Lee Hurrell

[Susie]

Beautiful photos from Turkey Lee

[Lee Hurrell]

Thanks Susie.

One more part to come.

[Lee Hurrell]

Kalkan, Turkey, September 2013 - Part Three

I only saw a few moths, with Hummingbird Hawk Moths being quite common.

Hummingbird Hawk Moth, Kalkan, Turkey, 16th September 2013

Hummingbird Hawk Moth, Kalkan, Turkey, 16th September 2013

The only others were a Leopard moth and this pretty little thing.

Unknown Moth, Kalkan, Turkey, 16th September 2013

Dragonflies were common and I love the way they make such willing subjects! They lift off if you approach oh so slightly too fast, but get it right and I swear they would perch on your finger. Beautiful.

Red Veined Darter, Kalkan, Turkey, 13th September 2013

Red Veined Darter, Kalkan, Turkey, 13th September 2013

Red Veined Darter, Kalkan, Turkey, 13th September 2013

Red Veined Darter, Kalkan, Turkey, 16th September 2013

Red Veined Darter, Kalkan, Turkey, 19th September 2013

Red Veined Darter, Kalkan, Turkey, 19th September 2013

This Beautiful Demoiselle was seen at Saklikent Gorge (the third highest in Europe and well worth a visit).

Beautiful Demoiselle, Saklikent Gorge, Turkey, 12th September 2013

This lizard was seen on the same day but at Xanthos, where there are some spectacular Roman ruins.

Lizard, Xanthos, Turkey, 12th September 2013

Lizard, Xanthos, Turkey, 12th September 2013

Roman Amphitheatre, Xanthos, Turkey, 12th September 2013

This large toad made us jump on the way back from dinner one night!

Toad, Kalkan, Turkey, 18th September 2013

While I'm not sure what this is, perhaps a stick insect or mantis of some sort.

Mantis? Kalkan, Turkey, 9th September 2013

Last up, this fearsome looking thing would have taken my finger, honest.

Unknown, Kalkan, 14th September 2013

Thank to you Guy, Paul Wetton and Wurzel with IDs.

Finally, there were some stunning sunsets over the bay. Here's one to end with.

Sunset over Kalkan, Turkey, 20th September 2013

[Chris Jackson]

A lovely set of photos all round Lee.
Chris

[Wurzel]

A great set of reports and shots Lee Your Stick Insect looks like a Mantis (are they present in Greece?) and the stripey abdomen reminds me of the Mint Moths we get over here on Downland from the genus Pyrausta?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Padfield]

Hi Lee.

Your dragonflies are female and male (respectively) red-veined darters, Sympetrum fonscolombii. The damselfly is a beautiful demoiselle, Calopteryx virgo.

Guy

[David M]

Those shots of Pygmy Skipper are particularly interesting, Lee, given that it's a butterfly thought to now be extinct in France.

[Lee Hurrell]

Many thanks, Chris and Wurzel for your kind comments, much appreciated.

Guy, thanks for the ID and also the earlier butterfly IDs from an earlier post, I forgot to thank you in here and I do usually! Also much appreciated. I don't know much about dragonflies (you can tell, can't you...).

David, Pygmy Skipper is not species I've seen in France, these Turkish specimens were my first. I have seen their close cousin the Mediterranean Skipper in Spain though, but it is a shame if that is true and they are extinct in France. I think like you, France is a country I would like to explore a lot more!

Best wishes,

Lee

[LancsRover]

Hi Lee,
Great photo's of your trip to Turkey, and the couple of the Hummingbird H/M are superb, I must have taken 100's of pics of them but nothing like yours.

Cheers Russ.

[Lee Hurrell]

Many thanks, Russ, you're being kind

I think the HBHM shots were with a shutter speed of 1/4000 as it was so bright, which might explain why they are the only shots of a Hummer I have where the wings aren't blurry!

Best wishes,

Lee

[Maximus]

Great photos from Turkey Lee, brilliant Pygmy Skipper shots. France is a great country and we also would like to explore it more.

Mike

[Lee Hurrell]

Many thanks, Mike, much appreciated. I do adore France and can't wait to go back.

Best wishes,

Lee

[Lee Hurrell]

29th September 2013

Denbies today had a real end of season feel about it, the leaves were turning and the grass was going over, the meadows having lost their high summer glorious lushness. It is always with a tinge of sadness I venture out at this time of year with winter just around the corner. (However, 2013 had a couple of surprises to come...but back to today).

Unfortunately it was more than just the season that had ended for this female Brimstone, which stood out in the hedgerow, hanging lifeless from a garden spider's web.

Brimstone, female, (deceased), Denbies, Surrey, 29th September 2013

A few Brown Argus were still showing.

Brown Argus, Denbies, Surrey, 29th September 2013

Brown Argus, Denbies, Surrey, 29th September 2013

Common Blue too.

Common Blue, male, Denbies, Surrey, 29th September 2013

This Chalkhill Blue was, I think, the last one recorded in Surrey in 2013. I had noted male at the time but I think this is actually a female.

Chalkhill Blue, Denbies, Surrey, 29th September 2013

Meadow Browns are wonderful with their protracted flight season. Several females looked quite fresh.

Meadow Brown, female, Denbies, Surrey, 29th September 2013

She was soon joined by a friend. Now, now ladies.

Meadow Brown, females, Denbies, Surrey, 29th September 2013

This different female seemed to have a hole in her forewing.

Meadow Brown, female, Denbies, Surrey, 29th September 2013

Just the one Speckled Wood was seen. Some of the leaves looked very autumnal.

Speckled Wood, female, Denbies, Surrey, 29th September 2013

Sightings: 1 Chalkhill Blue, 2 male Common Blue, 2 Brown Argus, 10 Meadow Brown, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 female Brimstone (deceased).

What else did 2013 have left...?

[Wurzel]

Lovely report Lee - it's almost better reading it now with the new season ahead of us, I don't feel quite as sad about the images if that makes sense I'm wondering now what was left in store - a blue or a yellow or both??

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Lee Hurrell]

Thanks Wurzel, I know what you mean. There's not much to be sad about at this time of year!

Lee

[Lee Hurrell]

5th October 2013 - Comma Crazy

When at my mum's in Somerset for the weekend, I always go for a walk in the local fields and woods. They hold some fantastic memories; Commas and Peacocks in spring, Red Admirals, Speckled Woods and Small Tortoiseshells, the occasional Brimstone. Finding local colonies of Small Copper and Common Blue. Usually my first Orange Tips and Swallows over Easter. The sheer number of whites in a damp meadow. My first ever Silver Washed Fritillary in 2007. A day trip to Collard Hill to see my first Large Blue (and still only single UK sighting) in 2008. I went in search of Heath Fritillary once, which live nearby, but didn't find them. I swear there must be Brown Hairstreak just down the lane too. So although it is the right thing for my mother and step father to move away from the south west, I will miss it. But that is all for early 2014.

Back to October 2013 and I can usually guarantee a fantastic autumnal display of all the hibernators, with some stocking up on blackberries. Speckled Woods last well into October too. I've also seen and photographed Comma ab. neole and ab. obscura in and around the village too: http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/aberrati ... es=c-album

But on this day in my favourite field, next to Stone Wood, I saw more Comma butterflies in one place than I ever have before. I counted at least 25. Every bramble bush held at least one, sometimes more. They were everywhere!

This is the field (photographed on my mobile phone in March 2014) to give you an idea. I only covered the first half.

Field next to Stone Wood, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 8th March 2014

Field next to Stone Wood, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 8th March 2014

Field next to Stone Wood, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 8th March 2014

Comma, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 5th October 2013

Comma, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 5th October 2013

Comma, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 5th October 2013

Comma, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 5th October 2013

Comma, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 5th October 2013

Comma, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 5th October 2013

Comma, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 5th October 2013

Comma, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 5th October 2013

Comma, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 5th October 2013

This one could be ab. neole

Comma, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 5th October 2013

While this one is new to me, with extra black markings on the hindwings.

Comma, unknown aberration, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 5th October 2013

Comma, unknown aberration, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 5th October 2013

Of course it wasn't only Commas, 2 Red Admiral were seen but at complete opposites of the freshness scale.

Pretty Red Admiral, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 5th October 2013

Pretty beat up Red Admiral, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 5th October 2013

10 or so Speckled Wood were also there. This male's yellow spots had worn off, leaving little shiny holes.

Speckled Wood, male, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, 5th October 2013

It was quite a day, and another that will stay in my memory.

[Wurzel]

Some of those Comma Lee look like they're fresh spring ones and the difference in the wear of the Red Admirals is shocking - really interesting shots.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Lee Hurrell]

Thanks, Wurzel.

[Lee Hurrell]

Thursday 17th October

Work commitments and then poor weather had until now kept me from a journey in search of British Long Tailed Blues. I had religiously kept an eye on the weather forecasts for the last few weeks and last weekend it seemed likely I would be having a day off on Thursday 17th October. Luckily the forecast stayed the same and first thing Thursday I was heading for Minnis Bay. Despite early cloud and rain, I expected the day to brighten.

I found the site easily thanks to Dave Brown's excellent directions. Upon reaching the raised footpath adjacent to the railway, I was initially concerned that the recent cold spell had finished the everlasting pea, it seemed to have gone over and I could see none in flower. The first sighting I had were of dragonflies; there were a lot of different ones buzzing about. After what seemed like ages of watching the dragonflies but little else, I saw a female Small White, the first butterfly of the day.

Here's a few of the dragonflies; Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers (thanks aeshna5 for the IDs):

A little while later and further along the path, I chanced upon Nigel and Bill, two Fermyn Woods regulars. They were lovely chaps, nice enough in itself but best of all they were watching a Long Tailed Blue! They had already seen one male earlier in the morning and were now watching 2 or 3 others around a nice sheltered spot containing a few pea flowers. There were two very fresh females that must have emerged Thursday morning along with at least two males. I am being conservative as males would come and go along the railway line and I don’t want to over count. But the females were very fresh:

Long Tailed Blue, female, near Reculver, Kent, 17th October 2013

By now the sun was blazing and out of the sea breeze it was really warm. We stood and watched the Blues for a while, chatting away. All of a sudden, one of the males found a fresh female and seemed interested…he landed next to her and fluttered away, trying it on. He was quite persistent and as she moved a short distance away, he would follow and try his luck. His persistence paid off and eventually she relented and they coupled. We couldn’t believe our luck!

Long Tailed Blue, female, near Reculver, Kent, 17th October 2013

Long Tailed Blue, male and female, near Reculver, Kent, 17th October 2013

Long Tailed Blue, male and female, near Reculver, Kent, 17th October 2013

Long Tailed Blue, male and female, near Reculver, Kent, 17th October 2013

Long Tailed Blue, male and female, near Reculver, Kent, 17th October 2013

They moved about quite a bit.

Long Tailed Blue, male and female, near Reculver, Kent, 17th October 2013

Long Tailed Blue, male and female, near Reculver, Kent, 17th October 2013

Long Tailed Blue, male and female, near Reculver, Kent, 17th October 2013

My favourite photo of the day.

Long Tailed Blue, male and female, near Reculver, Kent, 17th October 2013

Long Tailed Blue, male and female, near Reculver, Kent, 17th October 2013

I knew that I would be lucky to see anything today so see British Long Tailed Blues, let alone a male and female meet, court, mate and eventually separate was simply stunning.

While the Long Tailed Blues were paired, UKB’s own Hoggers came along and saw his second mating pair in a week! Nice to see him again, the last time was in Wrecclesham a couple of years ago.

We all took plenty of photos and watched as the pair separated until we lost them.

We walked further along to where Nigel and Bill had seen a male earlier in the morning, seeing a few more Small Whites on the way.

Fellow UKB member Keith Woonton and a colleague appeared and reported a Clouded Yellow and a Comma. I then found this male Long Tailed Blue and a large Peacock flew around us.

Long Tailed Blue, male, near Reculver, Kent, 17th October 2013

Long Tailed Blue mating site, near Reculver, Kent, 17th October 2013

Long Tailed Blue habitat, near Reculver, Kent, 17th October 2013

After another check of the area where the mating had taken place and with no new sightings, Hoggers and I headed back to the car park having a good talk about butterflies.

My sightings – 5 Long Tailed Blue (3 male, 2 female), 5 Small White and 3 Peacock.

For a day out butterflying in mid-October, today was a day I won’t forget in a hurry.

Thanks to Marc Heath for finding/publicising the site, Dave Brown for directions and Neil for advice.

Lee

[Lee Hurrell]

Christmas Day 2013

I spent Christmas in Spain and even saw a (probable small) white driving to my Dad's from the airport!

I woke on Christmas day to this wonderful present; a moth in the porch, which had come to light over night. (I had left the light on for that reason ) The beautifully named Olive-tree Pearl.

Olive-tree Pearl, Cuidad Quesada, Spain, 25th December 2013