Mark Colvin

[David M]

Awkward butterfly to find, so well done, Mark.

Probably one of the more accommodating species when it comes to photography though.

[Mark Colvin]

Thanks for your kind comments

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

[Mark Colvin]

Chiddingfold Forest, 21 July 2012

The end …

A common pond skater (Gerris lacustris) prepares to feast …

[Mark Colvin]

Chiddingfold Forest, 23 July 2012

Audience with an Empress ...

After a brief visit yesterday, a visit to Chiddingfold Forest this morning produced much better results. Apart from all the expected species an Empress, perched low amongst the branches of a sallow and occasionally taking flight around the nearby oaks, gave priviliged audience to myself and three other observers below. A second brood Holly Blue, increasing numbers of Wood White and reasonable numbers of Silver-washed Fritillary, including one taking salts from the track, were also observed.

Despite the super weather we are currently experiencing, the Dark Knight was called away to save Gotham City this afternoon. By the time the baddies were safely locked away and law and order was once again returned, it was 6.30pm when I finally returned to the Bat Cave! Although I’d sooner have been wandering around the tracks of Chiddingfold Forest, an afternoon of superhero escapism proved thoroughly enjoyable …

Species seen today:

Silver-washed Fritillary
Purple Emperor (1)
Red Admiral
White Admiral
Comma
Small Skipper
Large Skipper
Holly Blue
Ringlet
Gatekeeper
Marbled White
Meadow Brown
Wood White
Large White
Green-veined White

[Wurzel]

Great report and cracking shots per usual I must confess that I did prefer Spiderman when I was a kid

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Mark,

A good tally of species...and superhero escapism, all in one day much better than my day at work

Never mind, a day off tomorrow, glorious sun forecast and Fermyn is only 60 odd miles from my house.

All the best,

Neil F.

[David M]

Never mind, a day off tomorrow, glorious sun forecast and Fermyn is only 60 odd miles from my house.

You've made me real jealous with that comment.

Given recent reports I suspect that Emperors will be into double figures tomorrow!

Prime your camera, Neil.

[Mark Colvin]

Thanks.

I appreciate your comments

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

[Mark Colvin]

Chiddingfold Forest, 25 July 2012

Emperor hunting ...

With a preference for staying local, today was either a day of Grayling hunting at Windover Hill, or having a day visiting the Chiddingfold Forest hotspots for Wood White and Purple Emperor. I chose the later and was glad I did ...

Arriving shortly after 7am, I took a slow walk into the forest in the hope I might find a roosting second brood Wood White. This did not transpire, though I did find several Small Skipper and Meadow Brown covered in the early morning dew. By the time I reached my main destination the woodland was steaming as the heat from the early morning sun warmed the damp ground below. At shortly after 8.45am I caught sight of an Emperor perched on the leaves of a young sweet chestnut. A bit of careful manoeuvring, including crossing a small ditch, finally got me within 10-12 feet of my first sighting of the day. At 9.30am a second Emperor appeared and I was hopeful of a grounding as it quartered the track in search of a suitable landing point. This particular individual played ball and provided multiple photo opportunities during a period of about an hour. In total five Emperors, all in poor condition, were seen today with the second providing numerous viewing opportunities. Of the five, one was a confirmed Empress in slightly better condition, though despite landing very briefly I was unable to get a picture. By midday it was just far too hot so I called it a day.

The one thing that undoubtedly pleased me most today was the arrival of five fellow hopefuls whilst the second was still grounded, particularly as none had previously seen an Emperor. I was extremely pleased to be able to provide Charlie and Amy with a very close and personal encounter, which I feel sure they will value for a very long time.

As Neil mentioned recently in his diary "There is little doubt that the start of the 2012 Emperor season has been much later than in recent years; much later than in any season this century. However, although numbers are now building in some counties there is even less doubt that the species has suffered a very significant setback in Sussex". Despite my sightings today, this certainly appears to be the case in the traditional Chiddingfold Forest hotspots.

I know (before anyone comments), blue's not my colour ...

[Mark Colvin]

Straits Inclosure, 26 July 2012

New pastures ...

Straits Inclosure, located at the extreme southern end of Alice Holt Forest and just off the A325, is a commercially managed, lowland oak forest (Quercus robur and Q. petraea) interspersed with approximately 10% ash (Fraxinus excelsior). Its understorey is comprised of woody shrub and herbs dominated by hazel (Corylus avellana) and hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna). This was my first visit to the site ...

Arriving at just before 9am I took a slow walk along the main forestry track towards the first of the two observation towers. A Red Admiral, followed shortly after by a Comma, were observed feeding on dog faeces. Silver-washed Fritillaries and small numbers of White Admiral were also observed along with a single Purple Hairstreak. At approximately 10.45am the first Emperor was seen, a male quartering the track in readiness for landing. This particular individual stayed around for some time and although possessing a damaged left forewing, it was a very welcome sight providing photographic opportunities for several observers. Despite pacing the tracks and keeping in contact with the other Emperor hunters, it wasn't until 1.15pm that I observed two battling males above the oaks between the two towers. A flying visit to an extremely hot and humid Tugley Wood on my way home provided little in the way of butterfly action, with the exception of three White Admiral imbibing nutrients from the forestry track ...

Species seen today:

Purple Emperor (3)
White Admiral
Red Admiral
Comma
Silver-washed Fritillary
Wood White
Large White
Small White
Green-veined White
Brimstone
Speckled Wood
Ringlet
Meadow Brown
Small Skipper
Large Skipper
Purple Hairstreak

[Lee Hurrell]

Hi Mark,

I've only just caught up with your diary and had to comment - an absolutely stunning collection of images and reports.

Be good to catch up soon.

Best wishes,

Lee

[Mark Colvin]

Hi Lee,

Thanks for your kind comments

Good hunting.

Kind regards. Mark

[Mark Colvin]

Majorca, 29 July to 5 August 2012

Far too hot to handle ...

I have recently returned from a short family break to northern Majorca. Campanet is a small village nestling in the foothills of the Sierra de Tramuntana mountain range. It is located approximately 40km (25 miles) north west of Palma. The village has, for the most part, ignored the extensive tourist developments that have taken place throughout much of the island and is one of the few untouched authentic Mallorcan villages that still exist. Our base was the magnificent Monnaber Nou, a restored manor house set in over 370 acres of the most unspoilt Mallorcan countryside on the outskirts of Campanet.

Venturing locally, the rocky and very arid landscape produced good numbers of Small Copper and several Southern Gatekeeper. Three, very active, Bath White were also found along with small numbers of Southern Brown Argus, a new species for me (a male is pictured below). A visit to the Coves de Campanet produced several Holly Blue feeding and egg laying on an ivy-clad wall and my only Cleopatra of the trip. Several fast flying Swallowtail were seen at the wetland reserve of S'Albufera. A pair of sparring Geranium Bronze provided welcome entertainment whilst I sat rehydrating after climbing and descending the Calvari Steps, an ancient stone staircase (all 365 steps) leading from the central square in Pollença up to a tiny church called the Calvario Chapel.

Trying to have a family holiday and undertake any serious entomology is generally very difficult for me and this trip proved no different. In addition to family commitments the temperature, which generally was averaging an extremely hot 38°C (hitting a scorching 44°C on one occasion in the town of Sóller), made sitting in the shade by the pool with a long cold drink seem a far more sensible option. The addition of very breezy conditions (a very welcome respite from the heat) made photography a little difficult, though not totally impossible when time permitted.

Species seen:

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus)
Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra)
Southern Brown Argus (Aricia cramera)
Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
Bath White (Pontia daplidice)
Swallowtail (Papilio machaon ssp. gorganus)
Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli)
Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria ssp. sardoa)
Southern Gatekeeper (Pyronia cecilia)

[Mark Colvin]

West Sussex (and a tiny bit of Surrey), 11 August 2012

Out and about ...

Earlier today, I decided to have a general look around to see what was about. I started at Steyning Rifle Range in the hope of a Brown Hairstreak. Although I'm sure I was being watched from above they didn't reveal their presence on this occasion. Three male Wall, a species that appears to be doing well in Sussex this season, were found at the top of the reserve along with an ovipositing Brown Argus and numerous pristine Brimstone. After several hours I left and headed towards Springhead Hill. Although the peak of the Chalkhill Blue activity has now passed at this location reasonable numbers were still to be found, including many in good condition. Two Small Copper, a single male Small Blue, three male Common Blue and several Brown Argus were also observed along with an unexpected, though welcome, female Silver-washed Fritillary. A flying visit to Botany Bay concluded my day where a single female Wood White was found.

In reflection, I found it quite interesting to consider that although I had a total species count of twenty-three (23) today, I could quite easily have pushed this to thirty (30) species by adding Green-veined White, Adonis Blue, Dark Green Fritillary, Small Tortoiseshell, Grayling, Silver-spotted Skipper and Essex Skipper without travelling too far in Sussex, and maybe as many as thirty-seven (37) if lady luck and time had been on my side and I’d found Brown Hairstreak, Purple Hairstreak, White-letter Hairstreak, Painted Lady (there’s been one at Mill Hill recently), Purple Emperor, White Admiral and Silver-studded Blue (which I gather are still hanging on at Stedham and Iping Commons. Food for thought …

Forty-five (45) butterfly species are regular breeders in Sussex ...

Species seen today:

Red Admiral
Peacock
Comma
Brimstone
Wood White
Small White
Large White
Large Skipper
Small Skipper
Meadow Brown
Ringlet
Speckled Wood
Wall
Small Heath
Gatekeeper
Marbled White
Common Blue
Small Blue
Holly Blue
Chalkhill Blue
Brown Argus
Small Copper
Silver-washed Fritillary

[Mark Colvin]

Shillinglee, 13 August 2012

Uncommon blue ...

At least in my neck of the woods ...

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Mark,
Very nice blue. Now let's see the brownie.
Neil

[Mark Colvin]

Thanks Neil,

I think a little bird has been talking ...

Blog written, post to follow later this evening (pics still on camera) ...

Kind regards. Mark

[Mark Colvin]

Plaistow, 14 August 2012

A magical moment ...

With school summer holidays very much in full swing, I have been trying to encourage my son James to come out with me for some entomological fun! A local wildlife photographic competition with a £50 first prize finally tempted him from his computer. Despite my preference for getting out early morning, it was 11.30am before we left the house. It was already quite hot and humid. A full sun shone above and the early morning still had been replaced by a refreshing breeze as we ventured to our local patch ...

Meadow Brown were everywhere; too many to count and with good numbers of pristine females nectaring on thistle. Gatekeeper were also in abundance and only second in number to their larger and equally active cousin. These were not for me, as I really couldn't be bothered with a chase of known outcome. A beautiful and very freshly emerged female Speckled Wood showed for a brief time though was sadly soon lost. Several Essex and Small Skipper were also seen along with good numbers of Small Heath. Deciding that enough was enough and that our £50 photographic prize wasn't going to be achieved today, we headed back through the meadow and along a small length of mixed hedgerow interspersed with ash and oak; my vision fixed firmly amongst the young blackthorn shoots ...

... and there she was, a beautiful female Brown Hairstreak.

Calling my son over quickly we both watched her flying and crawling amongst her larval foodplant whilst carefully selecting sites to lay her pearly white, urchin-like eggs. Occasionally she would pause and bask open-winged in the sun. She was extremely approachable and graced us with at least 20 minutes of her time before finally being lost from view ...

Species seen:

Speckled Wood
Meadow Brown
Gatekeeper
Small Heath
Holly Blue
Peacock
Brimstone
Small White
Large White
Essex Skipper
Small Skipper
Brown Hairstreak

[Neil Hulme]

Gorgeous! First female seen in Sussex this year - unless you were in Surrey of course.
BWs, Neil

[Neil Freeman]

lovely photos of a beautiful butterfly.

Well done Mark.

Neil F.