Neil Freeman

[David M]

Nice images, Neil, especially the Buzzard shot with the gloriously blue sky background.

[Wurzel]

Cracking shots Neil Small Coppers always seem to lend themselves to photography well, they're a great stand by species

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Maximus]

Hi Neil, Small Coppers are beautiful little butterflies and you have captured some lovely shots of them.

Regards,

Mike

[Pauline]

I agree - those are great shots of Small Copper especially the closed wing shot - and is that a hint of blue spots? The Buzzard is superb and something I have never managed even on full zoom. good job Neil.

[Neil Freeman]

Many thanks for all the comments, very much appreciated

Small Coppers are fantastic little butterflies, bright and showy and once you spot the males favourite perches you can sit tight and they will keep coming back

I wasn't going to mention the blue spots Pauline but something like 50% of the ones I am seeing around here have some degree of blue spotting albeit in most cases it is just a hint.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Nick Broomer]

Lovely photos of the Small Copper Neil, especially the forth picture down, but that Buzzard, absolutely brilliant.

All the best, Nick.

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks Nick, as with the Red Kite the other week, the Buzzard was a lucky snap shot

A hectic week at work this week and a bit kna**ered when I have got home so I have not done much or been anywhere.

I have noticed that the number of Peacocks in the garden has dropped considerably although most afternoons there have still been a couple on the Buddleias. I guess they are filling up their reserves and beginning to tuck themselves away until next spring. It will be interesting to see how many make it to next year.

Still loads of White around, mostly Large and Small. I was watching half a dozen Large Whites the other afternoon when it went a bit dull and they went high up in the trees. When the sun came out a bit later I saw them drop out of the trees, gliding almost halfway to the ground like giant snowflakes. before flapping their wings and continuing on.
I have witnessed this before with individual Large Whites but never seen half a dozen do it together, a fascinating and quite beautiful sight that was over in seconds.

A couple of well worn Speckled Woods have now been joined by a couple of fresh males. It seems that their staggered emergence is back to almost normal after a very late start to the year in my garden.

I was hoping to get over to Grafton Wood where Brown Hairstreaks have been showing well but with thunderstorms forecast today and a family gathering tomorrow it is looking unlikely that I will make it this weekend.

Another week at work and then I am off down to Dorset for a week

Bye for now,

Neil.

[David M]

I was watching half a dozen Large Whites the other afternoon when it went a bit dull and they went high up in the trees. When the sun came out a bit later I saw them drop out of the trees, gliding almost halfway to the ground like giant snowflakes. before flapping their wings and continuing on.
I have witnessed this before with individual Large Whites but never seen half a dozen do it together, a fascinating and quite beautiful sight that was over in seconds.

I'm glad you mentioned that, Neil, because I was in the cemetery opposite my house at half past five one day last week and there were quite a few Whites fluttering en masse in the trees as if they were looking for somewhere to roost for the night.

I know many Blues like the grass stems, whilst I've seen Meadow Browns and Ringlets tucking themselves under the leaves of small shrubs, but I never knew what Whites' roosting preferences were. I think I know now.

[Neil Freeman]

H David, I have seen Small and GV Whites roost up in smaller shrubs but have noticed that Large Whites seem to prefer to roost higher up.

Saturday August 24th

Well, I got out today after all

After a gloomy, damp and windy morning the forecast heavy rain didn't materialise and early afternoon I decided to drive over to Grafton Wood. I realised that the conditions were not good for Brown Hairstreaks, being overcast and breezy still, and that by the time I would get there the best late morning/early afternoon time would be over but I was feeling the need to get out for a bit.

Arriving at around 1.30 it was still very overcast and breezy so I decided to head though the wood and have a wander around the eastern side which was a bit more sheltered. Despite the cloud there were a fair number of butterflies flying including Whites and the ever reliable Meadow Browns, some of which were still looking reasonable, females especially often had that soft warm brown look to them.

Meadow Brown male - Grafton Wood 24.08.2013

Meadow Brown female - Grafton Wood 24.08.2013

After a couple of hours of bimbling slowly around, during which I saw more Whites, Meadow Browns, Speckled Woods and a couple of Small Tortoiseshells, I headed towards the 'Orchard' and 'Pond' areas to the west side of the wood.

Small Tortoiseshell - Grafton Wood 24.08.2013

Green-veined White - Grafton Wood 24.08.2013

The cloud was thinning a bit by now and the sun actually popped out briefly a few times which brought a few more Butterflies out. Around the Orchard area there were a few Common Blue, Brown Argus and Small Coppers plus a few faded Gatekeepers which gave me a couple of false alarms whilst looking for Brown Hairstreaks.

Common Blue - Grafton Wood 24.08.2013

Common Blue - Grafton Wood 24.08.2013

Brown Argus - Grafton Wood 24.08.2013

Brown Argus - Grafton Wood 24.08.2013

Small Copper - Grafton Wood 24.08.2013

I was also pleased to find a Painted Lady in this area which spent a good few minutes flitting between clumps of Ragwort and Fleabane before flying off into the wood.

Painted Lady - Grafton Wood 24.08.2013

Painted Lady - Grafton Wood 24.08.2013

I didn't find any Brown Hairstreaks in the end today but nevertheless had a good few hours despite it being a mostly dull and windy afternoon.

Bye for now.

Neil.

[millerd]

That's lovely selection of photos, Neil. An overcast but bright day often makes for better pictures I think. My particular favourite is the Green-veined White - I have several reasonable underside shots, but that open-wing male topside is a classic!

Dave

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks Dave

There were quite a few whites yesterday basking with open wings whilst it was dull, I assume trying to make the most of the weak light.

Just been going through yesterdays photos again and realised I took another photo of another individual

Green-veined White - Grafton Wood 24.08.2013

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

I agree with Dave great shots but both the whites are classics Good luck with the further Brostreak hunting, I'm sure you're catch up with one or four soon

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks Wurzel I may try and get to Alners Gorse next week when I am down in Dorset. I won't get another chance to go to Grafton Wood until after I return and may well be too late for Brown Hairstreaks by then.

Monday August 26th.

A Bank Holiday Monday with decent weather and guess who was in work today a price to pay for re-arranging holiday for the trips I have already had this year and for the week in Dorset still to come next week

I got back from work this afternoon and getting out of the car my eyes scanned the large Buddleia in the front garden which has recently had Peacocks on it most days. Over the weekend the numbers of Peacocks had dwindled and there were none there today.
Instead, today there were four Small Tortoiseshells, not as many as I am seeing other people reporting on their Buddleias but nevertheless more than I had in the garden during the whole of last year.

I went in and after getting changed picked up my camera and went back out the front and took a few photos.

Small Tortoiseshell - Coverdale 26.08.2013

Small Tortoiseshell - Coverdale 26.08.2013

Small Tortoiseshell - Coverdale 26.08.2013

Small Tortoiseshell - Coverdale 26.08.2013

As usual there were also a number of Whites, mostly Large, flitting about the Buddleia plus a few Silver-Y moths buzzing about.

Large White - Coverdale 26.08.2013

I then went and sat in the back garden and chilled out for a while with a coffee and watched more Whites passing through and a couple of male Speckled Wood that had territories staked out a few yards apart which they would often chase each other out of.

Speckled Wood - Coverdale 26.08.2013

Speckled Wood - Coverdale 26.08.2013

After being stuck in the office most of the day this was a much needed hour or so

Bye for now.

Neil.

[Neil Freeman]

Tuesday August 27th

A repeat of Monday really with Small Tortoiseshells on the Buddleia in the front garden and Speckles in the back to greet me when I arrived home from work

Just another hour or so watching the goings on in the garden but I couldn't resist the temptation to take a few more photos

Small Tortoiseshells - Coverdale 27.08.2013

Small Tortoiseshell - Coverdale 27.08.2013

Speckled Wood - Coverdale 27.08.2013

Speckled Wood - Coverdale 27.08.2013

Bye for now,

Neil

[millerd]

Tuesday August 27th

... but I couldn't resist the temptation to take a few more photos

Neil

I know what that feels like. When we're into October, and the days are short and a chill is in the air, I'm sure I'll still be taking shots of tatty Meadow Browns, and Red Admirals sucking the last from squishy blackberries...

Dave

[David M]

Tuesday August 27th

... but I couldn't resist the temptation to take a few more photos

Neil

I know what that feels like. When we're into October, and the days are short and a chill is in the air, I'm sure I'll still be taking shots of tatty Meadow Browns, and Red Admirals sucking the last from squishy blackberries...

Dave

I don't wish to contemplate that image just yet, Dave (even though it's bang on!)

I'd prefer an explosion of home grown Clouded Yeellows and a local outbreak of Long Tailed Blues (with maybe a few Monarchs and Camberwell beauties thrown in).

One can but dream!

[Maximus]

Hi Neil, some very nice photos in you last post(s) It is starting to feel that the the year is beginning to move forward into autumn now, and the nights are noticeably starting to draw in

Mike

[Wurzel]

Liking your second Specklie shot a lot Neil You used to be able to get transparent holders for Airfix models that they could sit on so they'd be "flying" and that's what that shot reminds me of, it tickled me that did Good luck down in deepest Dorset

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Nick Broomer]

Lovely photos as usual Neil, and i see you still have that magic paint brush within your camera working overtime. Your Speckled Wood, [26th Aug, 2nd picture down] is an absolute beauty.

All the best, Nick.

[Neil Freeman]

Many thanks all for the comments guys

The nights are certainly drawing in now....as are the mornings, especially at 6.00am when I am getting up for work. At least there are still some spells of warm sun in between. I am just hoping it holds out for another week, looking promising so far

I see what you mean about the Airfix models Wurzel, I remember them well being a young lad in the 1960s when they were at in their heyday although I hung most of mine from the bedroom ceiling

Looking forward to my week in Dorset, heading down to Osmington on Saturday . I have spent a bit of time the past couple of nights on Google Earth looking at the local area for likely spots to check out.

Cheers,

Neil.