Trevor

[Wurzel]

Cracking Common Blue Trevor and two Walls on a wall? Brilliant! It was probably good fortune that your car was in when it was - as you might have missed out on those finds if you'd gone any earlier

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[trevor]

You say I might not have found them if I'd been earlier Wurzel.
I have often wondered what I have missed at a site by being late,
and what's landed behind me as I've headed for home!.

Stay safe and Well,
Trevor.

[trevor]

After three days of wind and rain, a sizable patch of blue sky mid morning
was all the encouragement I needed to get out for a couple of hours.
Such was my haste to make the most of the improving weather, that I later
discovered that the memory card for my camera was still at home .

Fortunately the camera's internal memory will hold twelve images, so I needed
to be both sparing and ruthless at the same time, and delete any unsatisfactory shots.
A few Common blue shots had to go when I found a nectaring Comma, and later a
fresh looking female Wall Brown. Two Peacocks were also a welcome sight as was
a fresh Red Admiral with a large chunk of forewing wing missing.

Back at home I had to figure out how to retrieve today's shots from the camera,
which took a while, as this was the first time I have had do it, and was hopefully the last time.

Stay well all,
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Crickey Trevor you did brilliantly to get the pass rate that you did to get those shots! That's actually a pretty good method, it must have made the sorting and processing later much easier at least

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[trevor]

Thanks Wurzel. While taking my photo's yesterday with no memory card
I was reminded of the old box camera I had as a boy, which again would
only take twelve shots, and then came the agonising wait for the developed
film to come back from the chemists. It was also expensive with only paper
round money as income.

[ernie f]

Trevor

I'm catching up with peoples PD's. Love your pic of a Cloudie with blue sky behind and an amazing number of Wall Browns. Looks like they are expanding their range if you are seeing them in places you never saw them before. Hope they come over my way some-day.

[trevor]

Thanks Ernie. If that Cloudie shot is the one I think it is, it's one of my favourite shots of the year.

I was booked in for a flu jab at 12.20 today, so only a brief trip out today.
I chose High and Over as it is fairly local.
Only a maximum of four male Wall Browns were seen, all with battle/bird strike scars.
Red Admirals numbered three, all had been indulging in Ivy blossom.
Other sightings were of a single Small White and a possible Small Tortoiseshell,
which was seen against the sky so only a black outline to go by.

Stay well all,
Trevor.

[millerd]

Looks like the Walls are finally coming to an end there, Trevor. Still, it looks as if the third brood has been thoroughly successful so let's hope for good numbers in the spring.

Cheers,

Dave

[Wurzel]

Although they're showing a little bit of wear and tear still great to see those 3rd brood Walls They used to have a third brood at Keyhaven but I think the numbers have dropped off there in recent years so it didn't work out for them - hopefully it will in Sussex

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

Cheers Dave & Wurzel.

As I found out today, as far as Wall Browns are concerned, the fat Lady has yet to sing!.

[trevor]

My original plan for today was for a trip to Mill Hill.
But at 10.00 despite a clear blue sky it was still far too cool for butterflies.
On top of that cloud and rain was forecast for the afternoon, so a very short
window of fine weather meant staying local was the best bet.

So Herstmonceux Castle was the natural choice.
Shortly after arrival I was initially disappointed when only a few tired looking
Small Coppers seemed to be flying. I then noticed a female Wall Brown nectaring
on verbena but she was too far away for a shot, but I did catch up with her later on.
My next find was a complete surprise, a beautiful, very fresh, ' blue ' female Common Blue,
basking on a stone slab. Close inspection revealed that she was in fact drying her wings,
for she had only recently emerged. While thIs Common Blue was receiving my full attention
a Clouded Yellow flew in, as I focussed on the Cloudie another female Wall settled nearby.

In all three female Walls were seen, and only two males. And things became lively.....

More to follow.

[trevor]

The five Wall Browns, three females and two males, I saw yesterday provided
a feast for the camera. When the third female came along I had to pinch myself
to confirm that I was looking at a very fresh female Wall as late as Oct 9th.

After a few shots of this third female basking on a wall, she then flew onto
a Verbena to nectar and was very soon joined by a male on the same flower.
Of course he was going to try his luck, and after several chases and two groundings
he finally took the very strong hint that she was not interested and left her
quivering her wings on the ground.

I only saw 11 butterflies yesterday, but what a day of entertainment they provided!.

Stay safe and well,
Trevor

[millerd]

That is a beautifully vivid female Common Blue, Trevor. Absolutely nothing "common" about that one. When you think about it, female Common Blues are some of the most varied and striking butterflies the British list has to offer.

Among all those great Wall images, there's a terrific one (on the verbena) nicely illustrating the difference between the sexes. One for the textbook!

Cheers,

Dave

[Wurzel]

Fabulous Walls and Cloudy Trevor but that female Blue? There's certainly nothing Common about her cracking set of shots

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[trevor]

Many thanks Dave & Wurzel.
That female Common Blue was very special, more so because of the date.
But, the ratio of Wall Browns, three females to two males was what I found remarkable.
I have never found three females on the same day, nor have I seen them outnumber males before.

I might pop back today for another dose!.

All the best,
Trevor.

[David M]

..When the third female came along I had to pinch myself
to confirm that I was looking at a very fresh female Wall as late as Oct 9th.

I'd be pinching myself were I to see this on 9th September, Trevor, never mind October! I'm ever more beginning to ponder over whether the Wall Brown (in certain parts of the country at least) is starting to break through its developmental trap and to become genuinely triple brooded.

Equally as satisfying is that female Common Blue. She is absolutely dazzling.

[essexbuzzard]

Wow, what a great place to have on your doorstep, that’s turns up stuff like that.

What a lovely Common Blue!

And those Walls are superb, well done Trevor!

[trevor]

Many thanks David and Mark. That female Common Blue would have been
quite a find back in the Summer, let alone October.
I went back to Herstmonceux Castle on October 11th for what will probably
a last visit for this year. This time it was the male Common blue that predominated,
all were far from pristine, Even the only really fresh one had suffered a bird attack.

Fellow enthusiast, John Williams, joined me later on in the day, but by then the
cloud had built and sunny breaks became fewer, and it was mainly down to a single
male Wall Brown for the rest of the afternoon, although a female Wall was my first
find in the morning.

Stay safe and well everyone,
Trevor.

[Neil Freeman]

Excellent Wall Browns Trevor

Those, and your Clouded Yellows, also not forgetting the recent LTBs almost make me think about moving down south...almost

Cheers,

Neil.

[trevor]

You would be very welcome ' down South ', Neil.
But, you would be a lot further away from those Northern species that
you could possibly fit in to a day trip. Every area has it's compensations
and draw backs, but I am very lucky to have such variety on my doorstep,
or a short drive away.

Stay safe and well,
Trevor.