Trevor

[trevor]

Many thanks all. No chance of an OT shot today with a completely blue sky,
So below is a chance shot, from the other day, of an OT on a Spanish bluebell,
and my first Pearl Bordered Fritillary from 21/4. The only one seen.

Today was a ' White ' day with plentiful Small and Green Veined Whites.

Trevor.

[essexbuzzard]

Nice Pearl, Trevor. I was hoping to catch up with them in Cornwall last weekend, but it wasn’t to be.

My favourite, though, is perhaps the wonderful sequence of Holly Blue images. What a beauty!

[trevor]

Cheers Mark. Pleased you enjoyed the Holly Blue, I haven't had many opportunities like that.
As for PBF, they are out in East Sussex, but I am told not many yet.

Happy hunting !.
Trevor.

[David M]

Great find with the Pearl Bordered Fritillary, Trevor. There's a great variety of species around right now with more emerging seemingly by the day.

[trevor]

Thanks David. Another Pearl today.

When I arose this morning it was cold, and I couldn't make out whether
the cloud was building or dispersing. Much later than I would have liked,
I risked a trip to find some Pearl Bordered Fritillaries, as the sky was clearing.
It was mid morning before the first sighting, and a little later the first image
of a grounded PBF. Then a dark cloud almost scuppered the day, but about to
leave I spotted a resting PBF. To say that this butterfly was a supermodel
would be an understatement. I was able to photograph both sides closed wing,
then when it opened up when the sun eventually returned.

After lunch at home it was clear that the afternoon offered ideal OT weather.
So it was off to the old railway where a patrolling OT was soon found.
It was a matter of a few minutes before a cloud came over, and it was game over!
I soon had the shot I was after in the bag!.

What a day with just three butterflies .
Trevor.

[millerd]

The PBF is utterly beautiful, Trevor. Almost ideal weather to get those sort of shots (constant bright sunshine is no use at all), and you made 100% the most of the opportunity. Breathtaking shots.

Cheers,

Dave

[Maximus]

What a lovely Pearl, Trevor, and superb shots too

[bugboy]

Hmmmm , I sense a trip into deepest Sussex in the coming days....

[Neil Freeman]

Very nice PBF Trevor
Looks like I was a week too early for these with my recent trip to East Sussex. Still, I can't complain with everything else I saw.

Cheers,

Neil.

[trevor]

Cheers Dave, I agree about constant sunshine, it's as much use as a wet day in November.

Thanks Mike, glad you enjoyed the Pearl.

You may not see many PBF Paul, still not many around. best of luck.

Thanks Neil, Sussex is an excellent county for butterflies, both East and West.

[trevor]

This morning I was determined to catch up with the Green Hairstreak.
They have been absent so far from some of their local ' hotspots ' so I thought
a good bet would be Horseshoe Plantation, between Birling Gap and Beachy Head.
Eventually a minimum of three GH were seen plus a Small Copper.
None were really fresh, and all were lively with frequent squabbles taking place,
and they seemed to take great exception to the Small Copper which was seen off many times.

That was the first Hairstreak species ticked off today.
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Cracking Pearl Trevor - it's been lighting up the Facebook feed a treat, what a stunner I guess that means I'll have to check out Bentley soon - oh what a chore

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

Cheers Wurzel. Hope the weather holds for your trip to Bentley.

A couple more Pearl Bordered Fritillaries from late afternoon yesterday.
My thanks to the sharp eyed Neil Hulme for spotting the second one!.

Trevor.

[trevor]

This afternoon looked like ideal OT weather, but a patrolling male and cloud never coincided.
One piece of OT behaviour I have noticed over the years is the habit of briefly touching down
on Herb Robert flowers in the afternoon. Today I waited where I had seen an OT land on one
particular flower twice, sure enough on it's third pass it landed, but only for a micro second.
My poor shot of the landing was pure luck in the circumstances.

When a large cloud finally blotted out the sun I was fortunate to see a Green Veined White
land on Cow Parsley, and remain there. The result was my best ever shots of a GVW underside,
as I had plenty of time to compose the images.

Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Cheers for the luck Trevor - it paid off - I got my Pearls - the first from Bentley Cracking serendipitous shot of the OT on Herb Robert. They do that to Dandelion clocks as well Lush Green-veined Whites

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

Glad you got your PBF Wurzel. The East Sussex colonies are not having a bumper year ( so far ).

Late yesterday afternoon I was passing the lane up to Kithurst Hill, I thought it would be rude not to pop in.
I was told that a few Dukes had been seen earlier but they seemed to have retired by 4pm.
The Dingy and Grizzled Skippers I saw were both new species for the year, so worth the diversion.

Trevor.

[Neil Freeman]

...One piece of OT behaviour I have noticed over the years is the habit of briefly touching down
on Herb Robert flowers in the afternoon...

Yes, Herb Robert is one of the best flowers for attracting Orange-tips in my garden, although it is not yet in flower here.

Lovely Green-veined White images there Trevor, especially the second one

Cheers,

Neil.

[trevor]

Cheers Neil. That's the beauty of sun and cloud, sun to get them flying,
then cloud to calm them down. So far I've been lucky with cloud cover
allowing OT, PBF and GVW to be photographed at leisure.

Envious of your garden !.
Trevor.

[Pauline]

Just seen your shots of the GVW Trevor - very nice. Haven't seen many of these so far around this way. Mind you, with this weather, not seeing much of anything!

[trevor]

Thanks Pauline. The GVW has been the most common butterfly along
the old railway. Males only, not seen a female.
As for the weather, grey gloom until about 3.30 pm today then a quick
trip to see some Wall Browns. It has now clouded over again !.

Oh well,
Trevor.