Bugboys mission

[bugboy]

September 2023

Saturday 30th. This weekend was problematic on account of yet another train strike, but rather than be marooned in London on what promised to be a decent weekend I decided to book a couple of nights in Brighton. Moneywise it worked out about the same as two days travelling to and from London but did have the advantage of not having to leave at silly o’clock and having time to have a relaxed breakfast. Unfortunately, the weather forecast deteriorated in-between booked and the actual weekend, so I was left with two below par days to go butterflying in. With that in mind I tried to fit as much as I could in. safe to say on the first day, I tried a little too hard and spent most of it stuck in traffic due to an RTA somewhere near Eastbourne. I started the day getting the bus up to the racecourse to have a look round some rough grassland next to an allotment on the NW side of the racecourse. The sun was struggling with the cloud and after a few circuits all I came up with was a Meadow Brown and a few Small White.

I then made a meandering walk to Whitehawk Hill via the path that runs along the eastern side of the racecourse track. It was just as I was about halfway along here having not seen much at all when a small tan coloured butterfly came racing pass me, took a right and landed on some thistle on the wrong side of a barbed wire fence. The instant I clapped eyes on it as it came racing towards me I knew what it was, but I only managed a few long distance shots before it was off again.

lightly cropped

heavily cropped

At Whitehawk Hill all I found was the same coeruleopunctata Small Copper as on my last visit five days previously.

The majority of the rest of the day, annoyingly when the sun did begin to win against the cloud, was spent on a bus to and from Newhaven. Had I known before hopping in I would have stayed put but hindsight and all that. I didn’t find a great deal at Newhaven Tidemills, a few Walls and a Common Blue.

The traffic hadn’t got any better for the return and had there been any action back up on Whitehawk Hill, it was all over by the time I got there, a Wasp Spider was my only company.

Hopefully things would improve on my second day.

[bugboy]

October 2023

Sunday 1st didn’t start off any better, a blanket of featureless grey cloud didn’t promise much of anything. Nevertheless, I was down here now so I ventured west this time, heading for Lancing ring and hoping the cloud would break. Predictably the first hour was a bit of a non-event but gradually the cloud did seem to thin enough for the temperature to rise perceptively. It was enough to awaken a Speckled Wood who was noticeably darker than your average one, even for this time of year and probably fits ab. kulczynskii.

It even became warm enough for a Wall to become active.

All this ‘action’ was going on in the chalk pit which I was hoping would trap any heat and another circuit finally pulled the day back onto some sort of track. A small butterfly popped up from under my feet in the usual hotspot in this location, fluttered weekly around before settling back in the grass. It’s always nice to have such a butterfly all to yourself and I made full use of it.

Being cool, he was only too happy to accept some extra warmth from a finger! I suspect the mark on his left forewing happened shortly after he emerged, a leaf or blade of grass getting trapped between his wings as he expanded them.

Close by a female Wasp Spider hung underneath her freshy laid egg sac

It all went very quiet after he’d had enough of me and flew off out of sight. Some more Speckled Wood were active along the walk back to the station. I spent the second half of the day back on Whitehawk Hill where at least two males were active in significantly brighter conditions, plus a small selection of other species.

Not quite the sunny weekend on the south coast I’d hoped for but certainly could have been worse!

[Wurzel]

If I'd have only gotten that LTB in tHe hand shot over the whole weekend that would have been enough for me Cracking stuff! Add in the Specklie ab. and the other LTB and it sounded like a well worthwhile trip

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel, I had a feeling some of those pictures might have had you reaching for the little green face .

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October 2023

Tuesday 3rd. Taking a break from the south coast I went to Bookham today, having not ventured into Surrey since this year’s Brown Hairstreak extravaganza. I didn’t have time to go further afield anyway as I had a dentist appointment in the afternoon. It was somewhat quieter than my last visit, somewhat understandably, but not long after arriving I came across some welcome splashes of colour slurping on overripe Blackberries.

The Red Admiral in particular wasn’t at all bothered with my presence, perhaps already having imbibed in one too many slightly fermented Blackberries.

As usual at this time of year I went looking for White Admiral caterpillars. I could only locate two, hibernating next to each other.

Looking up from below, you can just make out the spikey rear end in this hibernaculum.

The second was less well concealed on the left next to the first ones hibernaculum.

Butterflies in general were rather scarce (well it is October) although I was still a little surprised not to come across any Speckled Wood. Common Darters were however living up to their name, being both rather common and darting all over the place. Several Pairs in tandem had found a small pool and were busy depositing eggs.

The last half hour was spent along the hedgerow that had been teeming with Hairstreaks not so long ago, finding a Brown Argus, a couple of Small Copper and a Meadow Brown.

[Wurzel]

Lovely set of shots Bugboy but that penultimate one of the Small Copper had me doing a second take...at first I thought it was a stunningly well captured in flight shot still a cracking shot even when you do see the top of the plant its perched on

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

...It’s always nice to have such a butterfly all to yourself and I made full use of it...

You sure did, Paul. That one's a really nice individual and you did well to get those images of it on your hand.

The final shot of the Red Admiral amongst the sea of asters is a good one too.

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel, I can see what you mean about that Copper. I think if I’d have captured it looking that sharp in flight it would have made an entry in the photo comp!
Thanks David, it wasn’t particularly difficult to get him on my finger, it was much cooler than optimum for the species and was only too happy to absorb any heat source available to him.

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October 2023

Monday 9th. The preceding weekend had seen a bit of a bonanza down at this years Long-tailed Blue hotspot, namely Lancing Ring. Unfortunately, I was working that weekend but having already booked the Monday off I was keen to get the inside word as where best to spend my Monday. If Neil Hulmes words of “ mating pair” and “swarms” hadn’t settled it, then that evening’s deluge of images over social media certainly did. So there I was at Lancing Ring in the morning hoping the early cloud would bugger off and something might happen. Some Red Admirals and Speckled Wood came out but LTB’s were rather absent.

Even the arrival of Neil didn’t wake anything up. It was coming up to midday before a single solitary male appeared and gave the small gathering something to point their cameras at, but unfortunately that wasn’t the start of the deluge witnessed the previous day. It would seem that since the then there had been a mass exodus. Most of us here were seasoned LTB hunters so this slightly worn chap barely caused a stir amongst us. How times have changed, imagine that less than 10 years ago we would have been jostling to grab just a ropey record shot!

I hung around for another hour to no avail, so Neil drove us down to the Worthing sea front to see if they’d all moved down there, but once again very little was about. We did a couple of circuits and managed to stumble across another slightly worn male.

The local council here seem to take an enlightened view on how to manage some of the road side verges, i.e. leave them alone, and it was along one of these as I was idly wandering around that I put up a small lycid looking butterfly. It was rather blustery down here on the coast so difficult to follow it as it looked for another place to settle, but settle it (she) did, and it was what I had suspected, a female LTB. The pictures were a selection of hit and miss, a combination of her getting battered in the wind and me trying to simultaneously take pictures and call Neil who was sat on the beach front eating his lunch. I Only had the one chance to get her image, the next time she flew I lost track of her and she remained unfound despite much searching.

This patch of rough ground did also have a few Common Blue and a small glut of freshly emerged Small Copper, all here simply because it wasn’t permanently mown to within an inch of its life!

Word was there had been a few more LTB at Lancing Ring in our absence (nothing fresh though) but by the time we returned we only caught a few distant sightings of them flitting over brambles, a Comma was the last butterfly to have the honour of my camera pointing at it.

Not exactly the day I’d hoped for but I’ve had worse.

[Wurzel]

I reckon that would still rate a 9 out of 10 day for me, if not higher Oh to be that blase about LTBs

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

I guess we have been rather spoilt down here in the southeast now Wurzel. Neils camera doesn’t even leave the confines of its bag unless the wings are still soft or it’s a mating pair these days!

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October 2023

Tuesday 10th. I stayed closer to home today and as expected saw very little in the way of butterflies. Just a couple of distant Whites flitting around non-stop and a female Small Copper searching for something in the Dock family.

I spent most of my time watching a family of Great-crested Grebe. The nearly fully grown youngsters regularly dived and most likely perfectly capable of finding food but that didn’t stop them from being rather noisy and (probably) annoying!

[bugboy]

October 2023

Saturday 14th. The Sussex BC sightings page had recently had a couple of enticing posts concerning Clouded Yellows from Patrick Moore, and since they had been particularly scarce this season, I decided to have a go at finding them. The grid ref was in a patch of countryside I’d become quite familiar with over the season, and I had an inkling as to the exact slope I’d find them on.

An early train to Amberley meant I was climbing up into the hills under blue Sussex skies on a fresh Saturday morning. A Carrion Crow in hot pursuit of a female Sparrowhawk stalled my ascent, the hawk easily out manoeuvring the persistent crow.

I hadn’t seen any butterflies upon reaching the target slope, largely because it was a little chilly but a sheltered combe gave me a couple of Small Copper just starting to warm up whilst some Red Admiral glided around.

Around a corner I found some more Red Admiral, females fussing over some fresh nettle growth on the other side of a barbed wire fence.

Whilst Buzzards and Kites glided above I wandered over to the south facing slope I suspected would be home to the Clouded Yellows, firstly adding Common Blue to the days tally and then a Cloudie fluttered past me and settled.

This first one was a female and after following her around for a bit she attracted the attention of another pair of eyes which provided the opportunity for some uppersides.

Once she lost him, she switched from feeding and basking to egg laying. Birds-foot Trefoil and Horseshoe Vetch were both being used.

Laying on Birds-foot Trefoil

Egg on Horseshoe Vetch

I wandered a bit further along, putting up a couple of Hares who were hiding in some bits of scrub and coming across a Peacock and some more Red Admirals busy laying eggs.

Can't say I've ever noticed that figure of 8 marking on the top edge of the forewing red band before?

RA egg

Back on the Cloudie slope I added Meadow Brown and Small White whilst chasing the Cloudies of which there were perhaps half a dozen, with the final species of the day being a female Brown Argus, also laying eggs (a remarkable amount of ovipositing for mid-October!

You can just see the egg being laid in the next two images

A final glut of ten to fifteen Red Admirals was found on the way back to Amberley, in the company of a startled looking female Pheasant.

A pretty decent day for mid-October, a conservative estimate of 30 butterflies of eight species.

[Wurzel]

Brilliant Cloudy action shots Bugboy I need to try for a few of those

In case I don't get on here for a bit...Have a Brilliant Christmas and New Year!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel . Festive greetings and wishes to you too

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October 2023

Sunday 15th. The following day I returned to Sussex, this time over at Lancing Ring once again. The chalk pit was rather empty, save for a couple of Red Admiral.

Walking over to the other main LTB hotspot this year I bumped into Katrina (and a little after Lindsay Morris as well) and had a Blue encounter of the Holly variety.

A little while after the Holly Blue made it’s exit, another Blue appeared and spent a good while basking and feeding.

He was so laid back we left him to it and wandered around a bit more looking to see what else this little clearing was attracting. Both Walls and Speckled Wood were flitting around and a Small White popped by.

Then a second LTB showed up who was intent at sucking every last drop of nectar from some creeping thistles, even going into the shade to get them.

A brief wander back to the chalk pit gave us a Comma.

I was on my lonesome by now, but a wander further afield gave me several more Red Admirals and a couple more Walls, some less complete than others!

The walk back to Shoreham takes me over the river Adur estuary and since it was low tide I stopped for a quick browse. I speck of intense blue caught my eye and on closer inspection through the long lens I spied a Queenfisher. As is normal with these nervous birds (except for my local ones who’ve become habituated to humans) she kept her distance, not that there any chance of creeping up on her anyway, what with it being a muddy estuary.

Also looking for (and finding) tea was a Little Egret.

Thirteen species over the weekend, in the middle of October !

Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful festive season, whatever you’re doing

[David M]

Thirteen species over the weekend, in the middle of October

That's quite something, Paul. It would probably have been considered nigh impossible in the 90s.

Love that Wall Brown. Surely that only counts as half a butterfly?

[bugboy]

Thanks David . I think he counts as just half but don't let him now, he probably think's he look's rugged 'ard

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October 2023

Monday 16th. After two days gallivanting around the south coast I saved a few pennies by sticking local, resigning myself to having a butterfly free afternoon. On the wetlands Coot butts were a common sight.

The ever-present Cormorants were coming and going whilst a Grey Wagtail foraged along the edge of one of the reservoirs.

Over-seeing proceedings here was a rather stoic Heron.

Moving through the marshes I didn’t find anything worthy of attention but over at the Waterworks Nature Reserve (an old 19th century water treatment works) I spent some time watching a young Little Grebe pestering one of its parents for food.

Matching fluffiest of fluffy butts!

Moving on from there I saw a distant White fluttering weakly across the road. Eventually it landed somewhere I could get too, close to another one that was already there.

That’s two more butterflies than I was expecting to find on my local patch in October.

[bugboy]

October 2023

Tuesday 17th. It looked like it was going to be a sunny day so I couldn’t resist another trip down south where the butterfly season seemed to be far from over, indeed today another wave of emergents was waiting for me.

After all the LTB eggs I’d found and seen being laid, I returned to Buckle Bypass first where I found just a few Common Blues and a fresh female Wall. Only a couple of the Blues sat close enough for pictures.

Walking back to Tidemills a few Red Admirals were enjoying the morning sun along the path.

It was quite breezy and a few Whites were being blown around. I only managed to get close to one, but it turned out to be reasonably fresh Small one.

Next up was a slightly less fresh Painted lady followed by a Clouded Yellow.

They both got taken away in gusts of wind after a short photoshoot, so I wandered off under the new bridge where disturbed ground had seemingly created the perfect nursery for some Common Blues, the results of which were rather numerous with the species having managed to squeeze in a decent third generation here.

Walking over the bridge to the Ouse Estuary reserve A flock of Curlew doing circuits overhead distracted me. They landed somewhat nervously in the adjacent field.

On the reserve it was rather quiet, just a few whites and a couple more Common Blue but a Peacock made a welcome splash of colour.

I ended the afternoon with a wander round the fort where only some Speckled Wood were added to the days tally, seven species today (well it may have been more depending on the identity of some of the distant unidentified Whites).

[Wurzel]

Cracking shots Bugboy I had a closer look at the Curlews and had to do a double take on the one top right...it looked like it's bill was curving upwards Then I worked out that it's holding it's head around and up - there's always something trying to show off and stand out from the crowd

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thanks Wurzel . I hadn’t noticed that Curlew until you mentioned it, looks like it was in the middle of preening and rubbing oils into it’s feathers.

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October 2023

Tuesday 24th. Only a couple of hours spare today but some sun tempted me out to my local patch. Nothing much to report though, the Kingfishers were heard but not seen and the only thing to get the privilege of my cameras attention was a Grey Wagtail again.

Saturday 28th. I risked an iffy forecast today and got a drenching when I got to Lancing Ring for my troubles. After the rain eventually passed, I continued my plan to walk to Cissbury Ring and back. Although the rain had stopped the sky remained decidedly grey and it seemed Butterflies were most likely off the menu. Along the path leading from Lancing Ring a flock of Linnet were doing circuits, some juvenile Reed Bunting nervously sat around in some shrubs and their Larger cousin, a Corn Bunting serenely surveyed the scene.

Reed Buntings

Corn Bunting

Further along the clouds broke and for a short time I was bathed in sun as Skylarks sang. It was enough to awaken a couple of Red Admiral and a Speckled Wood. Only one of the RA sat.

Skylark

It was a short lived sunny spell and the walk around Cissbury Ring was grey and occasionally damp, not much was seen. Kestrels kept me entertained on the way back with a few other typical Farmland birds.

Kestrel

Goldfinch

Kestrel eating something (probably a worm or some other invertebrate)

Wood Pigeon

The walk back to the station was pretty uneventful but a couple of foraging Turnstone caused me to unpack my camera again as they did their thing along the Adur estuary

Turnstone

[bugboy]

October 2023

Tuesday 31st. On the final day of October the forecast was significantly better than my last trip down into Sussex and since there were still plenty of butterflies being reported on the Sussex BC sightings page, I forked out for another return ticket to some familiar places. I stopped off at Southwick first where I found just two butterflies, a Red Admiral and a Common Blue.

Then it was off to Lancing Ring where at least seven Speckled Wood were still active, including a fresh one who refused to pose.

the fresh one

A peacock showed up a couple of times, the same one coming and going a few times.

A total of four, presumably third brood Holly Blue were found.

A single fresh female Small White stopped to feed as she passed through.

Off course the most numerous butterfly was the Red Admiral with nine found including an egg laying female.

I’m quite sure I would have seen more had it not clouded over after midday but since I was here it would be silly not to switch to a bit of birding before the sun went down. Before I could though I found a Sloworm stranded on the cold path. Clearly it had already had one close encounter at some point in the summer and it stood no chance now from anything that might want a quick reptilian snack. I moved it to the sunny clearing where all the butterfly action had taken place and popped it amongst some fallen, dead branches.

Stock Dove, Corn Bunting, Stonechat, Kestrel.

I didn’t know at the time, but this was my last proper butterfly day of the year with just a few more singletons waiting for me in the coming weeks.

Happy New Year to you all . This PD may currently be still two months behind but November and December have been very unkind to me weather-wise, so I'll soon be all caught up.

[Wurzel]

Happy New Year to you too Bugboy It looks like you did overtake me - must try harder next year That Slow Worm was a surprise as I normally associate them with late Spring

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

You certainly put the steps in, Paul, and that looks to be a very pleasant day out for the final day of October.

Like you, once November started it was almost exclusively Red Admirals, but that shouldn't detract from how much I enjoy their company at the tail end of autumn and the beginning of winter.