Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Cheers Chris - I certainly intend to keep on top of "not doing too much" in the garden this year. It's great I can leave alot of stuff as it is and say "it's for the butterflies and other invertebrates" and "I want a more wildlife friendly garden", no more weeding or pruning (except in the veggie plot of course) I saw something on one of the recent River Cottege programmes where this gardener does no digging and lets other plants do it for him - sounds like something I need to investigate!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Garston Wood

Garston Wood is a 34 hectare RSPB reserve in North Dorset close to the village of Sixpenny Handley. For a couple of years it was my "local patch" for birds but I discovered it was great for butterflies too after a late season trip with Lottie, my younger daughter. It is an ancient Hazel coppice with a number of woodland clearings. The RSPB have stepped up their management over a number of years; even opening up the small, dark and at times seemingly impenetrable area of conifers and exotics. Indeed this area has provided some of my best butterflies at this site...

These shots were taken relatively early in the season as a reccee for future visits and part of a whistle stop tour of a day that included Slop Bog and Martin Down! Once I'd pulled up in the car park I headed off to the right of the car park to the previously mentioned cleared area. It was a warm day and I worked my way along the edge of the reserve where there were plenty of large bramble bushes left intact. As I wandered up the hill the path veered into the middle of the clearing and here was a large strip of bramble bushes, standing like an oasis amongst the desolation of logs and stumps. This served as the focal point for the butterflies with Comma, Meadow Browns, Ringlets and Speckled Wood all visiting the flowers to nectar with the added bonus of a picnic table and benches. Somewhere to sit back, pour a coffee and enjoy being surrounded by butterflies! With whites, more Meadow Browns and the addition of some Ringlets, it made a great pit stop.
Stars of the show were the Large Skipper and beautiful, velvety Ringlet, almost galaxy chocolate covered. The skipper acted in typical skipper fashion - a psychotic ball of rage buzzing everything in sight and sitting still for no longer than 2 seconds at a time. The Ringlet was much more reticent, walking over leaves to avoid my camera lens and trying to hide under the bramble leaves.

Slightly later in the season I made a number of visits even taking the whole family. As it's so close to my parents we could stop off for a "quick" walk before heading on for a huge lunch, almost the appetiser!
The "clearing" as I called it was the main focus and provided most of my shots. The Brambles provided excellent habitat for Silver Washed Fritillaries. I had a couple of different techniques to get shots of them. There was the "follow" where I’d literally stay on the tail of one individual until it had landed three times, and then I'd back off and then let it go about its business. Or I could use the dash and grab where I'd stand back then nip in, get my shots and nip back before it had a chance to realise that I'd snapped it. The easiest strategy by far was to just stand by a bush and wait for them to come to me, or even better wait with a coffee at the picnic bench!
This year certainly seemed to be a good one for Silver Washed at Garston and I was rewarded with some cracking sights on a number of visits. As seems the way the males were out first, earlier than expected and then the females by some of my later visits. I did find my way round the whole of the reserve a number of times, and whilst there were Silver Washed along the rides, the clearing offered easier photographs and greater numbers of butterflies.

During one of these visits to find Silver Washed I managed to find and photograph a real gem of a butterfly, the jewel in the crown of Garston Wood - Greenish Silver Washed Fritillary. This is the common name for the form valesina which only affects females; where the orange is replaced with a bluey green.
The first time I ever encountered it was last year, here at Garston, on brambles in the clearing before it was cleared. This year I was with my family, we were just heading back to the car park when I came across a small bramble bush along the main path. This one bush held a Comma, male Silver Washed and a White Admiral. While trying to get some shots of the White Admiral something else almost black and white, but larger, drifted down from the shadows. It was a pristine Valesina. Unfortunately I'd been using my camera for portraits and hadn't reverted back to macro settings so the shots weren't great. Cursing we headed off for lunch at my parents. The following weekend I was back, all set up properly this time! As well as more usual Silver Washed there was also a cheeky little Small Copper, and an aberrant Gatekeeper with unusual spotting. But I was here for Valesina and back at the same bush it was there again, hanging back, staying in the shadows where its colouration helped it blend in...stunning!

Have a goodun

Wurzel
p.s. Happy Xmas and a prosperous New Year!

[ChrisC]

and doesn't that patch of garlic smell. i went a couple of times before i bought the camera, didn't make it back after. will have to meet up at Martin Down sometime. i could do with the local knowledge
Have a good'un
Chris

[Wurzel]

Cheers Chris - what little knowledge I have I'm willing to share so we'll definitley have to sort out a meet in season!

Have a goodun (Christmas and New Year that is!)

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

I decided to interupt my Sites and Sights series of posts today as 2 fantastic things happened today.

First: I was choosing books with my daughters in the library when in the childrens section I stumbled across an amazing book. It's called "INSECT DETECTIVE" and is written by Steve Voake and illustrated by Charlotte Voake. Amongst the beautiful cartoonised watercolours is brief yet informative text covering Wasps, Ants, Solitary bees and Dragonflies and at the end of the 25 pages there are suggested Insect Detective activities - why didn't I have this book when I was 6?! My younger daughter (3) sat entranced by the images and the main text while my older daughter (6 and 5 months) loved the extra information surrounding the main text. Brill!

Second: It seems the nature watching rubbed off as the second fantastic thing was my younger daughter telling me "we're going birdwatching at the hides, okay". So we ended up at Blashford Lakes in the dim afternoon. Highlight for her was watching the feeders in the Woodland Hide with their Nuthatches and Woodpeckers. Highlight for me was watching 20+ Goosander roosting and glowing pink in the falling sun with my little girl nestled up. Turns out however that she wasn't showing affection to her dear old dad as she then pushed me out the way so she could use the scope!

Have a goodun (Christmas and New Year that is!)

Wurzel

[Gibster]

Hiya Wurzel,

do you ever visit http://dorsetbirds.blogspot.com/2011/12 ... -2011.html (shows the daily listings of Dorset birds) There are quite a few "goodies" around at the mo.

Catchya later mate,

Gibster.

PS - there's a bunch of us staying at Portland Bird Obs 3-6th Jan if you fancy tagging along? Got the place pretty much to ourselves!

[Wurzel]

Cheers Gibster - I am gutted that there have been Great Grey Shrike and Short Eared Owl at Wyke Down as that just down the road from my mum's! I'll be lucky if I can get out again now until the big one on the first Hopefully a few Waxwing might end up over here like they did last year Failing that a lifer or two on the first would be nice! I,m back to work that week but if the 6th is a Saturday then I might try and blag it past the missus

Have a goodun (Christmas and New Year that is)

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Godshill

Godshill is part of the New Forest and is an area of undulating lowland heath land. Having parked and walked across a cricket ground I set off down the hill towards the bottom of the valley. On either side Gatekeepers flashed from the Gorse one of which was almost black and was nicely balanced out by a very bright Small Copper.

I first read about this hotspot for Grayling on a website and included in the description was a map with an arrow helpfully indicating where to go to see Grayling. There exactly at the arrow tip was a Grayling. Luckily for me it was in the middle of the path so didn't blend in well so I was able to get my eye in.
First impressions were that it was large, very discreetly marked and had an unusual behaviour. It would fly so you'd be able to just follow it and then it would flutter lower and suddenly drop into the grass or onto the path. Careful stalking would get to the exact spot it had landed but it wouldn't be there, until your shadow fell on it. Then it would explode up from right under your nose and you'd have to repeat the whole procedure again.
By the end of an hour I'd almost perfected the stalk required and had managed to get a number of shots of different individuals and it was then that I realised how variable they were - some were almost black and white, others beige. Whatever colours they wore they were simply stunning in their subtlety.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

First up sorry no butterflies here - Hod Hill will follow in a couple of days...in the mean time here are a few juicy birds!

2012 started earlier than expected for me as my younger daughter woke up a 5:30. So once she was back in the land of nod I lay back and had a decision to make. Get up and drive there and then to Portland and wait for it to get light or catch a few extra hours kip, have breakfast and go birding closer to home...?

My eyelids did the deciding for me and then the next thing I knew it was 7 and I got cracking. I started off at Spinnaker Lake near Blashford. Ususal ducks, and 5 Little Egrets with a Great White in amongst them, nice to see them together and in flight so I could get a size comparison and see how obvious the orane bill is. However the Ferruginous Duck wasn't around and Nick and Jackie gave me some useful information for Blue Winged Teal.

So next stop Longham Lakes where there were more of the usual ducks, gulls including Common, LBB and a nice dark headed Med Gull. The Teal has been hanging out with Shoveler and they weren't anywhere to be seen so could I be dipping for the second time? Luckily it became apparent that we were looking at the wrong side of the island so having worked around there it was, in amongst some Teal. It was sleeping for a while which meant that I could have a little scan around finding a female Goosander and Snipe. Then something upset it so it had a little shake and a little swim before settling down again further along the island. This allowed me to get a good view of the nondescript plummage with the white loral spot showing up nicely. It certainly took a dislike to the Teal as each time one would walk past it would peck at them - some might say that this brash behaviour is what you'd expect from a Yank

Again it was decision time - the end of Hengistbury Head for Snow Bunting or back to Blashford for another crack at the "Fudge duck? In the end time decided so it was back to Blashford. It wasn't on Spinnaker so I checked out Ivy Lake from the Rockford side. I looked through every Pochard, Tuftie and one of the ducks didn't look right. It's head was rounded with no tuft, it looked reddish in colour and everynow and then when it turned or raised itself slightly higher out of the water it showed a white patch under the tail. I couldn't believe that I'd refound the bird so I ran (not a pleasent activity this side of Christmas!) to get a few more birders to check that I wasn't seeing things. It then decided to have a little stretch, showing clearly the white wing markings and white belly patch. Relieved that I hadn't made a prat of myself and chuffed that I'd made my own discovery I headed back to the car and drove round to Blashford reserve and headed to the Ivy South hide. I managed to relocate it and with a much closer few it was obvious, I could even see the white eye and now the diagnostic white undertail was much more apparent as was the reddish colour.

So 2012 begins with not one but two lifers! Hopefully this bodes well not just for the birds but also the butterflies!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

p.s. check out Two Owls Birding or Longham Lakes (birdworld) for photos of the Blue Winged Teal - I don't have a telescopic lens yet!

[Gibster]

Hiya Wurzel, cracking start to the year!!!! Wish I could say the same for mine....highlight was a pair of Buzzards over Epsom Common.

Pity both the Fudge Duck and BW Teal are escapees though.




HAHA! Just kidding I'll be doing the same/similar circuit as you did in 2 days time, so I'm glad to have your insider info on the locations. Cheers! Then I'm on Portland until midday Friday and looking forward to locating hibernating Large Torts and suchlike

Glad you had a goodun

Gibster

[Wurzel]

Hod Hill

Hod Hill is a large hill fort built by the Drurotriges. It is an area of calcareous grassland owned and managed by the National Trust and is a hotspot for Marsh Fritillary. This was the main reason for my visit in late April.
When I arrived it was cold and the wind was blowing so I ended walking around the rings twice. Luckily as the morning progressed the wind lessened, the sun came out and the butterflies came out. On my third wander round by the entrance to the site I finally came upon a Dingy Skipper low down between the inner and outer ring of the fort. It sat patiently waiting for me to take my shots and then fluttered away into the breeze.
I set off east back to the half way point along the bottom of the rings and decided to wait for them to come to me. I did a trick that often works and that is "give up and have a coffee". It worked again and all of a sudden there was a Grizzled Skipper, and another, followed closely by a Green Veined White and then a Small Copper, followed by a Common Blue, Brown Argus and another Dingy Skipper. My coffee was cold by now and I was clicking away like crazy. There was so much in this little hollow that I'd forgotten about the target species that I was there to see, that is until I spotted something larger and darker trying to nestle down in the longer grass on the side of the ring...

The darker and more unusually patterned butterfly turned out to be a Marsh Fritillary. Despite the somewhat gaudy appearance of the butterfly in these shots it was surprisingly well camouflaged in amongst the grass as the different blocks of colour helped to break up the overall outline. The darker colours helped it to blend into the shadows lower down in the grass. I also presume that they help it to gain body heat through basking as this is quite an early emerging species. When it did eventually decide to make a move it had quite a lazy flight and was surprisingly easy to follow. This meant that I managed to get not just shots of the open wings but also the under wing as well, with the orange and cream showing up against the white outer rim of spots. Once I'd got my eye in I managed to find four or five individuals along a small stretch of the rings.

This southern side of the ring seemed to be the most productive with pretty much all of the species encountered here. As well as those listed I managed to find another Brown Argus looking lovely and fresh, a Small Heath and also a second Common Blue.
However this site will now be my place to visit for Marsh Fritillary, although next time I'll wait until after 10am so they've had a chance to warm up. The final individual I found is shown above and seems much darker than all the others that I saw, with thicker, black markings, although I'm pretty sure that this isn't a recognised aberrant.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Thanks for the wind up Gibster!

Good luck down in Dorset - the Blue Wing is still at Longham Lakes as is the fudge duck and I've noticed that Lodmoor has 2 Long Billed Dowitcher, there's also a Richards Pipit and Hume's Warbler knocking around the Weymouth area so you should definitely see an improvement in your 2012 year list

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[NickMorgan]

Great pictures Wurzel. You have so many more species down there than we do in Scotland. I really enjoy reading the diaries of you Southerners!

[Wurzel]

Cheers for your kind comments Nick! I think you're experiencing a case of "grass is greener", as I am envious of your Chequered Skipper, Northern Brown Argus, Scotch Argus as well as the various forms and subspecies etc.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Martin Down - Part 1

Martin Down is a NNR jointly owned and managed by Hampshire County Council and Natural England. As well as being one of the country's largest lowland chalk grasslands it also has a mosaic of habitats, including scrub, woodland and even a small patch of chalk heath land. These habitats were developed over thousands of years by man's activities and our existence here is evidenced by a large, prehistoric, linear earthwork called Bokerley Dyke. Over the last year I have probably made ten trips to this reserve as it is ideally situated lying half way between Salisbury and Sixpenny Handley and also because of the range of species found here. At the very start of the year when I was planning ahead I'd think about what species I'd like to try and find and then what time of year it flies before finally looking into where they could be found. A large number could be found at Martin Down; I could be there in early May for Grizzled and Dingy Skipper, back in late May for Green Hairstreak and Small Blue, make another visit in early July for Dark Green Fritillary, follow that in early August for Adonis Blues, later in August could provide Silver Spotted Skipper and Chalkhill Blue and finally September for vanessids and possibly migrants like Painted Lady. This site together with Bentley Wood over the last two years could have provided me with almost all of my species sightings!

I visited this site several times during the early part of the year, each time not knowing quite what I'd find. On one visit the highlight was my first female Holly Blue revealing her open wings which was followed by a nice picnic lunch with my daughter Kitty. On another visit there wasn't an awful lot about despite the weather being nice and warm. I did find my first Small Heath of the year but didn't manage to photograph it because as I was lining up my shot I almost trod on an Adder! It served as a timely reminder to wear a proper pair of shoes when out and about here - also good advice to avoid the Ticks!
One butterfly that I was expecting to find in May was the Green Hairstreak, but it was only on my third or fourth attempt that I managed to find one, and that was purely by chance. While getting a shot of a Brown Argus something slightly bigger flitted by and landed promptly in the grass. As I got closer I realised that it was a Green Hairstreak and the shock of seeing one on the ground and not hanging out at head height on a Hawthorn meant that I managed to get only one shot of it before it took off and disappeared up Bokerley Dyke. I don’t know why I couldn't find them as easily as last year, but then that is the beauty of Nature watching - enjoying the unexpected and taking nothing for granted.

These shots were taken in mid May and were followed by early Adonis Blues. In all of the identification books I've read all refer to the blue scales used to distinguish between male and female Small Blues but this is the best example that I have seen and allowed easy identification from the female, who almost looks purple instead of blue. Of the many Small Blues that I saw on this visit one or two were actually basking on dog faeces - at least these chose nicer perches!

(Part 2 to follow after I've eaten my supper!)

[Wurzel]

Martin Down - Part 2

One of my many reasons for visiting Martin Down are the summer time blues and one visit in early August saw me finding numerous individuals from four species.
The day itself wasn't particularly good for butterflies and their photography. It was pretty blustery with intermittent sunshine and was cooler than it should have been. Despite this I nestled down in Bokerley Dyke and waited. Every now and again the sun would come out and the wind would die down a little. Then the butterflies would appear as if from nowhere. Generally a Brown Argus would venture out first, followed by a Common Blue and then the Chalkhills and Adonis Blues. They wouldn't be around for too long as then the sun would go in, the wind would pick up and they would disappear back whence they came. Generally the Chalkhills were the last to go, grimly clinging to a taller flower as it was ripped and torn by the breeze.
For about an hour I followed this wait and see strategy and managed to photograph males of four species, but I was looking for the female blues in particular having not properly photographed them before. To this end I set off up the hill following Bokerley Dyke as the butterflies were taking advantage of the shelter it offered.

About half way up the Dyke something caught my eye and it turned out to be a female Chalkhill. While I watched it flitting around, nectaring and perching for moments I ticked off all the identification characteristics used to distinguish it from a female Adonis. First up compared to the female Adonis on page 54, and photographed earlier in the year, it appeared brown rather than the slate blue colour that I'd seen in Adonis, it didn't have any scales and the markings on the hind wing near the margin were white not blue. Also it lacked the orange lunules present in Common Blue and Brown Argus. Excellent, target found, identified and photographed.
I then settled back to watch hoping to get an idea of its usual behaviour. It did seem at one point to be making courtship movements. It would flit past a couple of males, land in an open part and gently flutter its wings. The males would have a bit of a scrap, spiralling upwards locked in battle, and then the winner fluttered down ready to mate I thought. But instead of mating the female he started buzzing her, flying in low and battering her and repeating it from the other side again and again. In the end she flew off and hid under some leaves while the male landed and started basking. I'm still not sure why the male would do that?

I mainly access Martin Down from the Sillens Lane end car park, but in July I parked in the main car park off the Blandford Road. I was hoping to find Dark Green Fritillary so that I could photograph the underside of their wings. Having pulled up I was pleased to have already seen 4 individuals, and then after leaving the car park they were everywhere, almost one on every flower it seemed. The area was a flower meadow in hollow, bordered on one side by Bokerley and the other the main footpath and radio controlled plane landing strip, and is definitely worth a visit next year.
While I was trying for the underside wing shots I found a mating pair which gave me the perfect chance to photograph both the male (smaller and more scaly) and the female. I also witnessed some unusual behaviour with an interloper trying to push the female off of the male it was already copulating with so that he could muscle in. For a couple of minutes he tried head butting, ramming his whole body in the female but to in the end to no avail and they were left in peace to ensure some Dark Green Fritillaries for me next year!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Mottisfont

Mottisfont a National Trust owned, 12th century Augustine priory along the River Test. It supports a range of habitats, from grazed meadows and their surrounding woodlands to formal walled gardens. It is the later that we have explored most thoroughly on our previous visits as the girls love to run along the small paths bordered by flowers or dangle their feet in the fountain. While they're doing this I'm free to have a slow amble around and due to the formal construction and planting you can get close to the butterflies once they've settled. It also acts as a sun trap so is much warmer than the surrounding gardens which means that even if there is little to see elsewhere something should be here.
On my first visit I found a worn looking Holly Blue which wouldn't open its wings. Then later a male blue which turned out to be very confusing. The upper side, which I managed to photograph was like a Common Blue, yet the underside was only white with black spots an d no orange ones, like a Holly Blue. Having previously seen Holly that was what I plumped for, rather than the more interesting possibility of an aberrant Common Blue which is probably what it was.

On subsequent visits, here and elsewhere, I was much more cautious because of this tricky little individual. Indeed on one visit I spent the entire time in the Walled garden following whites so that I could start rushing up on my identification skills of this group. I did manage to find males and females from the three main species of whites that are prone to confusion.

I have learnt that you start by looking for dark veins on the upper or underside of the wings to rule out Green Veined. Then you look at the darkness/boldness of the black markings to distinguish between Small and Large and then finally once you have identified the species look at the spotting to determine the gender.

Mottisfont has hosted a range of species; Holly and Common Blue, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Comma, Peacock, Red Admiral, Brimstone, the three whites and also a battered and tired looking Silver Washed Fritillary late in the season. Hopefully next year we can get into the woods proper at the right time as it has been suggested that Duke of Burgundy and White Admirals can be found there or maybe venture out onto the meadows and grazing land for Marbled Whites and skippers while the girls picnic?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Shipton Bellinger

Shipton Bellinger is a small village on the edge of a plateau of chalk down land that is Salisbury Plain. Surrounding the village are large a swathes of land which are owned by the Crown and the MOD. The hotspot itself is a drove way, the thick hedge rows making an avenue, at the top of which is an Ash tree.
This is the "Master Tree" around which the males will emerge, drink honeydew, have aerial battles for females and then, maybe, mate. Having previously visited this site I managed to find a female and they are slightly more amenable - often nectaring on brambles whilst seeking out Blackthorn on which to lay their eggs.
As I set off this time I walked slowly up the path, onto the avenue and I dutifully checked every butterfly and every bramble. Meadow Browns were about and Gatekeepers kept distracting me as they'd flash orange and brown as they fluttered by. Having reached the top of the avenue I went to look round the other side of the hedge.
While I was photographing a Brimstone I bumped into some other butterfliers who led me to a bush where they'd seen Brown Hairstreak earlier. As we got closer we could see that it had returned so I managed to fire off a load of shots. It was a pristine male, a very lucky find and it was very tame, perhaps suggesting that it was only recently emerged.

The male is slightly smaller than the female, as previously discussed shows behavioural differences. In appearance the male has the same style of patterning as the female, with the thick white "hairstreaks" but it has a more "honeyed" look, less bright and less orange than the females. We tried out some directions from a village local that did produce hairsteaks, but the hedgerows hemmed us in so photographing was almost impossible.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Slop Bog

Slop Bog is a 22.6 hectare SSSI and Local Nature Reserve near Verwood. It has a mixture of habitats including wet woodland and conifer plantation although the reason for its designation as an SSSI is the "wet and humid heath land". Having visited for the first time this year it will be my first port of call for Silver Studded Blue in future.

When I first arrived at the site I could not believe how easy the Silver Studded Blues were to find. Having previously spent hours tracking two or three individuals at Arne to suddenly be confronted with males all over the place was really bewildering. I literally didn't know where to point the camera. As I walked first across the board walk and then the dusty paths between the heather, there were blue butterflies everywhere. Also as the weather wasn't exactly balmy the males were basking open winged which is why I managed to finally get a couple of the classic open wing shots, the wings showing the white edges and the black margins and spots on the hind wing.

Having got a classic open wing shot I then tried my hardest to find a female. There were one or two around but they were to prove much more elusive than the males, staying low in the undergrowth with brief flights before disappearing again.

As the sun came out one female did present herself to me and even spent some time sitting on my hand. This allowed me to get some shots of the closed wings to compare with the male.

First up the female has a much darker ground colour to the under wings, almost dark brown compared to the grey/blue of the male. Then there are the black spots which appear bigger and more clearly defined in the female and finally the silver studs which apparently are always present in the female and they are much larger and brighter too.

Once I had returned the female to the heather I set off back to the edge of the board walk and set to stalking again. It was a strange experience as across the heath land the Silver Studded Blues were the only butterflies to be seen. As I walked back to the car I did see a Speckled Wood - so there are other butterflies here then!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Stockbridge Down

Stockbridge Down is an SSSI and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty owned by the National Trust and comprises 65 hectares of chalk down land just outside Stockbridge in the Test Valley. There are ancient grazing rights that are still maintained by the trust as well as Iron Age workings. I kept meaning to make a visit to this site last year but Martin Down was familiar so took precedence. It took until this year for me to finally get here...

My first visit to Stockbridge came after a recommendation from a fellow butterflier and I visited at just the right time for Chalkhill Blues. As I started off up the gentle sloping hill they were everywhere! It seemed that almost every butterfly that went up was a blue or brown (so female blue). The females had white crescents on their hind wings as opposed to blue but are very tricky to separate from Adonis Blue females. The wind was quite strong so they would keep quite low to the ground and the best place to find them was in the lee of the wind behind the scrub. With such a large number of individuals I was hoping to find some aberrants in amongst them. So I worked through as many as I could find, checking their under wings and if they appeared normal moving onto the next one. After a while I'd found a female "arcuata", where the spots on the under wing join to form an arc, another unusual female with asymmetric antennae and a male "obseolata". This aberrant lacks some of the spots on the under wing, in this case most of them were missing almost giving it the appearance of a white when flying. While trying to get my shot I was steadying myself with one hand and he decided to crawl onto my hand allowing me to get an unobstructed view of this little cracker.

I also hoped to find Silver Spotted Skipper here having not had any luck at Martin Down on three attempts. The breezy conditions made finding them difficult, as did the cloudy weather as the temp would drop noticeably for 30-40 minutes. Despite the less than ideal conditions I did manage to find a male with its prominent sex brand.
On my second visit conditions were a lot better although there were far fewer Chalkhills by now, and those that remained appeared pretty worn. By the time I reached the short springy turf it was warming nicely and I managed to literally trip from one Silver Spot to another, encountering 5 that all stopped to allow me to photograph them by the time I reached the main gate.

Have a goodun

Wurzel