ChrisC

[hilary]

I also enjoy the other than buttterfy photos. In the absence of butterfies they I seem to be noticing more of them - but naming them another matter. Bark Flies I'd never even heard of.
I've not spotted any GVWs on my Garlic Mustard, but today I saw a pair of Bullfinches stripping the seed pods (The Orange Tips went a week or so ago) so along with the Sawflies, a very productive plant.

[ChrisC]

Bullfinches eh Hilary, they are handsome bird. such a subtle call too. hard to believe they were once and maybe still considered a pest species for what they do to apple trees.

went over to Martin Down today for a quick wander, as has been my luck, the cloud came over and a bit of drizzle, but i'm still glad i went as i manged to see my first forester.

other species seen briefly in the breeze, small heath, meadow brown, marbled white and dark green fritillary.
red admiral a frequent visitor to the garden now the sun's out again though.
Chris

[ChrisC]

as well as the red Ad it was nice to see comma in the garden this afternoon

and i was closely inspected by this very active and attractive deer fly Chrysops viduatus. got to love those eyes.

[Wurzel]

Those eyes Missed you at Martin Down today but Philzoid and I saw similar fare to yourself. The dark greens were ace to see!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[ChrisC]

spent a couple of hours this morning, 9-11, over at the wood and my spirits and hopes were lifted. I don't if it was the timing but everything seemed to be nectaring, fuelling up for the day. more white admirals than i've seen there before one deciding to nectar on a thistle less than 2 foot away
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6c2Va22 ... e=youtu.be[/video]

and dozens of Silver washed as well as ringlets and meadow browns and skippers. the sun went in so a short walk down to the meadow and a lone marbled white was waiting for the sun to rise above the trees allowing me to get it's portrait. i even thought i'd try wurzel shot.

[Susie]

Lovely Chris

[ChrisC]

thanks Susie, it was such a treat to see them all.

Chris

[ChrisC]

tuesday 17th, the morning started promisingly with 6 butterflies (promising for the year at any rate) 5 red admirals and a comma all sharing a the buddlieas, so with the sun out a trip to Durlston beckoned. was lovely to see so many butterflies. I even managed my first ever record shot of a Dark Green fritillary. not much else would keep still. had to control the dogs as i spotted an adder sunbathing on an ant hill. if hadn't been for the dogs i would have attempted a photo but on this occasion i let it be. after seeing my first ever smooth snake at the weekend out the back i've now had all 3 snakes this year.

tonight after having a white admiral pass through the garden i thought i'd give my woods a try, 6.30pm and it was pretty quiet on the walk to the meadow with only 2 white admiral seen. and even at the meadow most butterflies had gone to bed. i did see a family of Marsh/Willow tit popping out of the edge of the wood and raiding thistle heads when something took thier fancy. a walk along the path and the odd Ringlet, meadow brown and my first Gatekeeper of the year would occasionally pop up disturbed. a lone SW frit showed for all of 5 seconds before alighting out of sight in a tree. marbled white and small skipper were the only barely active butterflies seen.

a pleasant hour in all in glorious sunshine at last.

[CJB]

Hi Chris,
Love the DGF.
I am off to Cornwall for 2 weeks and happen to know that there are some DGF's in one area that the family likes to go and picnic, so hopefully I will snap one myself, on the mobile, of course!
Where we go there are reptile traps and 2 years ago I thought I would sneak a peak under one which revealed 7 adders ; I don't mind admitting that I let out a very manly scream and ran over the horizon!
Flutter on!
CJB

[ChrisC]

apart from a single fly through of a silver washed fritillary in the garden my main highlight was ringlet, i can safely say that this one is the first i have seen nectar on anything other than bramble in the garden, Bowles mauve does it again.

a walk over at Martin down and, i'm not overly experienced with DGFrit, but i saw the most have ever seen over there this afternoon. no pictures as i mainly just stood admiring them.

other recent garden visitors in early evenings this week have been Old Lady, Silver-y, swallowtialed moth and on 2 occasions in daylight a Broad borded yellow underwing which had guessing for a while.

[ChrisC]

today was a good day.
a trip to woods produced the usual subjects, but today included a few valesina. 2 were absolutely stunning only managed a couple of record shots of one of the lesser extreme ones.

after lunch i thought i'd see if there were any grayling around out the back in the forest, no grayling but 2 baby adders, a couple of beaten up Silver studded blues and a large skipper was very obliging. as was a personal favourite a Gold ringed dragonfly.

[ChrisC]

my diary entry seems to be lacking any blue or purple (or decent photos come to think of it )
but i'm still content. My first garden Marbled white for the year today as well as the long awaited new garden tick of a small skipper. also a Brimstone., good to see them back.

about 5.30 this rather angry looking chap decided to call in for a drink. quite a crop just for the expression.

also a warm hour or so over a very quiet wood today saw very few butterflies compared to the weekend. even this marbled white had had enough just sitting atop the thistle.

then to my surprise i heard a Merlin but not the feathered kind. then she appeared. wonderful beasts these. maybe i was in for a non butterfly dogfight.

[ChrisC]

after drawing a blank last weekend today i decided to try again out the back after Grayling. i sat at the top of the hill for 20 minutes waiting for any signs, another very small silver studded blue, a small heath, a gatekeeper and a True lovers knot were the only things moving. I looked to the horizon and saw a mass of grey cloud so i thought i'd head back. At the bottom of the hill i saw a gatekeeper and watched it fly past, just as well i did, my first grayling of the year flew up after it. i watched where it went down and even though i knew where i still had trouble finding it.

i didn't want to disturb it as you never know, a chance open wing shot, instead it flew into some heather to nectar nearby, the first time i've seen a Grayling do anything else apart from bask.

sure enough the sun went in and on to the road for some sun if was ever to come out again.

after sitting on the gravel watching it, a horse rider went passed and off it went. on the walk back home it felt like a victory flyby as the red arrows went over low. as soon i shut the gate the heavens opened. a day of perfect timing.

[Wurzel]

Great shots of the Grayling Chris I better try for them while this weather holds otherwise that could be it

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[ChrisC]

thanks Wurzel. well done with your lulworths, you had some great weather for camping.

Chris

[ChrisC]

i was tempted by Martin Down this afternoon but after spending yesterday on the chalk in good company at Denbies i thought i'd squeeze in probably my last trip to the woods for the year. i'm rarely disappointed.
a single white admiral spending alot of time amoung a low honeysuckle i can only presume, and hope, egglaying.
a dozen Silver washed making the most of what bramble was flowering
gatekeepers, meadow browns, ringlets, small skippers, peacock, red admiral, a good smattering of speckled woods and a few whites.

probably the smallest speckled wood i've ever seen

i also quite a few of these, grass heads covered in deceased hoverflies, almost as if they all expired at the same time. very strange.

and also a few hawkers flying along the paths, fantastic creatures.

and to top a good weekend my first garden small copper of the year

[ChrisC]

Just an update, upon investigation via google a likely cause for the hoverflies could be a fungus Entomophthora sp.

[Wurzel]

You got some great stuff even though you didn't make it to Martin Down, I'd love to have a Small Copper in my garden

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[ChrisC]

thanks Wurzel, it'll be Martin Down next time out, not seen Brown argus or Adonis blue yet this year.
Chris

[ChrisC]

well with the sun out the garden has come alive with butterflies at last, from 4pm to 5pm i had Meadow Brown, gatekeeper, a year first common blue, Brimstone, red admiral, peacock, comma, large and small white and large skipper. just some of the pics i took in a wonderful hour.

this small comma was taking on allcomers that entered his air space, do they guard food plants as there is a currant bush about 3 foot behind him.

and as i was about to go in this common buzzard was lazily cruising for a meal, unusually unmolested by crows.