ernie f

[ernie f]

4th July 2019, 9-10.30am, Noar Hill, 16-19 degrees, full sun

L Skip, S Heath, P Lady (2), MB&R, Comma, S&L&M White, Cinnabar, Small Magpie and one Small Blue.

But the stars of the show today were the four DG Frits.

10.30-11 am, Chawton Estate Elms, 19 degrees

At last - my first WL Hairstreaks of the year. I know many other people have seen them so far on this forum - with some fine picks (even in-cop!!!), but I was just satisfied to see two males sparring up in the canopy through my binoculars. No pics - they were too far up.

Also a pair of Peregrine Falcons using a thermal to gain height. These of course are the fastest bird in the world on descent but it is surprising how fast they can go UP too using thermals. They were quickly out of sight. I bet they could still see ME though.

[Goldie M]

Hi! ernie, good shot of the DGF, your pic has made me long to get this darn boot off and get driving again, I know they're out at Southport but I can't get there, never mind, maybe next year if I don't fall down stairs again. Goldie

[David M]

You sure are busy right now, ernie. Love the White Admiral abs and you've managed to get close to PurpleHairstreaks/Emperors too!

[ernie f]

Goldie - I hope you can get the boot off soon, too. We need you back in the field as soon as possible.
David - Thanks - There is always something of interest to see and every so often you get one of those "moments". Sitting beside an ab White Ad and a Purple Hairstreak with its wings ajar at the same time can certainly be classed as a "moment"!

[ernie f]

It has just occurred to me. Yesterday I reported I had seen a Small Blue at Noar Hill. Now Magdalen Hill has a whole bundle of them and last time I visited there were none - which did not surprise me as I was just out of their season. So what was this one doing at Noar Hill and then it dawned on me (call me stupid) it was a second brooder. The pic I took of it was blurred so I deleted it but I remember it was pristine - having no cuts and abrasions. Now I wish I hadn't deleted it.

[Wurzel]

"my first WL Hairstreaks of the year. I know many other people have seen them so far on this forum" still not seen one myself Ernie
You're right about the DGFs being the star of the show - they generally are and if not have a dam good go at stealing the limelight

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[ernie f]

5th July 2019, Alice Holt: Abbot's Wood, 10.15-11.15 am, Mainly sun, 22 degrees

2 Pstreaks, 11 SW Frits, 2 P Emps (same two as last time no doubt), 8 L Skip, 2 Red Ad, 2 Wh Ad, 1 S White, 1 L White, 1 M White.

One Pstreak was demonstrating how to use a leaf as a sun parasol!

11.30-12 noon, Broxhead, Mainly sun, 23 degrees

SSB survey continues...

Today I counted 92 individuals in and around the lek of which there were 21 females. Three days ago there were 101 of which 8 were females. It looks to me as if we have just gone past peak. Last year at peak there were 346, while this year there were 101. If we really are on the downward side of the slope now, it appears numbers have been slashed by 2/3 since last year. I can't say for sure yet until I get another couple of data points but the increase in females certainly points that way.

Also L White, P Lady, L Skip, MBrown, Silver-Y

Today I saw the antics of a female rejecting a male. She would vibrate her wings very fast and also put her rear up in much the same way as Whites and Brimstones do. In these pics the male is actually underneath her.

I also visited my father at his care home today (I do so twice per week). He was in the dining room and right beside him on the window and ledge were two moths. I had my camera with me, so...

I think this one is a Treble Brown Spot.

And this one may be a Small Dusty Wave.

Please let me know if I have these ID's wrong. Thanks.

[Wurzel]

I reckon you could be right with those IDs Ernie - but then I don't have that good a track record with Moffs Ernie I've seen that rejection technique in Silver-studs as well Ernie, its surprising how long the male persists for The two pairs that I've seen in cop didn't hang around so you'd think that after 30 seconds of trying and not getting anywhere the males would get the message

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[ernie f]

Wurzel - talk about the persistence of male SSBs. A few years ago I watched one male trying to mate with a rejecting female but she didn't do this wing-vibrating, rear-up technique. She may have done before I got there but while I watched she just clung on to a heather frond. She had probably by then just given up trying to give him signals and instead resorted to cold-shoulder. I watched her unmoving for about 20 minutes and he was still there bothering her as I left.

[ernie f]

5th July 2019. 5-5.30 pm and 6th July 2019, 7.30-10am, Binswood, mostly sun both times, 26 degrees afternoon, 15-19 degrees following morning

Two trips to the same site but a different location within that site each time - separated only by one night so I shall combine up.

3 Comma, 1 Common Blue, 2 S White, 2 S Skip, 19 M White, 1 P Lady, 16 L Skip, 1 Red Ad,
1 SWF, 2 Gatekeeper, combined Meadow Brown and Ringlet in hundreds, 1 Cinnabar and 19 Purple Hairstreak.

I saw my first Binswood Pstreak this year only a little over one week ago and already some of the individuals I saw today were getting a bit frayed around the edges. But the numbers were on the increase and some of them were fairly fresh.

I found three locations where they were coming down quite low. One came down to ground foliage but others stayed on the low boughs of oaks. At one point there were so many flitting about on one tree I had difficulty counting them, definitely at least seven because at one point I prodded one low bough with my hand (that’s how low it was) and seven took off from it all at once. I have now counted 23 here so far this year but I do not intend to scour the place for them like I did last year as I don’t have the stamina for it.

Also my first Gatekeeper of the year and my first for the year second-brood Common Blue.

Also an late-afternoon shot of a Large Skipper nectaring.

And a close-up of a Meadow Brown.

[ernie f]

7th July 2019, 10-11 am, Binswood, Overcast after a misty drizzle, 16 degrees

I admit I am an optimist. I didn't know what to expect under such conditions but I came here anyway - and the answer was that no Purple Hairstreaks moved and none were roosting low down.

So I diverted my attention to a very amenable Marbled White who posed for a few shots.

[Wurzel]

Great shots of the Purps Ernie Also really great close-ups of the Marbled Whites but my favourite has to be the stained glass MW

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

You're certainly cleaning up with the Purple Hairstreaks, ernie.

Looks like another good year for them following on from their 2018 display.

[ernie f]

Wurzel, David - Yep the Purple Hairstreaks seem to be building up nicely again this year and again like last year often seen low down.

[ernie f]

8th July 2019, 10.15-12.15, Straits Enclosure, 80% cloud, 19 degrees

8 SWF, 2 M White, 2 S White, 4 W Ad, 3 R Ad, 1 P Emp, 15 L Skip, 7 S Skip, 4 Pstreak, 3 Gkeeper, 1 Brimstone

1 Golden-ringed Dragonfly

Good views of P Emp in trees and seen flying low around a group of butterfly enthusiasts (myself included) for a couple of minutes.

Also a close-up of a Gatekeeper.

Broxhead

Met Roger at the Straits Enclosure, got talking about SSB’s. I showed him the Broxhead lek. We saw a number of males and females and he also spotted this tiny grasshopper. I think it might be a Mottled Grasshopper. Any ideas?

1.30-3.00 pm, Abbots Wood mostly sunny, 22 degrees

I think Mark must be camping out as he was there again today – of course he might probably say the same about me!!! Together we saw three P Emps of which one he suggested might be a female, because it was flying in shade in the trees.

Also: 3 Wt Ad, 3 SWF, 2 L Skip, 7 Pstreak, 1 M White

And a Southern Hawker.

[Wurzel]

Tantalising views of His Nibbs Ernie - I bet everyone was willing him down

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

You're seeing some great stuff, ernie. Where do you find the energy?

[ernie f]

Wurzel - Funnily enough he was on the ground but none of us noticed until he flew up!
David - Re "where do I find the energy" - well I took a tip from the Minions - I eat a banana a day.

[ernie f]

9th July 2019, 10-11 am, Farlington East, weak sun through slight cloud, 19 degrees, onshore breeze

Speaking with Mark yesterday, he put me onto a good WL Hairstreak site near the south coast just east of Farlington Marsh. It is I found out today the closest point to me where I can access the coast path. No WLH's as I was too late, the bramble down here is already sprouting berries. Nevertheless the coast was lovely. I don't think I have ever seen Pyramidal Orchids growing side by side with Reedmace! There were lots of these orchids and they were some of the largest examples of the species I think I have ever seen.

Butterflies were:

1 Comma, 2 S White, 1 L White, 2 Peacock, 2 L Skip, 8 M White, 13 M Brown (not very many really) but 103 Gatekeeper! An astonishing number considering I saw my first of the year within the last few days and I guess this was a small fraction of the total here because they were everywhere and I didn't cover all the paths. Also there were 22 S&E Skippers, one of which was definitely a Small Skipper and two were definitely Essex. I don't know the true ratio because I did not scrutinise every one of them up close.

Plus a bunch of Cinnabar larvae.

It was low tide and there were a couple of cockle-pickers out on the tidal marsh. One had left his bike in the middle of the bay. It made an odd scene.

[Wurzel]

Great close up of the Essex Skipper Ernie That Hedge Brown is looking a little tired already

Have a goodun

Wurzel