Pauline

[Pauline]

Getting a wee bit closer but it's taking a bit of leg work this season:

[Pauline]

Today I finally caught up with them for some close encounters. They have been out for quite a while now and I have been watching them in the tree tops, even more elusive than usual. Frustratingly, I realised my first few shots were taken with the wrong camera setting. However, I quite like the result. You might have realised that I like a dark, dramatic background on my shots if possible. In this instance, I feel it demonstrates the secretive nature of the butterfly as it was tucked away, but the shaft of sun reveals its presence and beauty. Have I just had too much sun???????

[Wurzel]

Cracking Brostreaks Pauline - that's the time to find them when they're egg laying - they're much better behaved if you can stop them hiding behind twigs etc that is
Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

For your earlier Clouded Yellow images:

I hope a few will turn up on the coastline near me before long. Conditions seem ideal this week.

Nice how the orange forewing patch on the BHs shows up so vividly with your darker light settings, Pauline. Can't wait to see my local betulae, which I intend to try and do within the next week.

[Pauline]

Cheers Wurzel - good luck for today.

Thank you David - I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Pleased you like my darker images. I was also delighted to see this as I scanned the Hemp Agrimony for Hairstreaks. Never seen one before and this time I am pretty confident in saying it is a Jersey Tiger moth:

[Goldie M]

Beautiful Tiger Moth Pauline, bet you were pleased to find it Lovely shots of the Brown Hair Streaks, (Good luck this week) Goldie

[MikeOxon]

I like your darker-style images too. You could try using a touch of fill-in flash on some of the against-the-light images. I sometimes think flash is at its most useful in bright sunlight, where dark shadows can seem much 'blacker' than in reality. The Jersey Tiger shots are very nice too. My son was surprised to see one if these in his garden, close to the centre of Reading!

Mike

[Pauline]

Thanks M. - a bit tense now; I'll be glad when Thursday's over. I'll let you know.

I'm really pleased to hear that Mike - I like something a bit different! I may well be in touch with you privately at some point about lighting when I have had time to experiment. It is quite astonishing to find a Jersey Tiger near the centre of Reading. I was surprised at the size of it I did see a similar sized moth, same shape, mostly white upperwing but red underneath. I spooked it before I could get a shot and still have no idea what it was.

Yesterday I visited another local site to see the SSS. It was difficult to establish exactly how many there were as they were extremely active. With two of us doing the counting in different areas I feel confident in saying there were about 20 which is the most I have seen here for many years. Great to watch, including a couple of females egg-laying but very difficult to photograph:

Don't know what this plant is called but it was certainly very popular with everything, perhaps because other nectar sources are drying up pretty fast:

[bugboy]

Your mystery plant is Carline Thistle, always a magnet for Chalkhill and second brood Adonis

[Mark Tutton]

Hi Pauline
Those are indeed Robber Flies. I am pretty sure the first two are Hornet Robber Flies and the pair are Kite Tailed Robber Flies from what I can see but happy to be corrected! They seem to be having a good year as I have seen quite a few too including one in the garden waiting on a buddleia for its lunch.
Kind Regards
Mark

[Pauline]

I've never noticed that before Buggy - thanks for the ID

Thank you too Mark. I thought they were both Robber Flies but didn't know which ones. Those Hornet Robber Flies are fearsome looking beasts and seem to take quite large prey. I hadn't seen them before.

Today I spent a lovely couple of hours with my favourite butterfly and some good company (I'm calling it distraction therapy M.!!! ). Here's the results:

I saw the largest female BH I have ever seen, at least half as big again as the norm (and I have a witness ) but it disappeared before I could get 'proof'!

[Mark Tutton]

Yes Pauline - I watched a Robber Fly take a Large Blue in mid flight at Daneway Banks a few years ago!

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Pauline. I don't know anything about Robber Flies but I do like your Brown Hairstreaks. Are those from Noar Hill?

I can't believe that it is getting on for a year ago since I met you down there, where has that time gone?

Cheers,

Neil.

[Pauline]

Wow!!! That must have been some sight Mark

Forgive me Neil, I'm a bit stressed at the moment and I just don't recall, where did we meet? I'm pleased you like the Hairstreaks

[Maximus]

Lovely shots of the Brown Hairstreaks, Pauline, it would be nice if they were from Noar but I'm not holding my breath

[Pauline]

Lovely to hear from you Mike. Pleased you like my Hairstreak shots but very glad you are not holding your breath! Don't always comment but love reading your posts. Miss you both - the Hairstreak season is not the same without you!

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Pauline. It was the beginning of last September when we went down to visit our daughter in her then new house in Emsworth. We arranged to meet up and you showed me round Noar Hill although the weather was dull and drizzly. We then moved on to Oxenbourne where it brightened uo a bit later.

Sorry to hear you are feeling stressed, hope things ease up for you soon.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Pauline]

Apologies Neil - my head has been all over the place this week, but hopefully the worst is over now. Now that you've jogged my memory I can remember it well. Not much at Noar Hill as I recall but a second brood Dingy at Oxenbourne which I didn't manage to get a photo of. We must do it again in better weather!

[Wurzel]

Brilliant shots Pauline - particularly the thrid one down They're proving hard work at Shipton this year, especially in this heat Hopefully things will be more normal next week

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

Cheers Wurzel - I agree it has not been easy this season. Desperate for some rain.

A brief, early walk on Noar Hill this morning - managed to photograph 2nd brood Duke but lost him after 2 shots. Couldn't find any 2nd brood Green Hairstreaks or Brown Hairstreaks or WLH (which have been seen there at this time in the past). Having spooked a Clouded Yellow 3 times , managed a distant shot but quite tatty. A few shots from earlier. I would be interested if anyone knows what the plant is - I can't remember seeing it before but it was very attractive; bit like a scabious with multiple heads.