I guess that bike will be swallowed by the tide?
Nice views of the Essex antennae, ernie. No doubting that one.
ernie f
Re: ernie f
Wurzel, Dave
I like it when I can be sure I've seen an Essex Skipper. I come from Essex originally so I have a kinship with them.
I like it when I can be sure I've seen an Essex Skipper. I come from Essex originally so I have a kinship with them.
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
We've got the decorators in today so I have not been able to get out but I did go out for an hour yesterday afternoon (another of those "Garden Centre" trips).
3.30-4.30pm, Straits Enclosure, 23 degrees, sunny start, clouded over later
4 W Ad, 2 Comma, many S,E,L Skips, usual MB,R&G. One P Emperor swooped down to check me out then flew off while I stood beside the first Deer Lookout tower along the path (I have never seen a deer looking out from this tower though!). The P Emp flew down to me three separate times in the space of 15 minutes. It did not stop though.
Also along the path, 13 Pstreaks, each one of which flew low down, mostly just above head height, but none stopped.
Did get a close-up of one of the Comma's though.
3.30-4.30pm, Straits Enclosure, 23 degrees, sunny start, clouded over later
4 W Ad, 2 Comma, many S,E,L Skips, usual MB,R&G. One P Emperor swooped down to check me out then flew off while I stood beside the first Deer Lookout tower along the path (I have never seen a deer looking out from this tower though!). The P Emp flew down to me three separate times in the space of 15 minutes. It did not stop though.
Also along the path, 13 Pstreaks, each one of which flew low down, mostly just above head height, but none stopped.
Did get a close-up of one of the Comma's though.
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
Nice close up Ernie You can see the diamond thingy on thorax (the scutum?)
Have a goodun
Wurzel
You can see the diamond thingy on thorax (the scutum?) Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: ernie f
That's the very definition of frustration, ernie! If only they were as regularly obliging as your Comma.ernie f wrote:...The P Emp flew down to me three separate times in the space of 15 minutes. It did not stop though.
Re: ernie f
Wurzel - I had to look up Scutum as I admit I didn't know what it was. I found out from Wikipedia it was a Roman shield! 
David - It is interesting when Purple Emperors fly around you and its nice to see their antics from afar but nothing really matches getting up close and personal with one does it?
David - It is interesting when Purple Emperors fly around you and its nice to see their antics from afar but nothing really matches getting up close and personal with one does it?
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
13th July 2019, 9-11am, Straits Enclosure, mostly sunny at first, clouding gradually later, 20-22 degrees, slight breeze
This was a rather good morning. First I got a couple of close-up shots of a White Admiral on the ground. It was not in the best condition but was still pretty active.
Then there were multiple opportunities with Purple Hairstreaks. Quite a few came down – in fact at one point there were three all together on the grass at once and at another time, much further along the track, beside the first tower, another two came down together. These were not the only ones either, others were flying low and perching momentarily almost anywhere along the track verges.
Then a mated pair of Gatekeeper. First time I’ve got a pic of a pair in-cop with wings open.
And his nibs came down too. Saw three altogether, one came to low foliage and one came down to the ground. One male seemed to find a female and pursued her for awhile but she flew off, obviously a rejection there then. Shame.
One was dropping and raising its antennae.
I don't know why.
Also this morning on my way there, I saw a wild black rabbit snuzzing in the sun.
This was a rather good morning. First I got a couple of close-up shots of a White Admiral on the ground. It was not in the best condition but was still pretty active.
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
Cracking shots of the PE and PH Ernie 
I think you need to market your cologne 
Great shot of the Black Rabbit - which is probably even rarer then the PEs - I've only ever seen two myself
I think you need to market your cologne Great shot of the Black Rabbit - which is probably even rarer then the PEs - I've only ever seen two myself Re: ernie f
Looks like a great site for all things 'purple', ernie.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
Re: ernie f
David - The PE's and PH's were late starting around here so I think we may have hit peak now.
Wurzel - It wasn't my cologne that attracted the PE. I borrowed Nick's finger for those shots. For Info - A finger dipped in shrimp paste does the trick so it seems. The downside is that it attracts dogs too!!!
Wurzel - It wasn't my cologne that attracted the PE. I borrowed Nick's finger for those shots. For Info - A finger dipped in shrimp paste does the trick so it seems. The downside is that it attracts dogs too!!!
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
July 15th 2019
I saw two blue butterflies today. One in my own garden and another near my house. Both were fleeting glimpses but seemed to behave like Holly Blues.
3.15-5pm, Binswood, sunny, 21 degrees
A great time had with Pstreaks. One Oak had six on it and an adjacent one had another two I think. Anyway - they were all pretty low, basked with wings ajar on occasion and sometimes came down to the ferns. One came to the ground but only for a moment while others wheeled around me to find out what I was. I hope I didn't disappoint them.
Also of note - Small Coppers were out here and both of the ones I saw were unusual. One (no pic) was a mini and the other was severely deformed (pictured below). You can see one hindwing is shrunk and the forewing on the same side is ruffled. The body (withered?) seems also to curve to that side.
It could still fly but in an odd way which is what drew my attention to it in the first place.
I saw two blue butterflies today. One in my own garden and another near my house. Both were fleeting glimpses but seemed to behave like Holly Blues.
3.15-5pm, Binswood, sunny, 21 degrees
A great time had with Pstreaks. One Oak had six on it and an adjacent one had another two I think. Anyway - they were all pretty low, basked with wings ajar on occasion and sometimes came down to the ferns. One came to the ground but only for a moment while others wheeled around me to find out what I was. I hope I didn't disappoint them.
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
16th July 2019, 8.15-9.30 am, Binswood, Sunny, 14-17 degrees
Purpling today - majoring on Pstreaks. Lots of open-wing picture opportunities. Hurrah!
Here are some. I am always fascinated by the variety in colour of this species dependent on age, condition and direction of sunlight.
Also some Beautiful Demoiselles living up to their name.
I unwittingly disturbed a Tawny Owl from its daytime perch too. I don't know who was startled the most - him or me!
Purpling today - majoring on Pstreaks. Lots of open-wing picture opportunities. Hurrah!
Here are some. I am always fascinated by the variety in colour of this species dependent on age, condition and direction of sunlight.
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
You have found some great Purple Hairstreak sites, Ernie.
I particularly like your ' all purple ' shots of the male, something that has eluded me so far.
PH have been particularly obliging this year.
All the best,
Trevor.
I particularly like your ' all purple ' shots of the male, something that has eluded me so far.
PH have been particularly obliging this year.
All the best,
Trevor.
Re: ernie f
Cracking Purps Ernie I know what you mean bout the colour change/variation - I saw a Purp in the Dordogne last year and it wasn't purple in the slighest 
Soon their Brown cousins will be out 
Have a goodun
Wurzel
I know what you mean bout the colour change/variation - I saw a Purp in the Dordogne last year and it wasn't purple in the slighest Soon their Brown cousins will be out Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: ernie f
Fantastic, ernie. This is such a difficult butterfly for me to even find in south Wales, let alone have them posing wings-open within striking distance of my camera lens.
Re: ernie f
Report on the Silver-studded Blue colony at the Broxhead Lek – 2019
Last year I reported on both the Broxhead Lek site for the Silver-studded Blue and also a summary of the whole reserve for this species. This year I compare the 2019 numbers with those from 2018 at the Lek site only as last year I found this to be representative of the whole reserve.
I had performed a full survey (not reported) some years ago and last year the numbers tallied closely with that first survey. I assumed last year therefore that the population of Silver-studded Blues at Broxhead was stable. However the figures for 2019 have overturned that assumption. It now appears that the fortunes of this species may be greatly affected by factors unknown to me. What can be said though is that last year we had one of the longest, hottest summers on record and this year, although we have had some fair days in mid-summer, it was unseasonally cold and wet well into June. This latter factor was the probable reason for the delay in the start-up of the flight period this year and may even be responsible for the ongoing figures.
Start of flying season at Broxhead in 2018 was 6th June, in 2019 it was 14th June, about 1 week later.
I did not witness the final day of the flight period last year so I did not try to do that this year either – I merely surveyed up to the point where I achieved approximately the same numbers as last year on my last survey day that year.
Survey end in 2018 was on 11th July with 17 males and 12 females still flying, whereas in 2019 I ended my survey on 16th July with 18 males and 9 females still flying, nearly 1 week later.
Thus the flight season started later and ended later than last year, the whole flight season shifted forward by about a week.
The most startling discovery though was the greatly reduced numbers overall this year. Last year the max number of males recorded was 346 on June 23rd but this year the max number of males recorded was only 93 on the 2nd July, almost a quarter of those last year.
It was a similar situation for the females, with a max count for them of 52 on 4th July in 2018 but only a max count of 21 on 5th July 2019. Less than half the previous year.
Whatever affected the population this year hit the males a lot harder than the females. Whilst this is bad news overall it is the females which dictate the potential for the next generation and the fact they were less hit than the males does at least give us some reason for optimism for next year.
Last year I reported on both the Broxhead Lek site for the Silver-studded Blue and also a summary of the whole reserve for this species. This year I compare the 2019 numbers with those from 2018 at the Lek site only as last year I found this to be representative of the whole reserve.
I had performed a full survey (not reported) some years ago and last year the numbers tallied closely with that first survey. I assumed last year therefore that the population of Silver-studded Blues at Broxhead was stable. However the figures for 2019 have overturned that assumption. It now appears that the fortunes of this species may be greatly affected by factors unknown to me. What can be said though is that last year we had one of the longest, hottest summers on record and this year, although we have had some fair days in mid-summer, it was unseasonally cold and wet well into June. This latter factor was the probable reason for the delay in the start-up of the flight period this year and may even be responsible for the ongoing figures.
Start of flying season at Broxhead in 2018 was 6th June, in 2019 it was 14th June, about 1 week later.
I did not witness the final day of the flight period last year so I did not try to do that this year either – I merely surveyed up to the point where I achieved approximately the same numbers as last year on my last survey day that year.
Survey end in 2018 was on 11th July with 17 males and 12 females still flying, whereas in 2019 I ended my survey on 16th July with 18 males and 9 females still flying, nearly 1 week later.
Thus the flight season started later and ended later than last year, the whole flight season shifted forward by about a week.
The most startling discovery though was the greatly reduced numbers overall this year. Last year the max number of males recorded was 346 on June 23rd but this year the max number of males recorded was only 93 on the 2nd July, almost a quarter of those last year.
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
Trevor, Wurzel, David - I have been lucky with the Pstreaks these past two years. At my two local sites for them, Alice Holt and Binswood, they seem to have been coming down quite a lot. It's great for me but I wonder about how great it is for them. The Oaks around here seem to be suffering quite badly. Many of the leaves are withering and are coated with a white film. I wonder if it is the condition of the oaks that is forcing the Pstreaks down more?
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
I just looked it up - it's called "Oak Powdery Mildew". Luckily it does not kill the host tree (but unfortunately we do have Oak diseases that do!)
Ernie F
Re: ernie f
It would be interesting to know why the numbers seem down at this site Ernie as the site I visited had a very good year, possibly one of the best I've encountered? I wonder how influential micro climate is on the habitat at Broxhead as Slog Bog is, as the name would suggest, a wet bog/heathland, if Broxhead ism a dry heath perhaps it was more affected? It's encouraging though that the females seemed less affected - it could mean that they have to breed from a choice of fewer males BUT perhaps those males will be 'better' stock'? Fingers crossed for next year.
Have a goodun
Wurzel
I wonder how influential micro climate is on the habitat at Broxhead as Slog Bog is, as the name would suggest, a wet bog/heathland, if Broxhead ism a dry heath perhaps it was more affected? It's encouraging though that the females seemed less affected - it could mean that they have to breed from a choice of fewer males BUT perhaps those males will be 'better' stock'? Fingers crossed for next year.Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: ernie f
It's always interesting how populations fluctuate from one site to another. I guess local conditions could be a factor or perhaps the exceptionally warm, sunny weather during the 2018 flight period was influential in last year's superior figures?