millerd

[Wurzel]

Despite the weather still nice to see those Chalkhills Dave, the rain droplets add a little something to the shots Looking forward to the return trip Dave although sometimes the wet weather trips can be just as rewarding

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[millerd]

You can always find something, Wurzel, even in the worst weather. However, lurking unseen in all that wet grass at Aston Rowant were some little gems which came into their own the following day (Monday 26th July) when conditions were a great deal better.

There was a lot to see, mostly an array of lovely new Chalkhill Blues of both sexes. I'll start with a few of the male butterflies:

In contrast to the eye-catching shining blue of the males, the largely brown females tend to get overlooked. However, there were a lot of them flying today, and there was considerable variety amongst them, including some with prominent spots on their hindwings, forewings or both. I've noticed in the past that the population up here also quite often produces individuals with noticeable blue scaling on the hindwings, and one or two appeared today.

A close up of the butterfly above:

A fascinating study.

For the remainder of the visit, including a selection of Silver-spotted Skippers, another post is required...

Dave

[Katrina]

The last shot is beautiful - lovely blue scales

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Dave,

I like the atmospheric first shot from Aston Rowant on the 25th July, also the last Chalkhill shot on that day with the misty motorway in the background.
I bet you had the slopes to yourself that day

I have not been down there for a few years now but remember seeing a few blue scaled females like yours on a number of occasions in the past. I wonder if it is something to do with the local (micro)climate.

Cheers,

Neil.

[millerd]

Thank you, Katrina. The blue scaling is particularly attractive in close up, almost like a spray of blue down the hindwings from the side of the thorax.

I did indeed have the hillside to myself when the clouds were down, Neil! I'm glad you liked the atmospheric shots... I can remember you posting some even bluer females a few years ago: perhaps it's something in the local genes. I've also been looking at the far more numerous examples down at Denbies hillside recently, and haven't come across any with so much blue on them.

As well as the Chalkhill Blues at Aston Rowant on 26th July, there were a host of other species to look at.

one of the few remaining

this one looks as if it was caught in the rain

Essex

curiously marked, but I couldn't get a better view

a vibrant new blue-spotted individual

a very large male

female - there were a few males too

female DGFs seem to go on for ever

locally grown

Aside from the ones above, there were Small Skippers, Gatekeepers, Small Heaths, Speckled Woods, Red Admirals, Small Whites, GVWs, Common Blues... and one other which I will post separately.

Dave

[millerd]

One more species remained on 26th July: Silver-spotted Skippers. They were fresh, right at the start of their season, and as yet numbers seemed on the low side. I started by spotting them basking on the rabbit-scraped patches of bare earth (though in this wet year lush vegetation had encroached on these far more than usual).

I quickly changed tack and had to find them nectaring, and approach them before other insects (or their own kind) bounced them off the flowers. As usual, scabious was by far the most popular nectar source...

...though other flowers were used on occasion.

I found one just perching...

...and another which I suspect was newly emerged and just climbing up a stalk prior to its maiden flight.

Probably the cutest of the British skippers...

Dave

[bugboy]

In any other year I'd say that first shot of Aston Rowant would have to be taken in November but this year it could be any day between January and yesterday ! Great SSS, I agree they are very cute

[Wurzel]

Brilliant set of Silver Spots Dave I reckon you're spot on with the one that's taking its maiden stroll - the wings still seem folded in places, like they're almost fully inflated but need a few more puffs

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[millerd]

Cheers Wurzel & Buggy - lots of character those Skippers, and they were still going strong up at Aston Rowant this afternoon.

Tuesday 27th July wasn't too bad a day by the standards of this rather mixed summer, but I stayed local and it turned out to be the most butterfly-filled day of the year here so far. I counted around 350 butterflies of 14 species, though the estimates I made of Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper were probably on the conservative side: both were very numerous and made up the majority of the total between them.

However, various new broods were starting to appear: Peacocks, Red Admirals, Green-veined Whites and Common Blues all offered examples of fresh butterflies.

A slightly older GVW female was spotted egg-laying.

resting after laying

I'm not sure what the chosen plant is.

With such a throng of Meadow Browns it is easy to tune them out and concentrate on the more interesting species, but bright new females can be eye-catching.

They vary quite a bit - this one has particularly striking double-pupilled eyespots...

...and this one is probably close to being an example of ab. alba.

There were a few more Commas around today, showing various degrees of wear but still colourful.

However, one species just emerging in its summer brood excelled in offering some fine examples, and some classic behaviour too. A real favourite of mine, and deserving of a separate post.

Dave

[millerd]

The first few males of the summer brood of Holly Blues started to appear a few days back, but until 27th July, not in any numbers. However, today was different - I counted well over a dozen, and was treated to some excellent views. Recent rain had some advantages - it left several large puddles along the paths, and fresh male Holly Blues cannot resist a semi-shaded or sunny puddle with plenty of damp ground next to it. They come down in ones and twos (I have yet to see more than two in a group strangely enough) and become thoroughly absorbed. They always puddle with wings closed, and as they often are not in full sun (or it goes in), they start to cool down and have to fly up to nearby foliage to bask and warm up. As generally those indulging in this behaviour are freshly-emerged, they can provide stunning views of their shining blue wings.

Puddlers first:

Baskers:

A glorious sight.

Dave

[trevor]

Superb shots of those male Holly Blues, Dave, and a for the open wing images.
I've noticed fresh males searching for bird droppings, and rather like His Majesty, are quite
approachable whilst engrossed.

Stay well,
Trevor.

[millerd]

You're right, Trevor - they home in on anything white and are very partial to bird droppings.

During a short visit to Staines Moor in late afternoon sunshine on 27th July, I found a very nice Red Admiral...

...and a Small Copper that had somewhat unusual "smudged" markings but didn't stay for a lengthy examination.

The walk back found another (or maybe the same one as before) Comma keeping an eye on the gate.

Dave

[millerd]

Once again, the weather went downhill a bit on Wednesday 28th July. The forecast (as it has been so often this summer) was for showers, potentially heavy, with perhaps some sun in between. I decided to visit two sites not too far away, both for the Surrey heathland Graylings.

I went first to Dawneys Hill, between Brookwood and Pirbright. As has been mentioned elsewhere, this site is becoming quickly taken over by gorse, and the bare areas favoured by the Graylings are diminishing (though the heather has recovered a little in places). I only saw a handful of the target species.

Also seen flying here were Small and Essex Skippers, Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns, plus a few very worn female Silver-studded Blues...

...and a Small Copper.

There was also a very smart caterpillar, which I am told is a Fox Moth.

The forecasters were not wrong with their tea-leaf divination today...

Luckily this passed to the north.

Dave

[millerd]

My other stop on 28th July was Chobham Common. This is a much larger area of heathland, and the regular fires here (there was a major one in 2020) actually help to maintain areas of bare ground which the Graylings like to frequent. It is however a very open site and is often quite windy, so the butterflies tend to bowl along in the breeze and can be quite difficult to follow in the air - let alone when they magically disappear on landing. There were good numbers today, mostly males but with a few of the larger females in amongst them too. Overall, they seemed to be a bit paler than those flying at Dawneys Hill.

With so many flying, and some chases involving males and females, I had a go at getting shots of them in flight as they whizzed past.

These tantalising blurry efforts do reveal just how brightly colourful the upperside of a fresh female actually is (and how much duller the males are). Such a shame we so rarely get to see it: no wonder the males chase them so vigorously! Also seen were a few Small Heaths, plus just one SSB this time.

This shot of part of the area strongly reminded me of something I'd recently seen in the Marvel film "Black Widow". Not surprising - some of it was filmed on a very similar area of heathland at Hankley Common (near Thursley).

Dave

[Wurzel]

Cracking shots of the Holly Blues Dave the Holly Blues at Shipton love the puddle in the middle of the main track on the corner of the Hedge Brilliant work with the Graylings, even with Sports Mode I can never seem to capture them in flight like that One of my favourites they are

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[kevling]

Dave, playing a bit of catch up with diaries at the moment. Lovely set of Chalkhill Blues, especially that last female. The star for me though are those male Holly Blues, brilliant colour. Hoping to look for some Grayling this weekend myself. I love how they play hide and seek with their camouflage.

Kind Regards
Kev

[trevor]

Great Grayling shots Dave, they look especially good on Bell Heather.

Stay well,
Trevor.

[millerd]

Cheers, Wurzel - I think I could write a learned treatise on Holy Blue behaviour now! The males probably puddle more than any other species I have come across. Getting the shots of the Graylings is not a very scientific activity - wait for them to pass close by, set the camera on "burst" with a short shutter speed and try and follow the movement. If the background is sufficiently close to the butterflies there may even be a bit of focus as well as some freezing of the movement. A lot has to come together, and it very rarely does. In the meantime, pirouetting in the middle of a patch of heathland no doubt bemuses any passers-by...

Good to hear from you again, Kev, and thank you for your comments. You are 100% right there - litte matches a fresh male Holly Blue for shining colour. I find them irresistible. There will be some females to complement those males in another post before long.

Thank you, Trevor. Graylings do look perfect when posed on Bell Heather, but I find that frustratingly they don't actually do it very often, nor for very long. You have to grab the opportunity while you can.

Dave

[millerd]

The weather on Thursday 29th July could be considered an improvement in that there was quite a bit more sunshine. However, it was windy, especially so as you might expect down on the slopes of Denbies Hillside. Clouds of Chalkhill Blues were now around, blowing everywhere in the breeze and not (as you might think) congregating in the more sheltered spots. They seem to actually revel in the wind, and it made for a terrific sight. Photos were not therefore easy to come by, but I managed a few.

There was perhaps not as much variety among the females as I'd seen up at Aston Rowant, but some exhibited the oily sheen that can sometimes be seen on very new female blue butterflies.

There were naturally a number of mating pairs...

...and several little gaggles of males sucking minerals from who knows what.

An aberrantly-marked underside can be spotted in the last of these.

There was plenty of other interest aside from Chalkhills, but it will make things less congested if I split the post.

Dave

[millerd]

29th July: Denbies hillside continued...

As well as the many hundreds (even thousands) of Chalkhills, I saw Common Blues, Brown Argus, Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Peacocks, various Whites, Small Heaths, some ageing Small Skippers, and two unapproachable Clouded Yellows. One or two ragged female DGF remained...

...a very nice new Red Admiral...

...and over on the slope east of Steers Field, a selection of Silver-spotted Skippers. I think I saw one or two on the main slope as well, but the wind made them impossible to follow in the air. This other slope is much more sheltered.

One other species remained. On the walk down from the car park along the western side of Steers Field, I found, as I usually do, a selection of Small Coppers.

They all seemed to be bright new examples as well. I continued along the rather overgrown path along the bottom of Steers Field that runs eastwards from the gate accessing the lower slopes and spotted another Small Copper - at least I guessed that's what it was from its behaviour. When it perched for a moment, I could see that it was different - different enough to warrant a post to itself.

Dave