Wurzel

[Mark Colvin]

Hi Wurzel.

Just to let you know your "lovely coloured beetle" is the Varied Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus verbasci).

Keep up the good work.

Kind regards. Mark

[Wurzel]

Cheers Mark for the ID
Due to the fantastic butterflying last weekend I forgot to update my calendar...

Fingers crossed for June.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

On Saturday I tried a new site on Salisbury Plain and so with the girls in tow, a picnic lunch packed and with directions from Rob H I set off. Through villages and up and down Downs we drove for about 20 minutes before pulling off the road and making use of tank tracks. When I pulled up on a grassy verge I saw that there was a square of longer grass and scrub bordered by two parallel paths, almost making a little field. Beyond this it became scrubbier with larger trees working their way up the hill. Loaded up with all the required equipment for the girls (sun hats, picnic rug, lunch, paper and crayons, books etc) we took the path on the right as I looked at the hill.
We’d only walked a couple of metres from the car when I saw the first butterfly of the day – A Duke! I couldn’t believe it I’d spent hour upon hour roaming the Wiltshire woods for the occasional sighting and here today they were greeting us from the car! Unfortunately it flew off of the path into the scrub in the middle field so we pressed on up to the top of the path. Here there was a t-junction and we set up for a picnic. While the girls had their lunch I mooched around for a bit and within an area of about 6 feet square encountered 3 Dukes, 2 Small Heath – a first for the year, a Grizzled Skipper, a Dingy Skipper and Green Hairstreak. In the end I poured myself a coffee and sat there with camera in one hand, coffee in the other. It was one of the easiest sites I’ve ever worked and when Rob and daughter met us I couldn’t thank him enough.

Lunch part one over, we packed the things into the bag and set off again taking a left at the T Junction. Within 20 metres or so we reached the next corner and set up again. This area held a few Grizzled Skippers, Small Heath and the larger shrubs and bushes had Green Hairstreaks that seemed a bit tired and faded but still had some fight in them and the girls seemed impressed with their fathers Nemesis. The Grizzlies too seemed aged and I don’t know whether that’s why one individual looked darker than what I’m used to or whether it was because the markings were smaller?

Less heavily marked?

Finally we set off back towards the car which must have been only 100 metres down the parallel path to the one we’d first taken and it looked to be Duke Heaven. That’s all I can manage now as I’m knackered more tomorrow...
Have a goodun
Wurzel

[millerd]

Brilliant report, Wurzel - nothing like venturing into uncharted territory and finding the buried treasure is sitting on top of the sand waiting for you. Salisbury Plain must hold many secrets in the bits the miitary don't let us into, if the fringes we can ramble in are as good as this. There are rumours of vast Marsh Fritillary colonies...

Dave

[David M]

Good grief, Wurzel. We've now gone from not seeing Green Hairstreaks at all to having them on your fingertips!

[Goldie M]

You got your Duke at last Wurze! Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Dave - venturing to new places is good especially when you get onto little beauties like these As for Marshies on the Plain that's all hush hush - as you'd expect on MOD land
Cheers David - it looks like I've found my sites to try in future years for what was my Green nemesis
Cheers Goldie - got there in the end, and then some!

Plain Part 2

This path had less turf and was more rutted than on the other side but the minute I started walking down the Dukes started flying. By the time we’d walked two thirds of the length I’d counted 14 Dukes – and that was including only those on the path itself. We set up camp for the final time and the bribery sweets that I had secretly stashed earlier kept the girls content when they weren’t helping their dad out with his “spotting”. I took to walking up the path and then back again. This should only have taken me a couple of minutes but in actual fact each stretch (up or down) took about 15 minutes as I was stopping so often to get shots. I must admit that I went a bit Duke crazy, like a fox in a chicken coop I didn’t know which Duke to look at first. What struck me was the wide range in colouration – some had hardly any orange markings, others were almost brown and orange chequered and some were almost black and orange as the background colour was so dark.
Whilst I was clicking away merrily my girls kinda got carried along in a wave of Duke fever. My older daughter was trying to count them and also trying to point out other species and my little one was spending her time trying to calm them down or admonishing them for scrapping telling them; “it’s okay, stop fighting, be nice little Duke”.

Really dark

Finally I dragged myself away and we packed the camp away and started for home. On the way I stopped occasionally and found Small Blues, both Dingy and Grizzled Skippers as well as Green Veined White and a possible Wall (lightish orange, bombing along and larger than a Small Heath?). As if to top it all there was another Green Hairstreak low down in the vegetation – showing part of the open wing due to the damage. It was almost like they’re falling at my feet now!

So all in all an amazing little find by Rob and I’m extremely grateful to him for sharing it with me. It’s on my regular list of “places to go” and so hopefully next year I won’t have to my struggle to see Dukes and Greenstreaks!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Just wonderful - what a site to discover. Those Dukes are stunning.

Dave

[David M]

Some good images there, Wurzel (particularly the Small Blue which has turned out really sharp).

[Neil Freeman]

Just catching up on your diary Wurzel, more great report and great photos.

Its great to try somewhere else and find a little goldmine, it makes you wonder how many undiscovered colonies of some species are actually out there.

Cheers,

Neil F.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Dave It's a right belter of a site and the best thing is it's only about 30 minutes away
Cheers David - I was chuffed with the Small Blue
Cheers Neil - what was even better was that the day after I tried and found another one! (see below)

After the cracking day on Saturday I wasn’t sure if I would be able to top it on Sunday but I thought that Philzoid and I would give it a try. Having not seen any reports of Marsh Frits from Hod Hill and Millerd hadn’t seen any there a few days before we tried somewhere new. I’d gotten the inside track from attending the local branch meeting the week before and with a grid reference and some vague half remembered directions we set out hopefully.
Once there we walked uphill along the narrow path bordered by trees on one side and Hawthorn on the other before we it opened out along the side of the down. We stuck to lower path as this was lush with longer grass and almost immediately (Small Blue and Heath aside) we found our intended quarry – a Marsh Fritillary and a fresh one as well. It was soon joined by a slightly more worn individual.

We carried on round noting how the side of the down at one point formed an amphitheatre and the occasional Small Heath and Marsh Frit would take off along with various moths. The side of the down became much steeper and something bombed past us and then landed on the bare chalk on the side of a small cliff. As I was ahead I climbed down first and edged my way along the ridge scanning the cliff side and there it was, a stunning male Wall Brown. So we took shot after shot, it moved a little almost so we could get a closed wing shot, and then it was gone.

We carried on round for a bit but the cloud came over and apart from the odd Small Heath or moth there wasn’t much flying. So we started to make the return journey. Back at the Wall Brown ledge a Small Blue showed off for us and then the sun appeared again and with it the butterflies. Everything seemed to happen at once so it is hard to recollect exactly which order things occurred. A male Orange-tip patrolled along the boundary hedge, a Brimstone shot by and then there were Marshies popping up left right and centre. At one point a smaller, darker Marshie (male?) was crawling after a large, paler Marsh frit (female?) but it didn’t end well. A wee head butt and then the larger one was off. It seemed that Dingy Skippers also have a real problem with Marsh Frits and one Dingy seemed to be actively seeking out the Marsh Frits and hassling them! I’d be stalking a nectering Marshie or lining up the shot when a Dingy would appear from amongst the grass and buzz the Marshie. Amongst all this action we came across a Green Hairstreak – possibly ovi-positing and then a mating pair of Marsh Frits. They were stunning to see as I hadn’t managed to get a proper shot of the under wing before and here was exactly that of both a male and female.

"Come on baby, let's get it on!"
"Not a chance!"

What felt like 10 minutes actually turned out to have been an hour and so we reluctantly started to edge our way back to the “amphitheatre”...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Incredible. I love the first Marsh Fritillary shot and am incredibly envious of the Wall. I can never get them to sit like that long enough to look at, let alone have their portrait taken... Brilliant.

Dave

[Maximus]

Great stuff Wurzel, your Marsh Frit shots are great, plus the Walls, is there any stopping you now?
All the best
Mike

[David M]

Great effort there, Wurzel.

You have definitely worked out where and when to spot your species this year.

[Pauline]

Great Marsh Frits W. You didn't mention your mating pair

[Wurzel]

Cheers Dave - as with all Wall it was really a matter of right place right time.
Cheers Maximus Hopefully not!
Cheers David I'm getting better informed this year, aren't Ordinance Survey maps brill!
Cheers Pauline I'd gotten all wrapped up in the Small Pearls so it slipped my mind.

I'm now an entire week behind and probably have 4 or 5 posts to do to catch up but hopefully work won't get in the way and I can get cracking

Part 2

As we reluctantly trudged back to the amphitheatre to head home a few more Marshies and Small Heath kept trying to tempt us to stay and then at the base of the amphitheatre an amazing spectacle started to enfold before us. There was a gradual build up started by my first Brown Argus of the year. Then looking over to my left my first Common Blue of the year distracted me from a Small Blue.
These both rested/nectared for a while allowing me to get some shots and then made their way into the centre of the amphitheatre. I was struggling to work out where to focus my lens as there were Dingy and Grizzled Skippers, Small Blues, Small Heaths, Marsh Frits, Brown Argus and Common Blues surrounding us. I’d find a target, focus, get a few shots and then it would be off. So then I’d look to my left or right, take a step or two and there would be my next target, focus, take a few shots and it would be off. So I’d look left or right, take a few steps, focus etc etc. This went on for how long I don’t know as it was just fantastic. After the dismally long winter and the non-existent spring to be surrounded by butterflies of allsorts and to be spoilt for choice was sublime.

Stained glass heaven

And then it just got better as Philzoid and I were witness to a Battle Royale, a stunning aerial display with skirmish after skirmish and dog fights of almost epic savagery. I’m not sure which species kicked it all off, probably a Dingy as they’d been harassing the Marsh Frits all afternoon. A butterfly would fly by and buzz another one, which would then veer off and spook another. This was happening across the whole amphitheatre and the hillside was awash with butterflies of all sizes and colours, some would zip around like Spitfires, others would fly low and fast and then pull up and bank like they were completing a bombing run whilst others would spiral upwards locked in a vicious dogfight. We were able to pick out Common Blue, Small Blue, Brown Argus, Grizzlies and Dingies, Small Heaths and Marsh Frits. At one point a Green Hairstreak flew from the right to the left hugging the hillside as if it was a civilian flight caught in the cross fire. And just as quickly as it quickly as it started it ended and the butterflies dropped to earth and settled or went back to feeding. For a moment or two I just stood there as I couldn’t believe what I’d seen. Even now I feel that my words are inadequate to express exactly what we saw. Then after a few more shots we headed back to the car.
When we were back at the top of the path we stopped for a few more Small Blues, a mating pair of Small Heath and also a pair of Marshies, possibly the original two that started the day off so well. One very kindly agreed to crawl onto Philzoid finger so I was able to get one of the best under wing shots I’ve ever achieved.

A fantastic site and another one added to visit again next year for sure. In the end we had a total of 13 species, 3 yearly firsts for me as well as a first photographed (Marshie), an awesome day and a fitting end to an awesome weekend! I just don’t think it could have been any better – it was one of those days the reminiscence of which keeps you going during the “closed” season.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Amazing again, Wurzel. It's good to know places like that still exist. I was amazed to wander through clouds of Chalkhills last year, but that was all one species - your experience must have been staggering. That Marsh Fritillary is striking - I love their little ginger quiffs!

Dave

[Nick Broomer]

Hi Wurzel,

just catching up with your diary, excellent reports as usual. Just love your Marsh Fritillary photos, especially the male chasing the female, depicting nature as it should be recorded.

All the best, Nick.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Dave The memory got me through the entire week and it's still just as fresh in my mind now Things certainly seemed to have accelerated over the last week.
Cheers Nick for you kind comments, much appreciated

Five Rivers

After a stunning weekend last week I tried to make the most of the good weather and so being trapped at work during the day I made an evening trip to Five Rivers on Wednesday. As I pulled up in the car park there was a lovely breeze and any clouds were shifted away quickly.
I dawdled for a bit amongst the longer grasses hoping for some Blues or a Small Copper but as I scanned across the grass tops no butterflies were flying. In a few weeks hopefully there will be Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns and Golden Skippers all flitting around, skimming the grass tops and disappearing down amongst the stems. As it was so quiet here I made for the banks.
The topside which is more open held lots of Mayflies and some micro-moths but no butterflies so I moved through the hedge onto the lower, more sheltered slopes and almost immediately something small and silvery caught my eyes. At first I thought it was just a moth – possibly a Common Carpet but I tried to follow it anyway. Once it settled it was obvious straight away what it was – a Grizzled Skipper. I’d found some Five Rivers Grizzlies again, and in the same place as last year – can I officially call this a colony now? As I got some shots I noticed a second one but it flew off disappearing in the vegetation so I settled for my very accommodating Grizzlie. I tried for one of my stained glassed shots and not sure how successful it was but it certainly gave me a different view of the Grizzlie.

After this I wandered along the banks and round and back up to the fields of taller grasses but I didn’t add another species of butterflies to the list. So in the end I settled for photographing anything I could find – mainly Mayflies and some of the micro moths. These are so small that they’re almost at the edge of my lenses capabilities.

Hopefully the good weather over the weekend just passed will have enabled the blues to start emerging s I’ll have to try and get back to the site at some point this week – though with work, a work visit to Bath and the in-laws visiting at the weekend I don’t know how I’ll squeeze it in?
Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Philzoid]

Great underside shot of the Marshi on my finger (not so sure about the mug shot)

The description you've given of events that we saw in the ampitheatre brilliantly sums it up I don't think i've ever been somewhere where it was so difficult to know which way to turn and what to try and focus on . Of all the species my view was that the Dingies were the most pugnacious (and the Small Heaths the least).

As this site was so good I just had to pay another vist after Bentley last Sunday and as expected it proved to be time well spent. All species seen the previous week were present, plus Adonis Blue and Large Skipper .... and I got my very own mating Marsh Fritillaries

Good luck with finding some time to get out next weekend