dilettante

[dilettante]

Long time no post, but thought I'd post a couple of recent shots:

Grizzled Skippers at Paxton Pits, Huntingdonshire, 5-May-2024. There were only a few around, but I hear numbers have grown since then. This looks like one male and one female:

Grizzled Skipper, Paxton Pits


Grizzled Skipper, Paxton Pits

Duke of Burgundy at Dunstable Downs, Bedfordshire, 11-May-2024. These seem to be doing very well this year, and the site looks great. Also seen, several Green Hairstreaks (see this short video of one taking flight , give a view of its uppersides https://youtu.be/IqvspIABi20 [/video], and a couple of Grizzled Skippers, along with the usual Orange Tip, Brimstones, Green-veined White etc


Duke of Burgundy, Dunstable Down


Duke of Burgundy, Dunstable Down


Duke of Burgundy, Dunstable Down


Duke of Burgundy, Dunstable Down


Perfect Duke of Burgundy habitat, Dunstable Down

[Wurzel]

Welcome back Dilettante Great way to make a come back too - with cracking Grizzlies and Dukes

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

That is a majestic sequence of images dilettante.

[dilettante]

Thank you wurzel and David. The Dukes were great to see doing so well, and I was pleased with those underside shots particularly.

[dilettante]

17-May-2024 Trumpington Meadows, Cambridge

Having heard the Small Blues were finally out (I'd failed to find any earlier in the week), I went back to Trumpington Meadows for another look. In their usual hotspot in the southern meadow, I fairly quickly came across a pair:


Small Blues in cop., Trumpington Meadows 17-May-2024


Small Blues in cop., Trumpington Meadows 17-May-2024


Small Blues in cop., Trumpington Meadows 17-May-2024 (Same pair as above, from the other side)

And there were a few more a little further on, probably 7 seen in total. I didn't check the north meadows on the other side of the M11, but they're usually easy to find there too.


Small Blue, Trumpington Meadows 17-May-2024


Small Blue, Trumpington Meadows 17-May-2024

Other than that, there were a few Small Heaths, the usual Whites, Orange-Tips, and several Peacocks gliding along the path, some of which had had a harder life than others:


Peacock, Trumpington Meadows 17-May-2024


Peacock, Trumpington Meadows 17-May-2024

[Wurzel]

Brilliant Small Blues Dilettante The way that you've caught the scales on the wings is sublime

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Small Blues have been especially late to emerge this year, dilettante.

As ever, you have captured some fantastic images.

[dilettante]

Weds 5th June 2024

I went on a BC guided walk at Fineshade Woods, Northants, hoping to see Chequered Skipper. We'd been told the chances were quite low as numbers this year have not been good, and the weather was cool although dry and mostly bright. But no, no CS seen, and butterflies in general were noticeably absent. Total tally I think was one each of Black Haistreak, Large Skipper, Dingy Skipper and Common Blue, and several Speckled Woods. I don't even recall seeing any whites. But it was an interesting and enjoyable trip anyway, and my first visit to the site. I learned a lot about the CS and the efforts to reintroduce it to England.


Large Skipper, Fineshade Woods, 5-Jun-2024


Dingy Skipper, Fineshade Woods, 5-Jun-2024


Speckled Wood, Fineshade Woods, 5-Jun-2024

On the way home, I stopped at Monk's Wood to look for Black Hairstreak. I found several on one particular bush, but they kept themselves to the tops and didn't want to pose for the camera.


Black Hairstreak, Monks Wood, 5-Jun-2024


Meadow Brown, Monks Wood, 5-Jun-2024


Red Admiral, Monks Wood, 5-Jun-2024

[dilettante]

Sunday 16th Jun 2024

The first day of sunshine after a cold wet spell, although still quite breezy. I went to Therfield Heath to see if the post-June gap butterfles were around. I found a few Marbled Whites and Meadow Browns, but surprisingly no skippers, and no Dark Greens. The wind didn't make for good photos, but it was nice to enjoy the company of the Marbled Whites in particular, as well as lots of Bee Orchids.


Marbled White, Therfield Heath, 16-Jun-2024


Bee Orchids, Therfield Heath, 16-Jun-2024


Meadow Brown, Therfield Heath, 16-Jun-2024

[Wurzel]

That last Meadow Brown shot is a cracker Dilettante Also the Bee Orchid shot made me chuckle - to my eyes they look like very smiley little gnomes in brown dungarees and green hats and the one bottom left is obviously shy so is hiding his head in his hands

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Been slow going thus far this year, dilettante, so nice to see the Marbled White & Meadow Brown.