Bugboys mission

[Wurzel]

That is a most definite Essex Bugboy - I don't think there could be any quibbles about that one Cracking shot as well of a cracking charismatic butterfly

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel, he did pose rather well!


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June 2023

Sunday 25th. After the long day in Gloucestershire it was just a few hours in Essex today catching up on the local White-letter Hairstreaks. I probably could have chosen a better time of day for the visit, it was very hot, and the butterflies spent most the time avoiding the sun, something I probably should have tried to do. After a couple of hours I decided to leave too but here’s some pictures I managed to get.

Spot the Hairstreak.

The station is just a 5 minute walk from the colony and when I got there, seeing the next train was half an hour away, I decided to have one last attempt at getting some decent pictures, I found a nice female who momentarily, during her twirling on flower caught the sun.

[trevor]

Well done with the White Letters, Paul, well worth braving the heat for.
It would seem all five of our Hairstreaks have had a good year.

[Wurzel]

Good work there Bugboy and that last shot is a great example that 'one last look' is always worthwhile

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

I'd have been delighted with those images, Paul, given this butterfly's propensity to remain wedded in the upper boughs over here in south Wales.

They do seem to have a fixation for bramble flowers though. Presumably the same 'short proboscis syndrome' that afflicts several other UK species.

[bugboy]

Thanks Trevor, it does seem they all faired quite well.
Thanks Wurzel, yes I got handed a bit of luck there
Thanks David, I find that’s a thing with all the Hairstreaks, once they’ve properly plugged themselves into a tasty nectar source you can get right up into their palpi!

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June 2023

Tuesday 27th. An ex-work colleague (who happened to have the winning combination of a driving licence and a car) had long wanted to visit Knepp to see some of its avian specialities, so what better time for us to both go than peak Emperor season! We arrived a bit later than planned due to an unfortunate decision by one of us to try and meet at Gatwick station, really dumb! Anyway we arrived around 11 and immediately set off looking for (as far as I was concerned) Emperors. Since neither of us had been here before it was lucky we arrived at a similar time as a couple of other Emperor hunters so we set off in the direction they went in. One of the avian species which we both hoped to see were the re-introduced White Stork, which as it turns out are pretty hard to miss, so much so you’d probably have to walk around with your eye’s closed to miss them!

2 black billed Juveniles and an adult on the right with the red bill.

We still hadn’t seen an Emperor after wandering through various fields and hedgerows for half an hour or so but a familiar figure up ahead gave us confidence we were in the right place. hovering expectantly around a sunny, sheltered corner, much like an Emperor, we found a Mr Hulme who was only too happy to let us know of his encounters in recent days including a good old trousering earlier in the morning. Cloud cover had unfortunately increased at this point and things had gone quiet, but he was able to point us in the direction of some other good areas and it wasn’t long after that were caught sight of a few souring around. However, cloud cover persisted so a grounding was unlikely. Instead we switched to looking for one of the other Avian specialities. Having refreshed our ears of its call from everyone’s friend, Mr Google, we went off wandering along one of the many Oak lined paths that border the fields of the site. Right at the end and just as we were about to head back we heard exactly what we were after and it didn’t take much looking to find the handsome male Turtle Dove, our second avian lifer of the day.

After he and what we presumed to be his mate flew off we found we were also being watched. A very handsome Roe buck with an impressive set of antlers was casually peering through some undergrowth at us, inadvertently giving us a pretty good Bambi impression.

Also we noticed about half a dozen Emperors patrolling some of the surrounding Oaks, the cloud cover was starting to break up a bit at last .

We headed back in the direction of Neil but took a slight detour and found another cluster of Emperors flying around some Oaks in the corner of a field, perhaps as many as a dozen. I took a few distant shots of some perched up high, but I kept a close eye on one that seemed to prefer to stay low. I saw him nip round a corner and as I followed him I found him settled much lower than the others, close enough to catch the occasional flash of purple. A few shots in the can I called my friend over to get a closer look through her bins.

It was at this point that she said, casual as you like, “there’s a pair mating up there”. In the greenery underneath the perched male, secreted in the shadows was indeed a ‘Pushmi-pullyu’ Emperor! Not the best position to get shots but I wasn’t going to complain .

After taking a shedload of very similar pictures we went back to where we last saw Neil to find him still there, and upon returning after showing him the mating pair we had a brief grounding from the one Neil had been playing with all day. Not as sunny as we’d hoped for but a fine day nonetheless, and after a rough count of around 40-50 individuals in below par weather, I can see how three figure counts can be easily attained if you know all the best spots!

[millerd]

A definite or three for the mating pair, Paul. A terrific spot by your colleague too - a second pair of eyes is so useful!

Dave

[David M]

Very impressive, Paul. Even the birds are spectacular.

I think I've only seen images of mating Emperors once before, and that was courtesy of Neil Hulme, so full marks for finding that pair and getting a few shots.

[Wurzel]

Cracking mating Emperors Bugboy - and at a much lower elevation than mine from last year I love the pattern that the white stripes on the wings make when they're in that position

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks Dave, one of those chance encounters, had I not followed the male the pair would have remained unseen.
Thanks David but all the thanks goes to my eagle eyed friend.
Thanks Wurzel, always nice to add a new species to the ‘in-cop list’


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June 2023

Friday 30th. My fortnightly half day at work gave me enough time to nip down to Essex for another dose of WLH. Although the weather had turned a bit drab and cool, I figured the Hairstreaks are tough enough to cope, I’ve seen them happily flying in light drizzle in past years, so I was a bit surprised that not a single one was to be found! Millerd had had great success just four days previously, so I knew they were still here. Other stuff was being less fussy and was braving the grey skies. A few Commas were about,

and Essex Skippers were rather numerous. Amongst them all I found just a single Small Skipper.

I found a solitary Marbled White who during her weak fluttering landed on my hand, no doubt finding the extra warmth a temporary relief from the otherwise cool conditions.

Small and Green-veined Whites were occasionally active during the brighter spells

And the occasional Holly Blue flitted around where there should have been Hairstreaks.

I’ve saved the best find for last, and not a species you’d expect to be a highlight, but this is probably the most beautiful Meadow Brown I’ve ever clapped eyes on. I reckon it would give your average female Brown Hairstreak a run for her money (the Hairstreak would obviously still win!)

[trevor]

Belated congrats for the Purple Emperor pair .
A sight not many of us will get to see. No doubt we'll meet at the seaside soon!

Great stuff

[David M]

That is indeed an exceptionally attractive female Meadow Brown, Paul, not only for the extent of the orange forewing patches but for the abnormally rich, brown ground colour.

[Wurzel]

Love the second SKipper shot Bugboy, that Essex looks like its casing the joint That is a mighty fine Meadow Brown - those 'lozenges' of orange running down the wing - surely there's an ab. for that?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks Trevor, It wasn’t one I was expecting to add to my in-cop list anytime soon that’s for sure!
Thanks David. I suspect a combination of her being very fresh and the subdued lighting enhanced the depth of colour.
Thanks Wurzel, not sure if she’s an ab, just a very fine example of Meadow Brown kind.


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July 2023

Saturday 1st. just a few pics from work to kick of July for me. Essex Skippers and Gatekeepers ruled the roost, or at least were the species that allowed me to get close to them. At least I think they’re Essex, in some pictures there is a brownish tinge to the antennae. Unfortunately only females were present so I couldn’t check for scent patches to confirm which species.

As a point of interest, my transects which are in central London so aren’t clouded by any regional or habitat specialists, clearly show just what a quiet spring it was. On these graphs, 1 correlates with the 1st of April when transects start and 12 is the middle of June. The second graph is a breakdown of individual species where we can see the Gatekeeper and Small White are largely responsible for the huge peak in July.

[David M]

That graphic is extremely revealing, Paul, and largely reflects my own experiences in south Wales, i.e., a dearth of butterflies until the middle of June, then an explosion in early July lasting until mid-August when things went fairly quiet again.

[Wurzel]

Even with the regional specialities round this way things took a while to get going this year Bugboy. It's good to see that I wasn't just imagining it but others were experiencing it as well.
Don't forget..."if in doubt it's a Smessex"

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks, it’s always good to know my work transects are following the wider countryside trends, albeit at much lower densities.


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July 2023

Monday 3rd. The first few days of July and the Emperor season was already becoming a distant memory, but there was still some purple surprises waiting for me at Bookham… but not before a Black admiral posed for me, a pretty decent start to the day!

In the same clearing numerous other butterflies were basking and getting ready for the day. Red & White Admirals, hutchinsoni Comma, Skippers, Browns and numerous Purple Hairstreaks all vied for my attention, the Hairstreaks mostly winning when they decided to settle.

The early blue sky soon vanished and was replaced by a rather overcast later morning but in another clearing I found more roosting butterflies including numerous Thymelicus Skippers. Both species were present but Small’s were much more numerous today and readily popped up as I walked through the grass. I followed one of these and noticed it chose to re-settle on an already occupied stem.

A bright spell coincided with this curious sight causing one to fly off leaving two which turned out to be a male and a female. Wings slowly creaked open and whilst the female quietly sat and basked the male began to vigorously vibrate his wings before moving in for a very predictable attempt at getting lucky. I gave him full marks for effort, he really did pull out all his best moves, but I also gave her full marks for giving him a very calm cold shoulder. In the end she flew off leaving him to nurse his bruised ego. His strange face was due to a damaged left palpi.

It was only a short lived bright spell and it didn't look like the sun was going to return, so I left after finding a few more roosting butterflies, very content with my mornings haul.

A bit of flash really brings out the iridescence

[trevor]

I'm already a member of the Black Admiral club, but I didn't get Purple Hairstreaks
on the same day so a is due. Your fresh male PH could have been a little
more co-operative for you, they're reluctant to flash their purple properly.

Another good value rail ticket!

[Wurzel]

Can you be a member of the Black Club with just a sighting or do you have to have a photo?
Cracking set of Skipper shots espicailly the three in a row - love that one
You'll need to get a wriggle on as I'm about to overtake you

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Some exceptional stuff in that last post, Paul. Open-winged Purple Hairstreaks posing for the camera would be noteworthy at any time, but the aberrant White Admiral pushes them into a mere supporting role.

A rare and precious sighting.