Pauline

[Pauline]

Thank you for the compliment Neil but more importantly thank you for asking after Spice. She has laid 2 eggs this weekend which is a bit of a worry but touch wood she hasn't prolapsed again. Medication ends tomorrow.

I appreciate your comments Mike and I am keeping everything crossed that you come up trumps next week at Wrecclesham,

Just a few more shots from Bentley to round off the day. Not sure they are they best of the bunch but if I look through them all I'll be here til next week

[Wurzel]

Cracking shots Pauline - good catching up with you today. I know what you mean about sorting through them - it's the only draw back to having such a good day- having to sort through so many photos. I had a go at mine tonight and now my eyes feel like they've been sandpapered - perhaps I could train my girls to do it for me...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

Thanks Wurzel. Looking forward to seeing yours - and could you train your girls to do mine at the same time?

Without the Glanvilles, Wrecclesham has few visitors so a visit there early on Friday was like entering into a secret world. Moving quietly and slowly around the site, the inhabitants seemed quite unperturbed and were content to go about their business, providing no threat was perceived. It was just a brief glimpse into their daily lives but felt such a privilege. The first inhabitant to be glimpsed was a large dog Fox. It is rare that I visit this site without such an encounter but photos are impossible with my 'squeaky' lens. I then chanced upon a deer resting in the grass but not wishing to disturb her I changed direction:

The wild flowers are looking lovely now and would provide a ready source of nectar for the Glanvilles if they ever emerge. There is one flower I always admire - it is so striking with really vibrant colours and can be relied upon to bloom in the same place every year. I wish I knew what it was :

As I approached one of the hot spots for the Glanvilles, a place I have previously seen many roosting and mating, my attention was drawn to a family of Whitethroats (At least I think that's what they were). The youngsters were quite advanced and very adept at catching insects at regular intervals but were also very vocal. I amused myself with thoughts that they were informing their parents how smart they were.

It was still a little cool for butterflies to be on the wing but I came across several Dingy Skippers still roosting:

My eye was caught by a small blue insect - a Lacewing I think. I recalled that about this time last year I had taken a photo of a similar insect to try to hone my focusing skills and I decided to take another one by way of comparison. I would like to think I am improving but have not had the nerve to compare the 2 images yet

Given the lack of butterflies my attention turned to moths. Whenever I see this moth, I think of my visits,many years ago, to Mother Shipton's grotto near Harrogate (if I recall correctly) and my fascination at all the calcified objects hanging up there.

By now the Common Blues had started to stir but the sky was looking ominous and there was definitely no sign of Glanvilles. Shortly after taking a few shots of the Blues a massive downpour sent me rushing home to rescue my garden cushions which had been left out overnight. Although only 10 minutes away, when I arrived home the sun was shining and there were no signs that it had even rained!!!

[David M]

The wild flowers are looking lovely now and would provide a ready source of nectar for the Glanvilles if they ever emerge. There is one flower I always admire - it is so striking with really vibrant colours and can be relied upon to bloom in the same place every year. I wish I knew what it was

.

Exactly the same thing happened to me when I was at Wrecclesham two years ago.

I put out an ID request and found out that the plant is called Salsify, or Oyster Plant:

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=5194

[Pauline]

Thank you for that David. I shall do a bit of research to see if it could thrive in my garden.

Reading Wurzel's diary and feeling a little bit envious (actually Wurzel I am green with envy ), I realised that it is quite some time since I have seen Marsh Frits - before I started my diary in fact. It is likely to be even longer before I see them again so, I hope it isn't considered 'cheating', but I am including a few photos I took way back then. They were taken at Hod Hill with a different camera to the one I use now but I'd like to include them here as a record of yet another beautiful species I was lucky enough to see.

[Pauline]

Some beautiful photos and exciting butterflies have been posted in other diaries recently. I cannot compete with these images and have nothing to compare with some of the more exotic species. However, I'm sure we all share the same sense of pleasure in seeing these gorgeous insects and a satisfaction in learning a little more about them as well as being able to take away a permanent reminder - our photos.

I was pleased to be able to make 3 short visits on Saturday to local sites but disappointed to note that generally, and in relation to last year, butterflies are pretty thin on the ground. I did see a very worn Duke of Burgundy at Oxenbourne and managed a really dreadful photo for ID only. At a second site I can confirm that Pearls are still flying but looking quite worn now and only 3 definite individuals recorded. There are still no Glanvilles at Wrecclesham. At each of these sites I encountered a single Small Copper. One in particular was very fresh and looked like a little flame so vibrant were the colours. Sadly, I have yet to encounter my Small Copper with blue spots but I shall continue to have fun trying.

[Pauline]

Well, gales are so bad I can't even watch TV as there is no signal! Still trying to sort through last years photos and came across some I took of my bird feeders (I have lots so that I can see at least one whichever window I look out of ). The photos are mostly very poor quality as taken through glass and at a great distance but I thought those interested in birds might like to see. I really must try to get my bird photography sorted - I am not sure my camera is capable of a fast enough shutter speed whilst still allowing enough light in.

[Maximus]

Hi Pauline, Nice Marshie and small copper photos, if any Glanvilles do remain at Wrecclesham they have got to make a showing now, as I have seen the reports of the many sightings from Wurzels, 'Isle of Black'. Your bird feeder is great, I am no expert but it seems to have many Siskins and at least a couple of Linnets on board? You are not missing much on the TV by the way, have a good evening.
Mike

[Pauline]

Thank you Mike - for both your comments and the TV update . I hope this gale subsides soon as I still have no signal and want to watch Paul O'Grady tonight!

I needed to get out today and I wanted a photo of an Adonis (butterfly or human, either would have done ). The closest site is Denbies and I have only ever been there in the wind and rain so I thought I'd give it a try. When I arrived it was still raining but I had looked at the hourly forecast for this area and between 12.00 and 13.00 there was supposed to be some sunshine.

I was surprised at the number of insects flying, various moths and bees and it wasn't long before I spotted a Brown Argus - my first of the year.

Almost on cue the sun appeared briefly and I watched as the Brown Argus warmed up and flitted from plant to plant:

The wind was causing both myself and the butterfly some problems but we both managed the best we could in the windy conditions:

In the short time the sun was shining I had a quick look round for a glimpse of blue but without success. The wind was so strong it was flattening the grass and if the Adonis had any sense they would be hunkered down in the grass rather than roosting on these precarious stems. I drove home with the rain lashing against the car as I have done so many times previously, pleased to have had the cobwebs blown away!

[MikeOxon]

Nice pics of the Brown Argus on Quaking Grass - we used to call it 'wiggle-woggle grass' as kids, because of the way the seed-heads move. It must have been spectacular in the wind and very difficult for you to get such good photos.

The reddish birds on your feeder are Lesser Redpolls. Nice to have both these and Siskins as Winter visitors to a garden feeder .

Mike

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Pauline,

Just catching up on your diary, some lovely images, I particularly like the third Brown Argus photo.

I would have been more impressed with the bird feeder photo if you could have got them to line up symmetrically in pairs ...oh well, maybe next time

All the best ,

Neil F.

[Wurzel]

Lovely shots Pauline Brown Argus are one of my faves - they were the first butterfly I really wanted to photograph and so one of the first I actively went looking for.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

Wiggle-woggle grass! What a wonderful name Mike I shall think of you now whenever I see it! As you can see from the pics I struggled to get the butterfly in focus let alone the seed heads!! I had to take many more shots than usual because of the wind so it was just a matter of luck. Trying to move quickly round the butterfly for a different angle was quite tricky too as those slopes are treacherous when the grass is wet and I nearly went head over heels a couple of times

I appreciate your comments on the Brown Argus Neil and you have given me a fresh challenge with my bird feeders. I have listed 57 species in the garden so far and I have been trying to get them to feed in alphabetical order but only limited success so far . Actually, make that 58 as this morning I had a family of 4 of these:

Thank you for taking the time to read my diary Wurzel. I'm glad you like the Brown Argus - I was certainly pleased to find him during a gap in the storm.

Today I took what may well be my last visit to Wrecclesham this season. Several folk were searching for Glanvilles but without any success. One hypothesis for their decline was said to be the lack of a particular parasitic wasp which exists on the IOW. Apparently it predates the butterflies and in doing so keeps the numbers to a level where there is enough food plant to go round. Apparently in a successful year the butterfly can be a victim of its own success, eating all the food plant and effectively starving itself to death. I'm sure there will be other theories but I had not heard that one before.

Anyway, I was very pleased to see my first Large Skippers of the season. Two were dog-fighting which initially drew my attention to them and when one returned to a patch of kidney vetch I quickly took a record shot:

I quickly followed this with a couple more close ups (as I am typing this I have just picked the 4th tick off my arm!!! )

I was hoping for a closed wing shot but the temperature had soared and the Skipper was challenging everything that moved including several Green Hairstreaks all worn and all wanting to nectar in the same place.

It was time to make tracks and as I made my way back I came across my first pair of Blues this year

..... but still no Small Spotted Copper !

[Pauline]

Small Heath have never been one of my favourite butterflies but they are gaining a grudging respect from me for their tenacity. Not only have they managed to survive the dreadful weather of recent years, they are actually thriving, and just for their sheer abundance everywhere they definitely deserve a mention here. I had always considered them a sedentary and boring species but a recent early evening visit to Wrecclesham surprised me. There were many fast flying butterflies, zooming backwards and forwards, so active and numerous I thought at first they were moths, especially given the time of day. Not so. They were definitely Small Heath displaying behaviour I had not seen before. As dusk was rapidly approaching I had expected them to be preparing to roost - perhaps there is more to this little butterfly than meets the eye!

[Pauline]

A few Blues which brightened a wet and windy day:

[Wurzel]

That last shot is simply lush - it should be on greetings cards and the cover of magazines

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

That's a really lovely thing to say Wurzel - I've been made up for the last couple of days. Thank you.

I've been getting impatient for something new to come on the scene and itching to see Adonis. I decided it would be a real novelty to see Denbies in the sunshine and WOW, what a difference. It was teeming with colour and butterflies and I can see why so many people recommend it. My focus however was Adonis and I was surprised at how many fresh females were around, especially at the bottom of the slopes. I got a little carried away with the number of photos I took so I will deal with the females in this post. I actually like some of the photos I have taken (something I never thought I'd say), even though they have (minor ) imperfections, but I could certainly do with advice when it comes to cropping. Nevertheless, I shall just whack a selection of females into the diary as time is getting on:

(Not one wing in focus but I like the probiscus )

The colours of the females seemed to vary enormously and I put this down to how fresh they were but I managed to grab a shot of one individual who seemed to havbe a lot more blue on her than the others but was moving much more quickly:

[MikeOxon]

I could certainly do with advice when it comes to cropping.

As usual, I will rise to the bait but I do think that cropping is a very subjective topic.

There are all sorts of compositional "rules" (rule of thirds, golden rectangles, and so on) but in the end, it come down to what you feel is right. You can educate your 'feeling' by looking at paintings by great artists and observing how they place their material.

Having said that, most of your crops look good to me, with the possible exception of P1150838. To my eyes, this is unbalanced, with too much empty space at the top. Often a picture seems to need more base than top. You may need to cheat, if the original has no more available at the bottom but Photoshop can come to the rescue. I took your picture and re-positioned it in the frame, with some extra fill along the bottom. I think it's better but what do you think?

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Mike

[Pauline]

I think that looks loads better Mike and I appreciate you taking the time and trouble to demonstrate on my photo.

[Pauline]

A few shots of male Adonis from yesterday. I am not really satisfied with any of these. I did not manage a fully open wing shot, I did not manage to capture the stunningly beautiful iridescence on the wings and some bits are not in focus - added to that, the cropping, especially on the last one, is not good (I really shall have to look up these compositional rules). Why include them? My diary has always been intended as a record of progress and improvement (or lack of it ) and this is the best I could manage on the day. Better luck with the second brood perhaps!