Pauline

[Pauline]

Thank you Wurzel. I know you will enjoy counting the spots as much as I enjoyed watching this obliging Small Skipper which I found whilst I was looking for something else. The shots are all of the same butterfly from different angles:

Yesterday I could not resist the temptation to return to the WLH for a short while to see if I could find one of their eggs. However, I made a basic mistake. I did not do my research. I had assumed I would remember exactly where it was which I didn't so I didn't know where, precisely, on the branches to look. I had also assumed (having looked briefly at pictures) that the eggs were white; I now know that they are green and then turn brown, but I do not know how long this takes. I do not even know how big the eggs are. I assumed the size would be comparable to the Brown Hairstreak. Perhaps they are easier to see when the leaves fall off so perhaps my timing was all wrong. What is it they say, fail to prepare, prepare to fail .

[Pauline]

I must have seen every colour of the rainbow today except purple. Actually, that is not strictly true as I did see purple several times but just not for long enough to get 'that' photo. A couple of colours I did see:

[Pauline]

Maggie update - I appreciate the concern of those of you who have asked about Maggie. She was on the point of release when I found her early one morning on the floor of the aviary in a pool of blood. She was weak and shocked and had to be moved to a hospital cage indoors. I believe she had been spooked by a cat during the night causing her to to catch her nail and rip it off. Happily, Maggie is now back out in the aviary and eating live food providing it is supplied at regular intervals (if it doesn't move she won't eat it). The extra care and time in captivity has left her fairly tame and as she is not yet back to full strength it is difficult to predict whether /when she will be released. The upshot is, because I am no longer hand-feeding her I can get out for slightly longer periods with my camera .

As I have not been having much luck with Purple, I thought I'd try a different colour - Dark Green. I have only once before managed to get a photo of this butterfly. Although I tend to say this about them all, this one really IS difficult, just because they never seem to stay still - they always seem to be busy. They are such strong, powerful fliers and don't they just cover the ground. The site was a bit further than I would normally go but what a lovely place, teeming with all shapes, sizes and colours of butterflies. There was masses of photo opportunities. Marbled Whites were mating in several places, Small Tortoiseshells, beautifully fresh, adorned many of the thistle heads. Skippers (Large, Small and Essex) zipped back and forth, or just sat, so photogenically on grass heads. There were Ringlets, Meadow Brown, Gatekeepers at every step, Large and Small Whites and just the odd Small Heath. I am sure I have left some out but with such opportunity at every turn I had to be really disciplined. My time was still limited and I had come for DGF after all. The first one I saw was a beautiful specimen but like me was clearly camera shy. Nevertheless, it was my first 'record' shot:

Shortly after, I managed to get an open winged shot and at this point I thought 'well at least I managed to get something'

I had hoped for more of this species at this site as I understand they are having a good year but I could only see 4 and one of those had most of his back wings missing and as a result tended to be the one which rested most. I had seen more than this at Old Winchester Hill. Furthermore, the DGF seemed to be shunning the thistles in favour of lower resting places sometimes right down in the grass. I was getting concerned about the time and decided to take a chance and move on to another site close by. Result! There were at least 6 butterflies here and they seemed slightly more accessible, taking time to nectar regularly but also fighting with anything getting too close:

I have always thought that the underside of this butterfly is prettier and so I took a little time to get a variety of shots, some 'posed' with the blurred background I generally prefer, but others which show the butterfly in its environment, doing what butterflies do. A selection below but I do have a particular favourite:

[MikeOxon]

A wonderful series of DGF shots, Pauline . As you say, these are very challenging subjects for photography but you have triumphed over the difficulties!

The upperside shot is beautiful with unusually warm, rich colouring. I also like the first shot with the green scales shining in the sunlight. I have noticed myself that the silver spots sometimes look quite dark in photos - I suppose it is down to the angle of the light. I must look more closely at these scales, when I get a chance, as it is hard to understand how the metallic sheen is achieved. It's as though little pieces of aluminium foil are stuck on the wings

Your others are all nice 'classic' underside portraits. I think that I like the last one best, as it sets the butterfly in context without too much clutter and the angle of the light has brought out the surface detail, especially the veining. The bee is a bit of a distraction and could be 'Photoshopped' out.

Mike

[Pauline]

I appreciate your comments Mike - thank you - it certainly wasn't easy. I agree with you about the bee but it is still way beyond my capabilities to remove it using photoshop. I am frustrated about the first shot as it is the only time I have ever seen the spots looking silver and I was hoping that she(?) might turn before she flew. I have to confess to being ignorant as to whether they are male or female and having looked both in a book and on this site, it seems the only difference is the size? Given your remarks about the spots I tried to blow up a couple of my shots. Instead of the silver scales I expected to see it looked rather like scales were missing exposing a transluscent opal coloured structure or membrane:

The other thing that surprised me was what long back legs they have. I have never noticed this on a butterfly before so must be more observant. On several of the butterflies there was almost a purple sheen, complementing the purple thistles:

However, I noticed one which had quite a bit of white on it although it didn't look worn in other areas:

...... and just to end the DGF for this season

[David M]

Hi Pauline,

Female DGFs usually have 'silvery' edges and are much more strongly marked with black than the males (particularly around the forewing tips, as is the case with Small Pearl Bordered).

[Neil Freeman]

Some cracking DGF images there Pauline

That's the kind of photo that I was after the other weekend to go with my High Browns but didn't quite manage.

Al the best,

Neil F.

[Pauline]

Thank you Neil but I'll happily swap you for a High Brown (any one of your choice) and the mating SWF

Thank you David - I think you have also answered another of my queries inadvertently. Presumably then, the second but last shot is a female - hence the white edges whilst still looking fresh. Wish I'd known that on Monday - really must do my research on butts I'm not very familiar with

I don't tend to take many photos of Whites. Not sure why - perhaps it's because I have to adjust the settings on my camera but I did take one the other day:

[Paul Wetton]

Hi Pauline

You've posted some excellent shots over the last few days which I've enjoyed looking at. The DGFs are fab.

Your remark about the long back legs made me think of a mating pair I filmed at Linn Dean in Scotland when the pair seemed to contact each other with backwards leg movements, almost tickling each others back legs and abdomen. Not sure what the purpose was. The female of this pair was also very dark coloured with almost a metallic green sheen to the upper wings with much dark colouration around the wing edges. I think I included these on my DVD, can't remember now.

There is a slight difference in body shape and length with Dark Green Fritillary sexes with the female being slightly more rounded and shorter in the body but quite difficult to tell them apart using this method.

Keep the photos coming.

[Pauline]

Thank you Paul. It's good to hear from you again. I thought you'd be long gone by now, away to more exotic parts. The trip can't be far away now so you must be getting excited. Interesting to hear about your mating pair. What drew my attention initially to the long back legs was my squabbling pair, with one using his back legs to try to push the other (who was still nectaring) off the thistle. I do have another photo where the back legs are just hanging really long and low and were reminiscent of the back legs of a frog if you can imaging the shape. I'm glad you like the photos but my activities might be slowed down for a few days as one of my doves returned yesterday with a mangled foot and needs an op. He was one of the few who managed to survive the virus and now this

[Paul Wetton]

Hi Pauline

Firstly sorry to hear about your dove. I hope he has a speedy recovery. He's in the best hands living with you.

Yes we're off to less exotic parts on Friday night. We'll be leaving around 10 in the evening with a night drive up to Oban to catch the ferry about 8 in the morning. Hope the Black Guillemots are on show in the harbour whilst we're waiting.
I've not planned this trip very well so it'll be pot luck as to what we find.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the weather which is currently overcast and windy compared to the rest of the country that is bathed in glorious sunshine.

I'll post a few photos when we return.
Take care.

[David M]

Presumably then, the second but last shot is a female - hence the white edges whilst still looking fresh.

It sure is. The difference between the male and female of this species is very noticeable.

[Maximus]

Hi Pauline, very nice photos of the DG Fritillaries. Cath and me hope that your dove gets better too.

Mike

[Pauline]

Thank you Paul - you and me both. I'll keep my fingers crossed too and look forward to your photos. Bon Voyage!

Thanks for getting back to me on that David - confirmation much appreciated.

Great seeing you again today Cathy/Mike. Really hope you got lucky too and thanks re Dove. I'm afraid I spoke too soon about being able to get out more with my camera. Tonight my neighbour has brought me a very young Robin that one of the (39) cats round here had caught How we have any wildlife left at all is beyond me . It has lost a lot of feathers and has bruising to the skin though doesn't look punctured. Whether it will survive the night is questionable as it is very shocked and may have internal injuries. And why did I take it on???? She was going to leave it in the garden!

Better news is that my vixen, Saffron has found herself a toy boy He comes round about 7.00pm to join her for supper and she tries to push her toys through the wire to him. She has always been more interested in the wild boys but perhaps that is because her current companions have been castrated . A few shots of the new boy on the block but back to butterflies tomorrow

Today I did try to tempt the butterflies with a lovely potion made largely of fox scat - I shall post the results tomorrow.

[Pauline]

The fox potion was attractive to the Red Admirals and Commas but strangely, it was ignored by both White Admiral and PE. My foxes clearly have some vital ingredient missing from their diet . A few folk were already at The Straits when I arrived and Nick had already spotted a couple of Emperors around the watch tower area. One had touched down briefly a couple of times but there had been no photo opportunities. I decided to walk back along the track and about half way along I watched a PE descend and settle - my first of the season on the ground . As I took a few shots I noticed a young chap coming towards me. He had traveled by public transport from Fleet in the hope of seeing this, his first 'close-up and personal' experience. Whilst he was getting a few more shots, another couple arrived and they were overjoyed to see this butterfly at close quarters - a first for them also.

It is lovely to see the pleasure that this butterfly gives so many people, especially those seeing it for the first time. It is not that long ago I was in that position and I remember it well, but actually, I get the same 'buzz' the first time I see it each season. We waited patiently for the butterfly to open its wings but it persisted in giving us the very briefest glimpse of blue as it flicked the wings open and closed.

We were just about to try to give the butterfly a little shade when it flew back up to the trees. Watching it, it was apparent that there were 3, possibly 4 Emperors up there. I watched 2 fly together amicably and against the blue sky one looked only about half the size of the other. They both landed on the same branch about half way up the tree and then disappeared from sight whilst a third PE continued to fly before also landing, quite a bit higher than the other couple:

At this point, Nick arrived from the watch tower stating 'his' 2 butterflies refused to come down although he had managed a photo of a Tawny Owl. At the same time, Cathy and Mike arrived having also seen 2 PE's along by the gate. So, that was a total of possibly 8 PE's viewed simultaneously along one small stretch of track, although the true figure is probably much higher. Well, I didn't get my 2 blue wings but I am getting closer and there is still time yet . More later.

[Pauline]

I guessed that the total number of PE along this relatively short stretch of the Straits Inclosure would be much higher than the 8 seen recently but I was quite overwhelmed to be reliably informed that over 50 had been counted today - possibly the highest number recorded since the sallow was cut back a few years ago. As I parked the car a male was flying round it although it was about 5.00pm. I took this as a good sign. I saw 5 along the track on the way in and 3 on the way out at 6.15pm, 2 of which were sat in the same tree. I am assuming they were males but I found it puzzling that they were so close together and didn't move. I tried to get them both in one photo but they were just a little too far apart. This is the photo with the camera on full zoom:

The same photo tightly cropped:

There were several pristine Peacocks which I assume are the result of the larva which Vince and Mark kindly identified for me. The colours were stunning but I couldn't get anywhere near them:

I haven't been able to get out for a couple of days which gave me a chance to see what is happening in the garden. I was pleased to be able to record 6 species in a couple of hours but didn't even have time to take any photos - apart from this lovely Meadow Brown:

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Pauline, that Meadow Brown is a cracker, love the way the background colour compliments the butterfly

All the best,

Neil F.

[Wurzel]

Great shots Pauline. I like the Peacock it's almost as if it's trying to be Julia

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

Thank you Neil; I appreciate your comment. I think that they are often overlooked or taken for granted as there are so many of them but they are pretty little butts.

Thank you Wurzel. I fear I'm going to seem a bit stupid here but you're going to have to enlighten me. Who or what is Julia? (I should have asked someone privately today instead of exposing my ignorance in public ).

Today I was teased and tormented by Purple Hairstreak, Purple Emperor and mating SWF. It is rare for a day to be so frustrating, repeatedly frustrating, and all the hopes and expectations, the anticipation and excitement - all this to end in exhaustion, despair and a single blurred photo of a Purple Hairstreak OK, so I exaggerate but not much!).

I needed a change of scene and with the heat becoming ever more oppressive I decided the seaside would be a good place to start. A few shots below:

[Wurzel]

No worries Pauline a Julia is an exotic, one of the usual ones you see in Butterfly Houses. It's a long wing butterfly. The only reason I know is because I did some research on a range if exotics after visiting Bristol Zoo - it got me through the winter

Have a goodun

Wurzel