essex buzzard

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks, Wurzel. It took a while to get going, but was a good day.

Thanks David, Dingy Skippers are exquisite when fresh, especially the females.

Thanks Pauline. Cornwall is splendid of course, but I’m bound to say that! Esther did do well, an extra pair of eyes always comes in handy...

[essexbuzzard]

So, that was it. The late-spring bank holiday. For me in east Anglia, it was a weekend wasted. It was warm with sunny intervals on Saturday, while I was at work, and cloudy and windy on Sunday and Monday, when I was off. No rain, no sun, just cloud. Lots and lots of cloud. I do wish the forecasters, both on TV and online, would tell it like it is, instead of putting such a glossy spin on things!

NO butterflies for me this weekend, then, but I did see some last week, with a trip down to Denbies. This included my first Adonis Blues of 2019.

Several Grizzed Skippers were here, including some surprise fresh ones.

And, again, Dingy Skippers were common. Here is another for David.

Brimstones, Small Coppers, Green Hairstreaks, Small Heaths and various whites were also seen, as well as large numbers of 5 spot burnet moths and a few Mother Shipton.

[trevor]

I concur about the weather, Mark. But it's far worse when it's fine leaving home,
then cloud and rain set in 100 miles later. I've got that badge!.

All the best,
Trevor.

[David M]

...And, again, Dingy Skippers were common. Here is another for David...

Beautiful, Mark....and very envy-inducing.

I'll trump it with a female Violet Copper when I get home!

[essexbuzzard]

Hi Trevor, me too. Lots of them!

That’s not fair, David!

In afternoon, on to Storrigton in Sussex. Unfortunately, it was rather cloudy by now-a familiar story! But it was quite warm, and, in some of the sheltered north-facing coombes, several Duke of Burgundy were found, most in good condition,though the pictures were a bit grainy...

More Grizzled and Dingy Skippers were welcome, in fact this was the best Grizzled site I have visited this year .

Brown Argus were around in good numbers, along with a few Common Blues.

Leaving Storrington, I headed down to Mill Hill. Unfortunately, the weather had really closed in by then, and all butterflies were asleep. But it was worth visiting,to see the lovely horseshoe vetch there.

[Wurzel]

That is a lovely fresh looking Duke Essex All of those species you mentioned are having a great season in 2019

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Cloudy weather can be frustrating, Mark, but it allows you to get better than usual images of the butterflies as you have done there. The Brown Argus in particular is lovely.

[Neil Freeman]

... For me in east Anglia, it was a weekend wasted. It was warm with sunny intervals on Saturday, while I was at work, and cloudy and windy on Sunday and Monday, when I was off. No rain, no sun, just cloud. Lots and lots of cloud...

Pretty much the same in my bit of the midlands although I did manage to get out for a bit on Saturday and we had a few showers of rain on Monday to add to the gloom.

Very nice Duke, Grizzled Skipper and Brown Argus

Cheers,

Neil.

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks Wurzel, you’re right. The Duke seems to be doing particularly well, long May that continue!

Thanks David. That Brown Argus stood out from all the others with it’s particularly fine markings. Like the Dingy, it is not obviously beautiful, but I think it is a rather lovely little butterfly!

Thanks Neil. I have to say, I have struggled a bit this spring. After last years vintage May, both in terms of colour and weather, perhaps this one has been more realistic...

[essexbuzzard]

As Allan W knows, there is plenty to interest the nature lover in east Kent at this time of year. Last week, I spent an afternoon down there, visiting the Small Blue colony at Western Heights, just outside Dover. It was lovely to see them, after seeing everyone else’s sightings elsewhere!

[David M]

Lovely, pin sharp images, Mark. This species is having a spectacular year, which is surprising given that the kidney vetch must have suffered during last year's heatwave.

[Wurzel]

Lovely shots Essex - especially the first one - you can really pick out the individual blue scales on that male

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

Yes, Small Blue does seem to be doing well this spring. The kidney vetch seems to be doing ok, perhaps the rain last August was enough to save it.

Thanks Wurzel, some lovely Small Blue images coming on to the forums at the moment...

East Kent is perhaps the best area in the whole of Britain for orchids so, after leaving Dover, there was just time to fit in a couple of sites. Thank goodness the days are long! Bonsai Bank is great for lady orchids, with hundreds present. Here is a close up of the flowers,

Arriving around 5.30PM, I was pleased to find a few Dukes still active. Although not the purpose of the trip this time, they are always welcome.

Not too far away, the monkey orchids were coming out at Park Gate Down, a KWT site.

Also at Park Gate,were still some early purples and also fly orchids.

As we move into early summer, more treasures will appear at this great site.

[Wurzel]

Those Orchids are stunning Essex Mind you are they sure about the Lady Orchid, there seems to be something a little male about them?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Some fine orchids you've got there, Mark, and a few bonus Dukes too! Seems like an excellent early evening.

What's behind the name Bonsai Bank? Surely there aren't miniature trees growing there?

[essexbuzzard]

Hi Wurzel, yes there does!

Hi David, well actually, there are! Back in the 60s or 70s, the site was planted with forest conifers. But they failed to grow properly in the dry, chalky soil on the bank, becoming miniature trees, and growing at a snails pace. I think that’s where the name comes from. As luck would have it, this probably saved the Duke colony and the orchids, as has happened in so many places. In recent years, many of the trees have been removed, as part of the management plan.

[millerd]

Great to see Dovorian Small Blues, Essex. To think I lived there for years before my butterfly interest re-emerged - I certainly had no idea there were Small Blues up on the Western Heights, for example.

Cheers,

Dave

[essexbuzzard]

Hi Dave, yes there have been a colony of SB there for as long as I can remember. There’s so much going on in east Kent in late spring that I returned a few days later...

It was one of those days, with low pressure heading in from the south-west, so I decided to head as far east as possible. So I headed to Lydden Temple Ewell Downs, where I had a decent morning watching Adonis Blues and others, before the drizzle arrived. This mating pair was a highlight.

Eventually, the female opened up as well.

Here is a habitat picture, with horseshoe vetch in the foreground.

Full list was, Dingy Skippers, Brimstones, Large White, Orange Tip, Small Blue, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Adonis Blue and Small Heath.

[Wurzel]

That quadruple page spread shot is a cracker - don't often see that, if at all

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Hi David, well actually, there are! Back in the 60s or 70s, the site was planted with forest conifers. But they failed to grow properly in the dry, chalky soil on the bank, becoming miniature trees, and growing at a snails pace. I think that’s where the name comes from. As luck would have it, this probably saved the Duke colony and the orchids, as has happened in so many places. In recent years, many of the trees have been removed, as part of the management plan.

That's as interesting as it is comical, Mark.

Yes, you're probably right about the impact it had on the Dukes. They are very much creatures of sparse tree cover and clearings.

Love the double open-wing mating pair of Adonis. That should be going straight into the species gallery!