ernie f

[Wurzel]

Great stuff with the Holly Blue Ernie Interesting that you saw that behaviour again though that often seems the way - it only takes that initial observation and then eventually that's all you see

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

...17 new Small Coppers today in a different part of the common to the other day bringing my total here to 29 this week.

Another highly impressive count, ernie. They seem to be doing well practically everywhere even though conditions haven't necessarily been conducive to the later brood(s) this year.

Well done with the Holly Blue as well. If things stay mild, you may find a small third brood emerges round your way and lasts into November.

[ernie f]

Dave and David - I'll keep a look out for those late Holly Blues if the weather improves!
Wurzel - Yep - I saw another high-flyer Small Copper over the last few days. They are quite difficult as they can be in silhouette against the sky but as soon as you see them against the background of the tree canopy they become obviously copper coloured, even at distance.

[ernie f]

29th Sep 2020 Broxhead

My count of Small Coppers at Broxhead this year stands at 73, tantalizingly close to my all-time record which is 79.

The last time I did this particular transect was on 16th Sep 2020, 13 days ago. I saw a total of 15 Small Coppers on my walk today. Now it is of course possible I was in danger of double counting if I just counted everything I saw and added them to my annual total, so I had to have a procedure to minimize this. So I only counted them toward my annual total if I was able to take a good picture of each individual and when I got home closely scrutinized in close-up each one to see if it was worn or had any nicks or splits in the wings and then only counted those that were obviously pristine and fresh, given that none of them would have been in this condition 13 days ago after the wind and rain we have had between. Only 4 met these criteria.

73+4 = 77. Damn - two away from my annual best.

1st Oct 2020 Broxhead

Not to be defeated I had another plan up my sleeve. I decided to do a transect of a different and entirely separate part of the reserve which I had last walked on 26th Sep 2020. Now that's not very long ago so I had to have a different strategy as the ones I saw there last time may well still look fresh now. Luckily I knew I had only seen three individuals along this route last time so I decided I would only start counting after I had seen three this time - any more must all be new to me. Of course there was no guarantee I would see more - in fact I resolved myself to the possibility I may seen none at all - this being an area low in numbers at the best of times in previous years.

But it paid off - I saw 9 in total which I therefore assumed 6 were new to me - indeed I actually recognized a couple of them by comparing pictures of them to ones I had already taken but most of the ones I saw were actually along parts of the route I had seen none before.

So 77+6 = 83.

Guess what? 83 is now my annual record for this location.

As you can probably tell by now I am a bit obsessive about counting butterfly numbers in my area, particularly whenever I get close to an annual best. I am as scrupulous as I can be to avoid double-counting. There is no fail-safe way of doing this of course because some do fly some distance but most usually return to their patch and if you walk fast enough and never count any that fly past you from behind you can usually minimize the difficulty - however it is amazing how sneaky they can be, especially when you crouch over one for a few moments to get its picture and another you already counted gets in front of you without you noticing! If I get even a hint that this might have happened, the sneaky one doesn't get counted - not even in my daily total.

The cool temperatures are making some a little lethargic which is good news for close-up shots.

[millerd]

Fascinating info about the Copper numbers, Ernie, and your strategies for avoiding double and repeat counting. I find avoiding the latter especially tricky with the species, having discovered just how resilient and long-lived they can be. I have a couple of series of photos showing individuals persisting in the same locations for well over a month (in one case throughout a prolonged period of sunny weather too, so the butterfly would have been continuously active). They are a great little insect, and easy to get hooked on!

Cheers,

Dave

[Wurzel]

Sounds like you've got a good system for tallying up Ernie Love the close-up shot as you can see the 'eyelashes

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

Guess what? 83 is now my annual record for this location.

Excellent news, ernie. I'm wishing I kept records myself because I reckon this has been probably the best Small Copper late summer/early autumn I've known. They were around in slightly higher than average numbers in spring but since then their numbers have been extremely encouraging.

[ernie f]

Dave - I had an idea they might be long-lived but its nice to see you were able to prove it.
Wurzel - Small Coppers have so many interesting features about them, don't they?
David - Nice to hear that Small Coppers are doing well round your way too.

[ernie f]

7th Oct 2020

Broxhead
6 Small Coppers in the area that has had highest numbers this year - so clearly we are now in decline. None can be added to my annual count though as they were all starting to show wear so I am almost certain to have counted them already.

Kingsley
2 Small Coppers on the verge beside the Car Park. Both new as I have seen none on the verge so far this year which brings my total for Kingsley this year to 34.

[millerd]

That's a particularly nice Small Copper, Ernie. A bit on the dusky side, plus a full set of blue spots as well. Then it went and posed among the purple daisies - showing off, I'd say...

Cheers,

Dave

[ernie f]

Deadwater Valley woods

In 2018 there was a path in these woods that was getting good sunlight in one spot and sustained a single Speckled Wood into late November. I checked it out and sure enough, again a Speckled Wood in exactly the same spot, right down to perching regularly on the same tree as before.

Already as of 10th Oct this one is very tatty so I don't expect to see it in late November!

Also, plenty of mushrooms.

For example the Splitgill, looking a bit like snowflakes.

And this one. It took me a while to ID it because the only fit was a mushroom that is normally seen in Winter. I believe it is the Velvet Shank, but I am only 80% sure. My books were not good enough so a search on the web told me they can start as early as September and can fruit right through to March. The only known mushroom that can suffer being completely frozen in mid-winter. I do in fact have a picture of one from years ago which was covered in frost. Today though - this is the specimen.

[zigzag_wanderer]

Hi Ernie,

Will bow to experts but it does really look like it could be Velvet Shank - but that would be a month and a half ahead of its usual start time.

But hey, this is 2020.

It definitely isn't the Funeral Bell - but I wouldn't risk Velvet Shank outside of mid winter !

[Wurzel]

I had to do a double take of the Splitgill Ernie - I was thinking "Frosts this early in the South!?" Beautiful icicle like hyphae

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[zigzag_wanderer]

Hi Ernie,

Will bow to experts but it does really look like it could be Velvet Shank - but that would be a month and a half ahead of its usual start time.

But hey, this is 2020.

It definitely isn't the Funeral Bell - but I wouldn't risk Velvet Shank outside of mid winter !

Checked online too Ernie and yes, I can see as early as September mentioned (must admit I had it down as from late November). So would back your 80% ID level.

The wide gills and the darkening stem on view look good for Velvet Shank I think, but I am absolutely no expert.

I certainly wouldn't be eating it !

[David M]

....The only known mushroom that can suffer being completely frozen in mid-winter. I do in fact have a picture of one from years ago which was covered in frost. Today though - this is the specimen.

Amazing. I never knew that, ernie. It's quite an attractive fungus too, along with the delicate looking splitgill, which actually looks as though it's been frozen.

[ernie f]

Thanks Guys

Zigzag. I always suggest to people not to eat any wild mushroom unless they are 100% sure of the species. I once thought any UK mushroom that had pores rather than gills was OK - but this is NOT true so it seems. Just as well I didn't try any!!!

[ernie f]

On the 24th October 2018 I saw 5 Small Coppers at Broxhead. This was my latest record for this species. I didn't go back again that year to find them again to extend my record. So today, being the 25th October, I went to Broxhead to try my luck. Now in 2018, the 24th Oct was a balmy 16 degrees with sun and had been reasonably clement before that date. This year we have had torrential rain and gales and today the temperature hovered around 10 degrees max.

Was I mad? Well yes but nevertheless I did see one - a very fresh 4th brooder.

So now this is my record for the latest-seen Small Copper.

[trevor]

A lovely find given the date Ernie, there is usually some intentional/unintentional
competition on here to see who can find the latest/last butterfly of the year.

Until today you were the winner so far!.
Stay well,
Trevor.

[ernie f]

Broxhead, same place, same time, next day (26th Oct 2020) almost same temperature as yesterday and same Small Copper. I managed to extend my record of late sighting of this species by another day. There is bad weather forecast for tomorrow. Will it survive?

Trevor - In reality, my only competition is with myself. If I tried to compete with others I would always fail because I know people see the Red Admiral flying in late December out in the open in some places in the UK. At the moment my goal is to keep extended my lateness record for the Small Copper and hoping this individual will still be around in November!

[Allan.W.]

Hello Ernie ,
On the subject of late Small Coppers ,my latest to date is November 5th 2018 ,when we found 5 on the wing ,on the shingle at Dungeness ,Kent
3 were in poor condition ,and 2 were in good nick ,with one male trying really hard to find an interested female .i reckon that the two in good condition ,may well have hung on for another 7 or 8 days ,if i remember correctly the weather was fairly kind ,so they may well have still been about on ,till the 13th or 14th. Regards Allan.W.