Neil Freeman

[Goldie M]

Hi! again Neill , We were on our way up the M6 by the time you were on the Knot. Then we stopped off at Gaits Barrow for a couple hours, nothing much there, Peacocks maybe and Ringlets, whites etc but no High Brown's so it looks like you did the right thing by taking the lower path's to H.
We talked to the N Trust guides in the car park first when we got to the Knot, they gave us an idea where to look for the SA that would be about Lunch time, people in Arnside as we passed were well into their Fish and Chip lunches by then
After about a couple of hours we started off for home, we only live an hour a way and felt we'd had enough by then, sorry we missed you we could have compared notes I was so happy to have got a photo of the SA I just wanted off then, if I'd known the HBF was near by and the CY I'd have pressed on regardless
My 1st Scotch Argus I've sent you a photo Goldie

[Neil Freeman]

Glad you got your Scotch Argus Goldie

It is a shame I missed you, I could have shown you where there were a couple of HBFs that were nectaring and sticking around the one spot down the Heathwaite path. The same ones were there both Tuesday and Wednesday, I recognised them by differences in markings and little bits of wear and damage.

Although I spent a fair amount of time around the lower paths, I did go further up the slopes a few times, for the SAs and looking for Grayling as in my last post. I did see HBFs and DGFs all over the knott but apart from being more worn, the ones higher up were more flighty and harder to approach, particularly on the areas of loose scree.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Goldie M]

Me again Neill, I live so near to the Lake District yet I've only been to the Knot about 3 times, next year I'll make my sure I visit in August are late July and go along the path you took.
I've always fancied Gaits Barrow first but it looks like with the fences going up in there photo's are going to be hit and miss besides which you seem to have got more shots of different species, wish we had seen you though it's nice to put a face to people Goldie

[Neil Freeman]

Thursday 8th August – Warton Crag

Thursday arrived and it was time to head home but before hitting the motorway I decided to make the most of another decent morning and stop off at Warton Crag for an hour or so. I had spoken to a chap at Arnside who had been there the day before and seen a number of Wall Browns, this being a species that I am always keen to see since they have disappeared from most of the midlands.

Arriving around 10.30 there was some high level cloud cover with the sun starting to break through and it was feeling warm.
In the grassy areas by the car park there were numerous Common Blue....

Common Blues - Warton Crag 08.08.2013

Including some faded brown females that, like some of those at Arnside, looked very Brown Argus like.

Common Blue female - Warton Crag 08.08.2013

Following a path up towards the higher part of the crag there were a number of Grayling that did the usual trick of disappearing when they settled. A little further along I saw the first Wall Brown, a nice male that settled a few times and actually stayed close enough for me to sneak up on .

Wall Brown male - Warton Crag 08.08.2013

Wall Brown male - Warton Crag 08.08.2013

He eventually flew out of sight so I carried on along the path and soon found another one, this time a female basking on a dried cow pat.

Wall Brown female - Warton Crag 08.08.2013

As I was taking a photo of her another male arrived, identified as being a different individual by slight differences in markings to the previous one

Wall Brown pair - Warton Crag 08.08.2013

They took off together and landed again a few yards away with much wing fluttering from the female.....

Wall Brown pair - Warton Crag 08.08.2013

The female then flew off again into some long grass followed by the male and after another bout of wing fluttering she escaped from him. The male flew off over some shrubs whilst the female nectared for a while on some knapweed before flying off herself.

Wall Brown female - Warton Crag 08.08.2013

I then circled back around to the car park where I found a Small Tortoiseshell which I then realised was the first and only one that I had seen during my time up here.

Small Tortoiseshell - Warton Crag 08.08.2013

It was then time for us to make a move to the M6 and back home having had a great few days in a lovely part of the world, one that I will certainly be returning to again

Bye for now,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Grata report Neil and stunning shots of the Walls I'm trying to work out where our roving butterflier will be heading next

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Hoggers]

Beautiful Wall photographs, Neil. Marvellous. I can never get near the Little Dears!

[Neil Freeman]

Cheers Wurzel, my next trip is down to Dorset in a couple of weeks time, stopping at Osmington just outside of Weymouth, a family break for a week with the wife and daughter and taking my Mom with us. I reckon that I should be able to drop the women off at beach/shops a few times and wander off a bit

Thanks Hoggers, they do have an annoying habit of managing to maintain a bit of distance from you sometimes.

Saturday 10th - Sunday 11th August

A weekend of family stuff and pottering around the house during which I spent fair bit in the garden. The three dwarf buddleias that I bought as small plants last autumn and potted up into containers in the spring are now about three feet tall and are flowering nicely. They are all being visited regularly by assorted Whites, Peacocks and the occasional Gatekeeper.

Peacocks - Coverdale 10.08.2013

Peacock - Coverdale 10.08.2013

Another Red Admiral has been lurking around the nettle patch for a few days although it does not seem interested in the buddleias. It was looking a bit tired and faded and at first I wondered if it was the same one still around from a couple of weeks back but comparing photos with that one it can be seen to be a different individual by differences in the white markings on the forewings.

Red Admiral - Coverdale 10.08.2013

Red Admiral - Coverdale 10.08.2013

The Specklies are still around as well At one time on Sunday afternoon I watched four males spiraling higher and higher above the garden whilst a female sat in a shrub a few feet away.

Speckled Wood female - Coverdale 11.08.2013

Speckled Wood male - Coverdale 11.08.2013

It is great to travel and see the butterflies that I do not get locally, but sometimes it is just as good to sit and watch what is happening right under my nose

Bye for now,

Neil.

[ChrisC]

"It is great to travel and see the butterflies that I do not get locally, but sometimes it is just as good to sit and watch what is happening right under my nose" I agree entirely Neil. My diary is so lacking purely for that reason. I love sitting in the garden watching it all go on.

[David M]

Seconded. We butterfly enthusiasts are almost always on the lookout for rare species but it's wonderful to sometimes sit down, relax and take in what's going on locally without any pressure whatsoever.

That's one of the reasons I enjoyed my recent visit to Aston Rowant so much. Silver Spotted and Essex Skippers had been worked over within an hour so for the next four hours I just idled away my time, standing for 5-10 minutes at a stretch in various likely looking places, just watching what fluttered past.

I think it is those moments that prove the most cathartic. It's like the first butterflies you see in spring. You know they're not rarities but it's just such a simple pleasure to see and then watch them over a prolonged period.

This is why I love my annual Brown Hairstreak trips to Pembrokeshire. It gives me the opportunity to observe a particularly beautiful species without ever worrying about where I have to rush to in the next few days. Once you've hit Brown Hairstreak, there's nowhere left to go. It's the last to emerge and the only encounters you may have subsequently are those unplannable ones with late season migrants which, let's be honest, happen so infrequently that few if any of us try to engineer them.

[Wurzel]

Great read Neil and a valid philosophy That's why it's great to have a garden or local patch because where you can just enjoy them Saying that when you're down this way I'd try a visit to Alners Gorse for Brown Hairstreaks

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks for the comments chaps, very much appreciated

I may well try to visit Alners Gorse Wurzel, I didn't manage to get there when I was in Dorset last year.

Sunday 11th August

Returning to last Sunday, during one of my spells in the garden later in the afternoon I spotted a female Holly Blue fluttering about by some Ivy that grows up a side fence, the same Ivy that I took photos of Holly Blue caterpillars on last year.

I have not seen many Holly Blues in the garden this year, a handful of Spring Brood and a few Summer Brood, but nowhere near as many as last year. I have also only seen the odd one or two whilst out and about, they don't seem to be having such good a year this year, at least around my bit of the midlands that is.

Anyway, as I watched, this particular female settled on the small developing Ivy flower heads and after a bit of shuffling around proceeded to lay eggs on a few of them .

Holly Blue female ovipositing - Coverdale 11.08.2013

Holly Blue female ovipositing - Coverdale 11.08.2013

Holly Blue female ovipositing - Coverdale 11.08.2013

Between bouts of egg laying she would retire to a leaf, either on the Ivy or on one of the nearby shrubs and bask with her wings part open in the late afternoon sun

Holly Blue female - Coverdale 11.08.2013

Holly Blue female - Coverdale 11.08.2013

Holly Blue female - Coverdale 11.08.2013

I will be looking out for the tell tale little holes in the flower buds in a few weeks time and see if I can spot the caterpillars again.

Bye for now,

Neil.

[Pauline]

Those are really great shots of the Holly Blue Neil, and in your garden too! - seeing their behaviour like that is so much more interesting I think than just a pretty picture. I hope you will keep us updated on progress.

[Nick Broomer]

I totally agree but, i like the pretty ones too. Lovely photos Neil, your ovipositing Holly Blue is a photo that will always appeal to me.

All the best, Nick.
.

[David M]

You've been blessed with good fortune lately, Neil, but it's no more than you deserve for the effort you've put in.

Lovely shots of the Holly Blue. A real treat.

[Wurzel]

Great stuff Neil - you'll definitely have to keep us updated on their progress

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks all for the great comments

I will keep my eye on the flower buds and look out for the little holes that give away the presence of a caterpillar.

....... but it's no more than you deserve for the effort you've put in.....

I can't really think of it as effort when I am doing something that gives me so much pleasure

Back to work this week and the weather has been a bit 'scabby' for most of it. There are still plenty of Whites and Peacocks visiting the garden plus a few Brimstones. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly butterflies can appear even after some hefty rain showers.
I may see if I can get out around some local spots this coming weekend depending on how the weather turns out. The current forecast is one of those showers and sunny spells ones that could go either way

Cheers,

Neil.

[Maximus]

Great photos in your last postings Neil, especially the Wall Browns and Holly Blue females.

Regards,

Mike

[Pete Eeles]

Anyway, as I watched, this particular female settled on the small developing Ivy flower heads and after a bit of shuffling around proceeded to lay eggs on a few of them .

The last shot of the ovipositing female is quite superb - nice one Neil!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Neil Freeman]

Mike, Pete, thanks for the comments, very much appreciated as always

Cheers,

Neil.

[Neil Freeman]

Sunday 18th August

Yesterday (Saturday) was a bit of a washout, dull and showery all day with a strong wind so I caught up on some stuff around the house. Today was much better, a bit cloudy bit with some good sunny spells and the wind although still present was much lighter.

I went out this afternoon for a shuftie around my local spots for a couple of hours starting off at Castle Hills. There are still plenty of all three common Whites about and loads of Meadow Browns, most looking a bit tired and faded now but with a few fairly fresh ones scattered amongst them. Gatekeeper numbers are much lower now and again most of these are looking like they are on their last legs as are the few remaining Small and Essex Skippers.

Small Coppers have certainly bounced back here after last years poor showing. After seeing a good half a dozen or so here a couple of weeks back I saw at least a dozen today scattered about across the site, some looking a bit worn now but some looking fresh.

Small Copper - Castle Hills Solihull 18.08.2013

Small Copper - Castle Hills Solihull 18.08.2013

Small Copper - Castle Hills Solihull 18.08.2013

The female below was the largest Small Copper that I have ever seen, about half as big again as any of the others which I believe were mostly males. She was not much smaller than some of the smaller Gatekeepers that I have seen. It is a pity that the size doesn't come across in photos, she really was an impressive creature

Small Copper - Castle Hills Solihull 18.08.2013

Small Copper - Castle Hills Solihull 18.08.2013

There were also a few Small Heaths about and I was pleased to find a few Common Blues, another species that had a very poor showing around here last year.

Small Heath - Castle Hills Solihull 18.08.2013

Common Blue - Castle Hills Solihull 18.08.2013

As usual at this site there were a number of buzzards circling around, one of which came low enough for me to get a reasonable shot.

Buzzard - Castle Hills Solihull 18.08.2013

After spending an hour or so here I circled around a couple of public footpaths and apart from the usual Whites, Browns and Peacocks I found a couple of Common Blues and small Coppers at each spot

Small Copper - Solihull 18.08.2013

I also noticed a fair number of Southern Hawker and Common Darter Dragonflies flying around at every place I went to this afternoon

Southern Hawker - Solihull 18.08.2013

No migrants or rarities but it was good to see that the Small Coppers are doing well and the Common Blues are recovering after the bad year that both species had around here last year

Bye for now,

Neil.