on as I was getting covered in Ladybirds/Harlequins which seemed to be everywhere. So it was over the gates and into the Orchid Meadow where only the occasional yellow petals showed up against the dull beige background colour from all the dead vegetation. I tried right to the end which is normally inaccessible due to the huge plants that grow here but even they have succumbed to old age. I was just starting to get a little despondent, surrounded by all this death and decay, when a moff burst up from near to the ground and veered or violently in and wide descending arc. I managed to follow it and then stalk it to find a Silver-Y.

As I was appreciating this something a bit more fluttery caught my eye and there was an aged Specklie. I watched it cover the ground across the field making towards the taller scrub which demarcated one field from another and a second (and even more aged?) Specklie took off intercept it an see it on its way. The second settled back down and I made my cautious approach.

Up the hill all seems quiet including the little stretch of steep path at the very foot of the Down. Here the Bramble grows tall and the trees on either side of the path are covered in Ivy so I had high hopes which unlike the spent Bramble heads didn’t come to fruition. All is quiet and still and even the border between the Beech woodland and Down is empty apart from a Common Darter. Usually there is the odd whit or even a Small Copper hanging on here but it looks like the cutting back and grazing has put paid to the bushes of Hemp Agrimony which act as such a magnet to the butterflies. At the far end of the Down I disturb a Specklie which I’d not seen and as I’m cursing my inattention I catch sight of a funny looking fence post. It’s funny looking as a Red Admiral is basking, open winged on it. I manage to get a few more steps closer to it but it’s gone quite quickly. I stand in the shade of a Beech tree and wait for it to come back all the while watching a Specklie that’s up high in the Ivy and willing it to come down. It doesn’t but the Red Admiral does after about 5 minutes of waiting. At this time of year you never know which butterfly will be your last so I made the most of this one just in case, spending more time just watching than looking down the viewfinder, savouring every detail in the hope that the memories will get me through the dark winter months.

After this encounter I strolled along the top and don’t find another butterfly despite peering in every bush. I eventually end up back where I started and I was glad to be heading off as the Harlequins were starting to get really annoying - I seemed to have at least 3 somewhere on my person at any one time even though I was brushing them off every other step!
After this it was over to Five Rivers. I started by walking along the river and scanning ahead whenever a break in the riverside trees let the sun pour in across the path. Sure enough on the first such break a Red Admiral flew towards me at head height. It veered up and doubled back before flying in a few ever decreasing circles and landing. It was dead chuffed but just as I’m about to approach a load of tourists come from the opposite direction and the Red Admiral is up and gone. I manage to watch it as it cuts through the air this way and that and a second flies in and they spiral upwards losing themselves in the tree tops. I stay put reasoning that if this strategy worked before it might again and at least one of them will come back. Sure enough one does and this time there aren’t any meddling kids so I can get away with stalking it and so I manage a few shots.

After this I walk to Comma Corner and all along the banks but it’s a bit depressing as Bramble has inveigled itself across the various pathways that are so good for basking butterflies early in the season and once again all the butterfly friendly vegetation has passed over. I see a few Darters but even this late in the season they’re still proving too quick and so I started back. On the way back I stop in roughly the same place as I stopped earlier and a Red Admiral comes down to the deck in front of me. From its looks it was a different individual and on closer inspection I can see a small white dot in the bands of red that prove my supposition.

Then it was away home as time had run away from me and there just wasn’t enough of it left to get over to Middle Street and back. Still I’ll be back there in about 4-5 months time and I don’t think I’d have seen anything different. As I’m strolling back to the house and playing the afternoon back in my head my happy mood is turned up from 10 to 11 as I spy a Small Tort from afar basking on the side of one of the posh houses round the corner from my own humble abode. A great way to finish the afternoon!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Hi! Wurzel, it won't belong now before it's Spring , roughly about eight weeks I think It's getting much lighter at night now and the Snow Drops are giving me encouragement ,even the Daff bulbs are growing Having said all that it's been snowing here Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie I now what you mean I I've seen Snowdrops and Daffs in bloom and the Aconites at work are almost out I better get a wriggle on with my 2018 postings if I'm not to have a cross over

Pumpkin Picking 21-10-2018

It’s that time of year again. Just as you think the weather will crack and full blown winter will ensure we experience a purple patch of ‘unseasonable’ weather. So when the task for the day was Pumpkin Picking I packed my camera just in case.

Once there and fully equipped with wheelbarrow we set off wandering across the huge flat field through a myriad of Pumpkins of several varieties of which the Turks’ Head was probably my favourite. Smooth, long, fat and round, blue, orange, red and green with white stripes, warty or ribbed; across the top of the smorgasbord of squashes several butterflies flew. They didn’t want to stop though, they just flew from one side of the field to the other, from hedge to hedge. I didn’t mind as I was enjoying watching my girls running around excitedly picking perfect Pumpkins prior to people pulling the prime Pumpkins first.

I was also enjoying the late sun on my back and looked up and along the hedge. There was a Red Admiral. I cautiously approached fumbling for my camera in my bag and stealthily got into position. All was set, the butterfly was nicely posed looking resplendent in the autumnal glow. As I focused and went to click the sun was swallowed by one of the very few clouds and my image went from glorious technicolour to washed out greyscale. Oh well a butterfly shot is still a butterfly shot and with the drawing in of the season I’ll take whatever I can get.

After that I reverted to Dad mode and transported a barrowful if Pumpkins home – who would have thought that there were so many perfect Pumpkins?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

PS – This actually turned into my final butterfly photograph of 2018 as despite heading out to a few different National Trust sites, keeping my eyes peeled and camera ready during any spells or warmish fine weather and spying several other butterflies (Red Admirals, Specklie and a White) I didn’t get anymore photographs.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Wurzel, that final Butterfly before the Winter sets in is always sad to me but it spurs me on to get some Bulbs in for Spring
Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie I Know what you mean though as I have only the tiniest of courtyard gardens the final sighting spurs me on to actually catch up with my postings - I might get three up in a week instead of the usual two

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Way back in the mists of time the family Wurzel went on a city holiday to Lisbon. I didn't get round to posting it that year and was saving it for Jan 2017 but missed that window as well. Brexit willing we're off to Portugal again this year, more north and much more rural so for comparison here is Lisbon 2016...


Lisbon 2016

After the fantastic foray into Europe last year we thought we’d treat the girls to the west of Europe, so where better to head than Portugal? It was going to be a city based holiday so I wasn’t too hopeful of seeing any butterflies but took my camera anyway reasoning that there might be some parks to visit or at least some green spaces which could throw up a butterfly or two…

9th August – Journey Day!

A very full breakfast, a quick check around the room and we were away from the Travelodge. When I say very full it was even bigger than the Limit Cafes Aberystwyth’s breakfast so I actually rolled to the car when doing one of several trips to the load the car. During this I noted both Small and Large White but not much else. Just before we left my wife wanted to film a plane coming in to land so I enjoyed the surreal experience of watching an Emperor Dragonfly moving slowly towards me and coming to a stop to hover close in to the soundtrack of rumbling jet engines. After this it was all airport security, plane, bus, metro and a brief wander round lost until we found the apartment.

10th August First Day

A stroll around Alfarma to find an open Supermercado threw up zilch butterflies during the wander out but on the way back a blue of some description did a fly-by which given the very medieval/urban habitat was quite encouraging. Later we decided to walk to one of the city’s parks, the Jardin da Estela and on the way I saw a further 3 bluey grey butterflies none of which stopped and all where gone in a flash. Discontent I took a photo of a camera shop as their emblem was a butterfly as I felt that this may be the only butterfly I was going to get a shot of!

This did change when we got to the Jardin where I saw a couple of blues and a White. However it was now ludicrously hot (35+) so they were solar charged and of the three I think I got a single shot. I think it was a Long-tailed Blue which I was chuffed to see but also gutted as with this sighting a crate of Badger Beer from Philzoid evaporated.

We went further into the park and the girls had a play so I nipped off. At the first little section of flowers I found a small, female Blue. I know she was a female as she saw off a second passing/interested Blue and also did some ovi-positing. I reckon she was a Lang’s Short-tailed Blue as the underside didn’t show the broad white line of a Long-tail.

Slightly up the hill was a patch of Geraniums and this was a very active little site with Blues flying but never stopping, at last 5 of them. Also present were 3 smaller, greyer looking butterflies which turned out to be Geranium Bronzes. A Specklie fluttered by but landed far too high up for any successful photos although it was easy to see the difference between the races as this Specklie was brown and marmalade.

A small pond even further up the hill didn’t look particularly good but there I got onto a photo taking opportunity of a LTB (that crate of Badger Beer was definitely gone now) and a couple of whites again fluttered by without stopping.

As we left the park there were a few more Blue/White sightings as well as a Hummingbird Hawk Moth, Parakeets and a Xylocopa violacea – a huge blue/violet bee. Once ‘home’ (via the metro so no butterflies) I happened to look out of the window. A Blue had landed 3 floors below so I rushed down the very steep flights of stairs and outside. It had landed in a tiny patch of grass and my wife had been watching the spot so I knew that it hadn’t flown but it just wasn’t visible. I turned to move off and then it flew and disappeared above the roofs. I slowly climbed the stairs hoping that the rest of the holiday wasn’t going to as hard as this…

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

February 2019

Fingers crossed it won't be long now...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Sounds like you'd plenty of exercise Wurzel on that holiday, Lucky you though, I've yet to see any of those Blues, it would be good to take a trip there I think. Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie I was hard work walking everywhere and I can't remember exactly but I don't think went below 35 degrees C during the day once

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Padfield]

Looking forward to the rest of your LIsbon report, Wurzel! Back in the '90s I often camped at the Monsanto campsite in Lisbon, before heading off to other parts of Portugal and Spain (I got the bus from Victoria to Lisbon in '91 and '92, then from Geneva or Lausanne later). Good memories! The last time was '98. I arrived on the bus at about 23h00 and tramped along to the campsite, only to discover there were no places left as it was full-on Expo '98. By chance I met some Dutch hippies and we all traipsed across the Tagus to another campsite on the other side - full of druggies but safe and cheap. It was so much more fun backpacking before booking.com and tripadvisor ...

Guy