essex buzzard

[David M]

Encouraging news, Mark. They are increasing in numbers and range in SE Wales too, although on the Gower, they remain stubbornly wedded to certain isolated locations where they can be very common.

It's odd how they go missing suddenly on seemingly suitable territory close to their established colonies. They are certainly fussier than Meadow Browns!

[essexbuzzard]

Late last week, I had the pleasure of showing a close friend round some of my favourite Sussex sites. It was not really a day for taking masses of butterfly pictures , however, my first ever mating pair of DGF, seen at Chantry Hill, Storrington, were difficult to resist!

[Wurzel]

Cracking shot Essex It seems that there are now three positions in the butterfly Karma sutra - wings open, wings closed and one with wings open the other with wings closed

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

Nice find, Mark. Not something you come across every day.

[essexbuzzard]

The Fleam Dyke is an ancient chalk earthworks that rises above the flat arable prairies of Cambridgeshire. Formally much overgrown and neglected, much conservation work has been done here in recent years, with spectacular results! For now it teems with butterflies in high summer, with Chalkhill Blues outnumbering all other species combined. A real success story! Hares can be seen in the surrounding arable fields as well.

Despite unsettled conditions, rather blustery weather on Saturday, the Chalkhill Blues in particular put on a good show. One of the loveliest high summer butterflies. I also found wild candytuft here, the only other places I have seen it is Aston Rowant.

[millerd]

Sounds like a good spot, Mark. Wild candytuft - isn't that the foodplant of the Southern Small White - worth looking out for caterpillars I suppose, if this species is currently on our doorstep waiting to (possibly) sneak over...

Cheers,

Dave

[David M]

...Wild candytuft - isn't that the foodplant of the Southern Small White - worth looking out for caterpillars I suppose, if this species is currently on our doorstep waiting to (possibly) sneak over..

It is indeed, Dave. Any time now for this species to be recorded in the UK. I think all we need is one more summer that provides optimum conditions for them.

[essexbuzzard]

It’s certainly is a caterpillar foodplant for SSW, I Europe at least. Hopefully it can utilise other plants as well, for wild candytuft is far too scarce to support a population on it’s own.

Perhaps we need to have a big publicity drive to plant more candytuft in gardens. It’s quick, easy and colourful!

[David M]

How readily would it grow in the UK, Mark? Does it need certain conditions that the UK is unlikely to provide?

[Pauline]

I'm very envious of your mating DGF Mark - that's one way of getting closer to them I assume? Or are they like Meadow Brown and take off in cop as soon as you blink?

[essexbuzzard]

Hi David, candytuft is the easiest stuff in the world to grow though, being annual, you have to re-sow it every year. Simply spread the seeds over bare ground in April, rake it in, and water it. Simples! Packets of seeds are easy to find at garden centres or small holdings.

Hi Pauline, this pair took of several times, the female flying with the male trailing behind. But they didn’t go far. My biggest worry was that they would separate, if I kept disturbing them, before mating was complete. But, after taking the pictures, I left them to it.

Mid to late July sees the Gatekeepers reach their peak. They have taken over from Meadow Browns and Ringlets, which are rapidly disappearing. Lovely butterflies, these.

The dark, summer forms of Speckled Wood are now about, too.

[essexbuzzard]

Chalkhill Blues are probably my favourite butterfly of high summer. So, before August begins, I had to get another trip in to see them! My choice of site was a good one, the Lydden Temple Ewell reserve in Kent. A fantastic emergence here this year and, getting here early, we managed to see many hundreds of these wonderful butterflies before they really got going. They are now at their peak!

Females are also now about.

Small Coppers were seen in small numbers.

A couple of second generation Small Blue were found, as well as some food plants, kidney vetch.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the day was the sheer numbers of second generation Dingy Skippers. Never before have I seen more than a couple, but this time we found 20+, and there must have been dozens, perhaps even hundreds, on site. They ranged from worn.

To very fresh

To be continued...

[millerd]

Lovely Chalkhills and fascinating to hear about the numbers of Dingies. They must be having a complete second brood down there by the sound of it, though ones and twos seem to be turning up on most sites at the moment. I've seen them in three completely different spots so far. Extraordinary.

Looking forward to the next episode - you are tempting me down to Kent...

Dave

[essexbuzzard]

If you are going Dave, get down there as soon as you can, as the peak won’t last much longer!

I was hoping for the first Silver Spotted Skippers, but for a long time it seemed I would be leaving empty handed. This was no disaster, as I had seen some brilliant stuff down there. However, I eventually found some at the far west end of the site, near the pine trees. Not many, there will be many more in a couple of weeks.

Finally, towards the end of the day, I found some nice groups of roosting Blues, including some nice Common Blues.

[kevling]

Hi Essex,

I'm loving your Chalk Hill Blue photos. It's been a few years since I visited Fleam Dyke. I usually do an annual trip to nearby Devils Dyke and see them, Last year I did a count of nearly 2000. Nice to see some 2nd brood Dingies amongst your photos too. Are the Cambridgeshire sites good for 2nd broods too?

Kind Regards
Kev

[essexbuzzard]

Hi Kev,

I think it would be worth checking Devils Dyke in the next week or two. It was closed when we were there, as the Newmarket races were on. I’ve never seen so many elsewhere as I am now, so this is the best year to try!

[ernie f]

Just catching up and saw your mating pair of DGF's. That's one I don't have in my collection and I don't suppose too many people do.

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks Ernie, yes, I was pleased with that one!

Yesterday I had time for an afternoon trip to Aston Rowant. The main target here was, of course, the Silver Spotted Skippers. My favourite late-summer butterfly was here in good numbers, and will soon reach it’s peak. I just love their character, and everything with them is top speed. Later this week, temperatures will increase and photography will become difficult. But this day was far more pleasant, at around 21C.

Chalkhill Blues are still present in good numbers, though not as many as I saw in Kent last week, and are past their best. Here is one of the better ones.

I hope to return here later in the month, to see how things are getting on.

[Wurzel]

Fantastic set of shots Essex The Silver-spots are definitely one of the cutest looking butterflies which belies their temperature dependent temperament - anything above 22 degrees and they're almost impossible

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

Nice range of species you've seen lately, Mark. Great that Chalkhills are doing so well, and good to see second brood Small Blues and Dingies. Your underside shot of tages is especially nice.