Botany Bay

[cjs]

Hi PJ Your 'orange moth' posted earlier is a Speckled Yellow.
Charlie

[P.J.Underwood]

Today was one of those golden moments.A nice group of people had gathered,including Niel Hulme and his father,the aged Raymond Fry and his wife and other keen butterfliers.Yesterday three P.E.'s were seen.Today at least six before I left at midday.I am posting photo's of three different P.E.'s.I could not resist this last shot!

[Neil Hulme]

Great to see you today PJ, particularly in the happy circumstances.
That shot is a must for the family album. I would very much appreciate a hi-res version some time ... it will certainly put a smile on my father's face.
Best Wishes, Neil

[P.J.Underwood]

Done.All we need now is another generation!
P.J.

[David M]

Great shot, PJ. No-one suffers for his art more than 'the Kipper'.

[P.J.Underwood]

Down in the Woods today.......Still Purple Emperors,still admirers,the first gatekeepers have appeared,together with new comma's,many silver washed frits.white admirals,ringlets and meadow browns,and green-veined whites.A few photo's.....

[David M]

Good to meet you today, P.J. Many 'thanks' for the image of my rear end.

Seems to be a spectacular year for His Lordship. I took 133 pictures of the same butterfly this morning (which I'm sure is a record!!)

[P.J.Underwood]

It probably had over 500 shots taken of it.This must be near a record for one "photoshoot".Your record would not have been achieved without you missing a flight.I hope today was some compensation.
P.J.U.

[MikeOxon]

I took 133 pictures of the same butterfly this morning (which I'm sure is a record!!)

Sorry, David, but I took 137 pics of a Silver-spotted Skipper a year or two back. Mind you, that was partly because I realised, part way through, that I had my camera on the wrong settings

Mike

[Paul Wetton]

Guess it must be a record for the "poo" as well then.

[ABerryman]

Sorry to be a pain,does anyone have any directions/grid refs for where to park and then walk to, to have the best chance of seeing a P Emperor at Botany for a planned visit on Saturday/Sunday?

Are there any other sites in the area which may be worth a visit for other species of Butterfly?

Cheers

Alex

[Mark Colvin]

Hi Alex,

Park at SU978348, the main entrance to Botany Bay, and just keep walking and looking. Make sure you keep a very close eye on the track ahead.

Get there early.

Good luck.

Kind regards. Mark

[David M]

Indeed. Take particular care when approaching any animal waste, as I nearly trod on my first Emperor yesterday! Don't be deterred by shady conditions in the rides; it's so hot that the butterflies are perfectly content to come down in semi-darkness.

[Jack Harrison]

DavidM:

Take particular care when approaching any animal waste, as I nearly trod on my first Emperor yesterday!

Well that was you very nearly in the sh*t David. A photo of you skidding onto your backside would have undoubtedly have been more specatcular than all these Purple Emperor shots.

Jack

[David M]

DavidM:

Take particular care when approaching any animal waste, as I nearly trod on my first Emperor yesterday!

Well that was you very nearly in the sh*t David. A photo of you skidding onto your backside would have undoubtedly have been more specatcular than all these Purple Emperor shots.

Jack

He wasn't actually ON the faecal matter, Jack, just close by. That's why I didn't really spot him until two footsteps before reaching him - he was in shadow and I had my eyes on the big lump of you know what...

[P.J.Underwood]

Out of interest,I have noted the professional dog walkers are using Botany Bay at the moment and this is contributing to the notable increase in dog poo.I have asked some of them to keep away if they see a group of people in the distance staring at something on the ground.The horse riders are reasonably helpful,but have asked that we do not block the bridleway on the left of the gate,as often they also have a horse in hand and need room for two horses.We must also be courteous to them as they use the forest all year.Thanks.
P.J.U.

[ABerryman]

Thanks for all your help. I will be visiting the bay tomorrow - if you see me (unsurprisingly I'd imagine I'll be the only 15 yr old there!) do say hello.

Thanks again

Alex

[P.J.Underwood]

I note that the females are now being seen.Today,two weeks into the P.E. season at Botany Bay,I came across this specimen.The wood was quite free of people so I was able to spend a private half hour with it.Instantly I thought it was a female.But it had a very faint purple sheen at a certain angle to the light.So was it a washed out male,but it looked fresh to me and spent most of the time playing with a tiny piece of something it had found ,with its proboscis.Surely it is a female-can someone confirm.I have some shots with it even browner than this!
P.J.U.

[JohnR]

And 2km south-west of Botany Bay there was a White Admiral sunning itself on my drive this morning.

[P.J.Underwood]

John,
New ones are also appearing in the wood.
P.J.U.