millerd
-
- Posts: 2508
- Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2011 6:23 pm
Re: millerd
Congratulations from me too, Dave. Glad Essex has been treating you well!
Some excellent images there...
Some excellent images there...
Re: millerd
I think you could be right about those apparent topside spots, Buggy - I hadn't taken account of where the sun was. The "taillights" were real, though!
Cheers, Wurzel - this is a dream of a site for WLH, and it's almost impossible to fail to get easy shots at the appropriate time of year.
When you find a spot like this, Neil, it is worth making it a target. Before I started to come here, I struggled for years to see WLH anywhere - I think I had one photo.
Thank you Essex, your home county has indeed been very hospitable, and 26th June was not yet over...
Luckily the WLH season and the Heath Fritillary season overlap, and there are several sites for the latter within a few miles of where I saw the former. I had seen Heath Fritillaries at Hockley Woods a couple of weeks earlier when there had largely been fresh dark males, so on this occasion I dropped into Pound Wood. I had been here in 2020 too, and the areas where I had seen them then were now fenced off - a peep into these spots revealed that there were still Heaths flying there, but the main area for them was now a bit further on where more recent coppicing had taken place. These woods are clearly being carefully managed, as each coppiced area is named, with the date when it was coppiced. This is the Heath Fritillary "hotspot" for 2021, coppiced during the winter of 2018/9. It was now a bit cloudier than it had been earlier, and the butterflies could initially only be found by careful searching or accidental disturbance. However, when the sun came out they magically appeared in surprising numbers - it was difficult to work out where they had been hiding. There were males and females, in a variety of shades of orange and brown with some of the bright ones almost resembling Marsh Fritillaries. There were several pairings... ...and many chases involving four or five individual males. However, these chases were sedate low-speed affairs and the butterflies rarely rose above head height. One confrontation (or was it a failed courtship attempt?) was a curious affair though. Some other photos... The backlit "stained glass" effect with this species is (as with most small fritillaries) particularly attractive... ...as is the underside lit normally. Spending time on your own in a clearing surrounded by Heath Fritillaries is a very relaxing affair, and it was very hard indeed to leave.
Dave
Cheers, Wurzel - this is a dream of a site for WLH, and it's almost impossible to fail to get easy shots at the appropriate time of year.
When you find a spot like this, Neil, it is worth making it a target. Before I started to come here, I struggled for years to see WLH anywhere - I think I had one photo.
Thank you Essex, your home county has indeed been very hospitable, and 26th June was not yet over...
Luckily the WLH season and the Heath Fritillary season overlap, and there are several sites for the latter within a few miles of where I saw the former. I had seen Heath Fritillaries at Hockley Woods a couple of weeks earlier when there had largely been fresh dark males, so on this occasion I dropped into Pound Wood. I had been here in 2020 too, and the areas where I had seen them then were now fenced off - a peep into these spots revealed that there were still Heaths flying there, but the main area for them was now a bit further on where more recent coppicing had taken place. These woods are clearly being carefully managed, as each coppiced area is named, with the date when it was coppiced. This is the Heath Fritillary "hotspot" for 2021, coppiced during the winter of 2018/9. It was now a bit cloudier than it had been earlier, and the butterflies could initially only be found by careful searching or accidental disturbance. However, when the sun came out they magically appeared in surprising numbers - it was difficult to work out where they had been hiding. There were males and females, in a variety of shades of orange and brown with some of the bright ones almost resembling Marsh Fritillaries. There were several pairings... ...and many chases involving four or five individual males. However, these chases were sedate low-speed affairs and the butterflies rarely rose above head height. One confrontation (or was it a failed courtship attempt?) was a curious affair though. Some other photos... The backlit "stained glass" effect with this species is (as with most small fritillaries) particularly attractive... ...as is the underside lit normally. Spending time on your own in a clearing surrounded by Heath Fritillaries is a very relaxing affair, and it was very hard indeed to leave.
Dave
Re: millerd
The last few days of June were nothing special weatherwise, and I stayed local. That said, there were always a few things of interest on my daily walks.
Dave
Tuesday 29th June was perhaps the best of these days, with some variety seen (14 species) including the first Marbled Whites here this year and some new brood Small Tortoiseshells. These days also produced a moth that needs a name - is it an ermine of some sort?
On the last day of the month I headed up to York - unfortunately plans to stop en route didn't come to fruition, mostly because of the weather (the sun only came out on arrival early evening).Dave
Re: millerd
Thursday 1st July. It was a lovely sunny morning when I set out from my base at my sister's house in Wilberfoss, a few miles east of York. The forecast was a bit ambivalent, threatening cloud encroaching off the North Sea, but it stayed sunny all the way to Pickering, and temperatures were in the high teens. However, my optimism for the day diminished as I climbed out along the Whitby road up onto the North York Moors, and when I reached my target destination, Fen Bog, it was completely cloudy, only intermittently bright at best, and only 15 degrees. At least it wasn't raining or particularly breezy - but I still put a coat on.
As I made my way from the car towards the bog itself, my eye was drawn to a bright orange patch amid the green of the bracken and purple of the heather. Despite the conditions, here was a female Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary. I had hoped to see the species, but without the sun I had all but given up. The butterfly obligingly gave me a variety of angles and poses before finally acknowledging the conditions and shutting up shop. I continued down to the bog, which though wet in places was not dangerously "boggy" except for obvious open stretches of water. The main hazards were from hidden hollows and solid grassy tussocks which made progress around the site slow and laborious. I completed a circuit, seeing nothing more than a few Small Heaths (useful reference points!)... ...and climbed back to the starting point. To my complete astonishment, a familiar figure appeared - none other than Philzoid, plus his daughter.
Joining forces (now with three pairs of eyes rather than the one) we performed another circuit. Before long, the shout went up from Phil's daughter - she had disturbed a butterfly from the ground. We watched it fly past us, over a large pool and disappear from sight. However, it was larger and darker than a Small Heath but with a similar (but stronger) sort of flight. We agreed that this was almost certainly the main target for the day: a Large Heath. Once again returning to the start, some brightness came through the cloud and a couple of SPBF flew up out of nowhere and Phil was able to add these to his year list as well.
After much catching up and further amazement at an unlikely meeting some 300 miles from our usual haunts, Phil and daughter had to return northwards. I had more time, and with hope firmly outbalancing expectation, I set off on another circuit. This time I was lucky. I put up the butterfly myself, and it didn't fly far. In fact each time I subsequently disturbed it I was able to reconnect with it. A Large Heath. The butterflies here are usually the "intermediate" variety in terms of underside spotting, but this one inclined more towards the Scottish camp.
I saw no more of them, though, and headed back to the car. Wandering slowly through the area where the first SPBF had greeted me, more brightness crept through the cloud and suddenly there were a great many more SPBF around. I spent a while with them before finally leaving, but I shall leave that to a separate post.
Dave
As I made my way from the car towards the bog itself, my eye was drawn to a bright orange patch amid the green of the bracken and purple of the heather. Despite the conditions, here was a female Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary. I had hoped to see the species, but without the sun I had all but given up. The butterfly obligingly gave me a variety of angles and poses before finally acknowledging the conditions and shutting up shop. I continued down to the bog, which though wet in places was not dangerously "boggy" except for obvious open stretches of water. The main hazards were from hidden hollows and solid grassy tussocks which made progress around the site slow and laborious. I completed a circuit, seeing nothing more than a few Small Heaths (useful reference points!)... ...and climbed back to the starting point. To my complete astonishment, a familiar figure appeared - none other than Philzoid, plus his daughter.
Joining forces (now with three pairs of eyes rather than the one) we performed another circuit. Before long, the shout went up from Phil's daughter - she had disturbed a butterfly from the ground. We watched it fly past us, over a large pool and disappear from sight. However, it was larger and darker than a Small Heath but with a similar (but stronger) sort of flight. We agreed that this was almost certainly the main target for the day: a Large Heath. Once again returning to the start, some brightness came through the cloud and a couple of SPBF flew up out of nowhere and Phil was able to add these to his year list as well.
After much catching up and further amazement at an unlikely meeting some 300 miles from our usual haunts, Phil and daughter had to return northwards. I had more time, and with hope firmly outbalancing expectation, I set off on another circuit. This time I was lucky. I put up the butterfly myself, and it didn't fly far. In fact each time I subsequently disturbed it I was able to reconnect with it. A Large Heath. The butterflies here are usually the "intermediate" variety in terms of underside spotting, but this one inclined more towards the Scottish camp.
I saw no more of them, though, and headed back to the car. Wandering slowly through the area where the first SPBF had greeted me, more brightness crept through the cloud and suddenly there were a great many more SPBF around. I spent a while with them before finally leaving, but I shall leave that to a separate post.
Dave
Re: millerd
Excellent Large Heath shots Dave. You have captured the texture of the wings perfectly,
decidedly hairy !. Good to see clear images of them with nothing in the way.
With Small Pearls in the mix, it must have been an excellent day!.
Stay well,
Trevor.
PS. Could your Large Heath be a hybrid ?, between large and Small.
decidedly hairy !. Good to see clear images of them with nothing in the way.
With Small Pearls in the mix, it must have been an excellent day!.
Stay well,
Trevor.
PS. Could your Large Heath be a hybrid ?, between large and Small.
Re: millerd
Cracking find that Dave, a Northern Philzoid! The Large Heath was quite a good find too
Have a goodun and stay safe
Wurzel
Have a goodun and stay safe
Wurzel
Re: millerd
Glad you managed to spot one, Dave, after your long journey, and it's a really interesting specimen. We have polydamus here in Wales and they are much more heavily spotted than the one in your image. Like you say, it errs towards the scotica even though it's some distance from those colonies.
Re: millerd
Thank you, Trevor. I was lucky one way and another and confounded the adage that you can't get close to a Large Heath. Those shots were taken about as close as you can get - with such low light levels anything from further away was distinctly fuzzy. It was indeed a very furry little thing, probably unsurprising given the climate it chooses to live in!
Yes, Wurzel, three good finds - some nice SPBF, a Large Heath, and a bonus Philzoid...
I was surprised at how little spotting was on this individual, David, especially as on my last visit here two years ago, all those I saw were typical polydama. This one looks just like pictures of scotica as you say. A product of this year's cold spring and cloudy early part of summer up here?
So, pleased with the success in the end of my searches for Large Heath on 1st July, I headed back towards the car. My amble passed through the patch of heather and bracken where I'd seen the Small Pearl earlier, and with a bit more brightness and strength in the hidden sun at this time of the midsummer day, I found quite a few more SPBF had appeared. How could I resist? That really was the icing on the cake. After fruitless searching for SPBF in bright warm sunshine down in Sussex, and then failing to get close to some hypercharged individuals on a hotter day in Somerset, I had far more success on a cool cloudy day in North Yorkshire.
I set off back to Wilberfoss, returning into sunshine again at Pickering and reaching Wilberfoss with the temperature up to 23 degrees. It all seemed rather unreal!
Dave
Yes, Wurzel, three good finds - some nice SPBF, a Large Heath, and a bonus Philzoid...
I was surprised at how little spotting was on this individual, David, especially as on my last visit here two years ago, all those I saw were typical polydama. This one looks just like pictures of scotica as you say. A product of this year's cold spring and cloudy early part of summer up here?
So, pleased with the success in the end of my searches for Large Heath on 1st July, I headed back towards the car. My amble passed through the patch of heather and bracken where I'd seen the Small Pearl earlier, and with a bit more brightness and strength in the hidden sun at this time of the midsummer day, I found quite a few more SPBF had appeared. How could I resist? That really was the icing on the cake. After fruitless searching for SPBF in bright warm sunshine down in Sussex, and then failing to get close to some hypercharged individuals on a hotter day in Somerset, I had far more success on a cool cloudy day in North Yorkshire.
I set off back to Wilberfoss, returning into sunshine again at Pickering and reaching Wilberfoss with the temperature up to 23 degrees. It all seemed rather unreal!
Dave
Re: millerd
On Friday 2nd July I had the morning to myself again, and with sunshine prevailing again I set off east to Kiplingcotes old chalk workings. This always feels a bit like stepping through a portal into a more southerly chalk location, but the similarity ended when I started to count Small Tortoiseshells. I reached over 50 in a circuit of the site - it's been a while since I've seen those sorts of numbers.
There were also dozens of fresh Ringlets, the first I'd seen this year, curiously. One other butterfly was also flying in good numbers - Marbled Whites. They were largely fresh, and a mating pair in particular demonstrated the sharp contrast in colouration between male and female undersides. There were other nice individuals too. Also seen were Commas, Red Admirals, Meadow Browns, Speckled Woods, Small Heaths, Small Skippers (no Essex this year that I could find!) Common Blues and Small and Green-veined Whites. Always worth a visit.
DaveRe: millerd
Brilliant Small Pearls - perhaps they're another species that'll retreat north as the global temperatures continue to rise Lovely Marbled Whites - they're another one of those species that if they were rare people would be raving about endlessly
Have a goodun and stay safe
Wurzel
Have a goodun and stay safe
Wurzel
Re: millerd
The Small Pearls seem to thrive further north, Wurzel, as well as along spots like the Cornish coast. They just don't seem happy in central southern and eastern England. It was great to see them, and I was about to see a few more too. Fresh Marbled Whites are rather special too - becoming commoner and more widespread I think, but certainly underapprecated.
On 3rd July, I drove over from Yorkshire to stay with friends just over the border in Cumbria - not a stones throw from Smardale Gill, but too early for the local speciaity there. That afternoon we walked locally, but the weather was grey and damp and all I spotted were numbers of what I have subsequently identified as Chimney Sweeper moths. It was dark and so were they, so there were no photos worth posting.
After a very convivial evening, on Sunday 4th July I had to drive back south, but no journey down the M6 from these parts can miss out a detour to Arnside Knott. The weather forecast was for heavy showers with thunder, and a bright interval if you were particularly lucky. I had regaled my friends with stories of Arnside sitting in its own microclimate and enjoying a pool of sunshine when all around was wet, but as I approached I had the feeling I might well be about to be hoist with my own petard - there was a large cloud apparently in just the wrong place. However, it was not raining as I drove through Arnside itself, though clearly it had been. Then as I drove gingerly up the bumpy track to the car park at the Knott, the sun began to appear. For the next two and a half hours, the rain stayed away and it was largely sunny and a great deal warmer than it had been further north.
The time spent at this amazing place, with its all-round views and splendid selection of butterflies, was without doubt a highpoint of the year (possibly the highpoint). Where to start? Initially not trusting the weather, I set off straight up to the top and immediately disturbed a number of Graylings from the scree slopes and nectaring on thyme. They emerge early here, as they do on the Great Orme in North Wales, and are similarly smaller than the ones I see in Surrey. I have heard there may be a link between the populations. After the Graylings, I reached one of the areas where I have previously seen Northern Brown Argus, and on cue a handful of the species appeared. They are not as strikingly different from the standard Brown Argus as the Scottish populations are, but are clearly distinct. In the same area I became aware of a number of small orange butterflies flitting between bramble flowers. I had harboured hopes for a "Three Fritillary Day", and this was the first box ticked - Small Pearls. They were more worn than their Yorkshire relations, but one female was in pretty good condition. There were lots of skippers around here as well, and all were (as expected) Small - the march north of the Essex Skipper hasn't reached these parts yet. As I walked along the paths on the slopes approaching the trig point, more orange butterflies appeared - but these were bigger than the SPBF. Both Dark Greens and High Browns fly here together, emerging at near enough the same time just to make things even trickier. I suspected I was seeing both species, but they initially proved very difficult to get close enough to for me to be able to identify them definitively. However, luck soon continued in my favour...And the results are worthy of a separate post.
Dave
Dave
On 3rd July, I drove over from Yorkshire to stay with friends just over the border in Cumbria - not a stones throw from Smardale Gill, but too early for the local speciaity there. That afternoon we walked locally, but the weather was grey and damp and all I spotted were numbers of what I have subsequently identified as Chimney Sweeper moths. It was dark and so were they, so there were no photos worth posting.
After a very convivial evening, on Sunday 4th July I had to drive back south, but no journey down the M6 from these parts can miss out a detour to Arnside Knott. The weather forecast was for heavy showers with thunder, and a bright interval if you were particularly lucky. I had regaled my friends with stories of Arnside sitting in its own microclimate and enjoying a pool of sunshine when all around was wet, but as I approached I had the feeling I might well be about to be hoist with my own petard - there was a large cloud apparently in just the wrong place. However, it was not raining as I drove through Arnside itself, though clearly it had been. Then as I drove gingerly up the bumpy track to the car park at the Knott, the sun began to appear. For the next two and a half hours, the rain stayed away and it was largely sunny and a great deal warmer than it had been further north.
The time spent at this amazing place, with its all-round views and splendid selection of butterflies, was without doubt a highpoint of the year (possibly the highpoint). Where to start? Initially not trusting the weather, I set off straight up to the top and immediately disturbed a number of Graylings from the scree slopes and nectaring on thyme. They emerge early here, as they do on the Great Orme in North Wales, and are similarly smaller than the ones I see in Surrey. I have heard there may be a link between the populations. After the Graylings, I reached one of the areas where I have previously seen Northern Brown Argus, and on cue a handful of the species appeared. They are not as strikingly different from the standard Brown Argus as the Scottish populations are, but are clearly distinct. In the same area I became aware of a number of small orange butterflies flitting between bramble flowers. I had harboured hopes for a "Three Fritillary Day", and this was the first box ticked - Small Pearls. They were more worn than their Yorkshire relations, but one female was in pretty good condition. There were lots of skippers around here as well, and all were (as expected) Small - the march north of the Essex Skipper hasn't reached these parts yet. As I walked along the paths on the slopes approaching the trig point, more orange butterflies appeared - but these were bigger than the SPBF. Both Dark Greens and High Browns fly here together, emerging at near enough the same time just to make things even trickier. I suspected I was seeing both species, but they initially proved very difficult to get close enough to for me to be able to identify them definitively. However, luck soon continued in my favour...And the results are worthy of a separate post.
Dave
Dave
DGF and HBF at Arnside
4th July at Arnside (continued).
Eventually I managed to approach one or two of the large fritilaries.There was no doubt that this selection were all male Dark Greens. Beyond the trig point, at the top of the slope down to the east of the Knott, I found a more sheltered path with lots of tall thistles on both sides. This path was home to more fritillaries. One in particular immediately caught my eye, a beautiful dusky fresh female Dark Green. Amongst the others flying in this spot were more I have identified (hopefully correctly!) as Dark Green Fritillaries. I then encountered firstly a lovely fresh male High Brown Fritillary. It spent a long while nectaring on the yellow hawkbit flowers, and was very easy to approach. After this splendid male, I spotted a butterfly ahead of me, flat on the path. I expected it to fly up well before I got close, but it didn't. I took a great number of photos at increasingly short range, and I am pretty sure this is a freshly emerged female High Brown. Last of all, here is one I am not 100% sure about. Initially I thought it was a male DGF, but having had a longer look, I am more inclined towards female HBF. The shape is more High Brown, and though the colouring looks more male than female, I couldn't see any trace of the sex brands on the wings that males have. All opinions gratefully received!
After those splendid fritillaries, clouds began to encroach upon the sun, and I had to hurry back down to the car before the beginnings of drizzle became something more serious. The drive back south was a mixture of typical M6 traffic and heavy downpours, and took six hours, but in exchange for those sunny hours on the Knott it was completely worth it: three fritillaries, and three new species for the year for me.
Dave
Eventually I managed to approach one or two of the large fritilaries.There was no doubt that this selection were all male Dark Greens. Beyond the trig point, at the top of the slope down to the east of the Knott, I found a more sheltered path with lots of tall thistles on both sides. This path was home to more fritillaries. One in particular immediately caught my eye, a beautiful dusky fresh female Dark Green. Amongst the others flying in this spot were more I have identified (hopefully correctly!) as Dark Green Fritillaries. I then encountered firstly a lovely fresh male High Brown Fritillary. It spent a long while nectaring on the yellow hawkbit flowers, and was very easy to approach. After this splendid male, I spotted a butterfly ahead of me, flat on the path. I expected it to fly up well before I got close, but it didn't. I took a great number of photos at increasingly short range, and I am pretty sure this is a freshly emerged female High Brown. Last of all, here is one I am not 100% sure about. Initially I thought it was a male DGF, but having had a longer look, I am more inclined towards female HBF. The shape is more High Brown, and though the colouring looks more male than female, I couldn't see any trace of the sex brands on the wings that males have. All opinions gratefully received!
After those splendid fritillaries, clouds began to encroach upon the sun, and I had to hurry back down to the car before the beginnings of drizzle became something more serious. The drive back south was a mixture of typical M6 traffic and heavy downpours, and took six hours, but in exchange for those sunny hours on the Knott it was completely worth it: three fritillaries, and three new species for the year for me.
Dave
Last edited by millerd on Sun Jul 25, 2021 7:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: millerd
That last one is definitely a HBF in my book. Great shots of both species and seeing them side by side does make the subtle differences between the two quite obvious
Some addictions are good for the soul!
Re: millerd
A few mrgreens coming up Dave!. Firstly your beautiful female SPBF in the previous post ,
and also for the lovely female DGF .As for the HBF .!.
I am hoping the HBF will be a ' lifer ' for me next year.
Stay well,
Trevor.
and also for the lovely female DGF .As for the HBF .!.
I am hoping the HBF will be a ' lifer ' for me next year.
Stay well,
Trevor.
- Neil Freeman
- Posts: 4496
- Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2010 6:25 pm
- Location: Solihull, West Midlands
Re: millerd
Cracking reports from Arnside Dave . I really must get up there again, although with my daughters wedding coming up soon and then with her moving down south, it won't be before next year.
Agree with female High Brown for that last one.
Cheers,
Neil.
Agree with female High Brown for that last one.
Cheers,
Neil.
Re: millerd
Many thanks to all of you. I'm also grateful to have my opinion confirmed about the slightly doubtful ID - another new female HBF to go alongside the one on the ground, and they are noticeably different in shade too. It was a magical couple of hours at one of my favourite spots in the country.
Some decent weather arrived for Monday 5th July, and now back in the south of England, I headed down to Chiddingfold. I had arranged the weekend up north some while ago, with fingers crossed that it wouldn't fall right in the middle of the peak of the Emperor season. As it turned out I had nothing to worry about, and the first week of July proved to be merely a curtain-raiser for the forthcoming (in the end a little disappointing) activity.
There was plenty to be seen, starting with one Wood White left from the first brood. It was literally on its last legs, having lost one or two along the way. Despite such a degree of aged decrepitude, Wood Whites rarely seem to get torn, with their wings wearing amazingly well.
White Admirals and Silver-washed Fritillaries had been out for a week or so, but new ones seemed to be appearing all the time, and at the start of the day proved amenable to close approaches. Of the large Purple one, there was no sign, but I managed to find one of the smaller variety, a new Purple Hairstreak. Despite the coming and going of cloud, it resolutely declined to open its wings and eventually set off upward in the haphazard style of flight typical of the species, flashing blue showing that it was a male. The day was certainly not wasted, and the social side of this part of the season had kicked off as well - also something to look forward to and enjoy every year.
Dave
Some decent weather arrived for Monday 5th July, and now back in the south of England, I headed down to Chiddingfold. I had arranged the weekend up north some while ago, with fingers crossed that it wouldn't fall right in the middle of the peak of the Emperor season. As it turned out I had nothing to worry about, and the first week of July proved to be merely a curtain-raiser for the forthcoming (in the end a little disappointing) activity.
There was plenty to be seen, starting with one Wood White left from the first brood. It was literally on its last legs, having lost one or two along the way. Despite such a degree of aged decrepitude, Wood Whites rarely seem to get torn, with their wings wearing amazingly well.
White Admirals and Silver-washed Fritillaries had been out for a week or so, but new ones seemed to be appearing all the time, and at the start of the day proved amenable to close approaches. Of the large Purple one, there was no sign, but I managed to find one of the smaller variety, a new Purple Hairstreak. Despite the coming and going of cloud, it resolutely declined to open its wings and eventually set off upward in the haphazard style of flight typical of the species, flashing blue showing that it was a male. The day was certainly not wasted, and the social side of this part of the season had kicked off as well - also something to look forward to and enjoy every year.
Dave
Re: millerd
That final shot of the Purp is a cracker Dave - when fresh like that they seem almost metallic silver, lush I too agreed, somewhat belatedly, with the ID's of the HBF's -the third marginal spot is practically gone and the wings are slightly convex Hope you can make it to Shipton this year, I'll keep you posted
Have a goodun and stay safe
Wurzel
Have a goodun and stay safe
Wurzel
Re: millerd
Cheers, Wurzel - Purple Hairstreaks are like no other species underneath, and the subtlety of the lilac/silver-grey when fresh almost makes up for not displaying its upperside to me. Almost... Definitely another HBF then - all seem to be in agreement! I should be OK for a gathering at SB for BH, though I am away again at some point early August. Let me know.
Back to my local patch on Tuesday 6th July for the first time in a week. Nothing remarkable - around 100 butterflies of 10 species this afternoon, including a lot of Meadow Browns and Small Skippers. On Wednesday 7th July, I headed down to Bookham, leaving Thursday and Friday for another sortie or two to Chiddingfold.
White Admirals... ...and Silver-washed Fritillaries dominated proceedings. I also bumped into Bugboy, and we arranged for me to pick him up from Staines first thing in the morning for a joint venture to Chiddingfold - hoping that the persistently unreliable weather forecast might actually be right...
Dave
Back to my local patch on Tuesday 6th July for the first time in a week. Nothing remarkable - around 100 butterflies of 10 species this afternoon, including a lot of Meadow Browns and Small Skippers. On Wednesday 7th July, I headed down to Bookham, leaving Thursday and Friday for another sortie or two to Chiddingfold.
White Admirals... ...and Silver-washed Fritillaries dominated proceedings. I also bumped into Bugboy, and we arranged for me to pick him up from Staines first thing in the morning for a joint venture to Chiddingfold - hoping that the persistently unreliable weather forecast might actually be right...
Dave
Re: millerd
Ha, the only thing reliable about the weather forecasts this year is their persistent unreliability !
Some addictions are good for the soul!
Re: millerd
Great report from your pre-Emperor visit to Chiddingfold Dave.
I remember that day when you turned up with bugboy, and we saw everything but an Emperor!.
I also recall the thorough drenching on the way back to the car, and driving home with the heater
on full, and both windows fully down.
At least we all went home with some decent shots of SWF, and WA.
Stay safe,
Trevor.
I remember that day when you turned up with bugboy, and we saw everything but an Emperor!.
I also recall the thorough drenching on the way back to the car, and driving home with the heater
on full, and both windows fully down.
At least we all went home with some decent shots of SWF, and WA.
Stay safe,
Trevor.