Susie

[Pauline]

Just catching up Susie - smashing Duke shot but especially well done with the Wood White which have been really quite difficult to track down just recently.

[Wurzel]

Lovely Small Copper Susie and the Wood White is dreamy We're about a fortnight behind in Wiltshire so hopefully the Pearls will be out soon I expect that you'll have a Common Blue or Brown Argus by then.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Susie]

On Tuesday, with rain forecast to the north and south of me I decided to go somewhere in the middle - kithurst hill - and it was a great choice. I was hoping to see small blue and had no luck there but other butterflies were on the wing enjoying the warm sunshine in good numbers while thunder crashed to the north of us

We couldn't go to the meadow (no dogs allowed) but followed the south downs way towards amberley and discovered a little bit of butterfly heaven in the form of a path that led to the south. I love wandering off the usual path and discovering these hidden gems. field pansy were flowering all along the route; just need a lost queen of Spain full of eggs to make another memorable summer

Saw my first large red damselfly of the year.

Peacocks and brimstones were flying in good numbers, orange tips and green veined whites also. A few dingy skipper, speckled woods and a pair of perfect red admirals were in fighting good form; newly emerged or continental visitors I wonder?

With a cuckoo calling it was a perfect spring afternoon

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Susie,

Sounds like a great day. I know what you mean about just wandering down a footpath somewhere and finding new places, been doing bit of that myself and found some cracking spots within a few miles of my home.

All the best,

Neil.

[Susie]

Went back to kithurst hill this afternoon but a little too late in the day for most butterflies. Still managedtto see brimstones, peacocks, green veined whites and a dingy skipper.

Still no photos as having problems with home pc

[Susie]

I've sorted out my photo problem so here are a few from the last week

[Katrina]

Lovely Brimstone on cowslip photo! I find it very hard to find them sitting still long enough for a photo

[Susie]

Thank you Katrina. I must admit I put it there myself, which shows how chilly it was as it was quite obliging. I was pleased I was able to spot it in the first place as it wasnt flying

[Susie]

Ramsoms

[NickMorgan]

Wow, 17 species already. I am only on 8!! I have seen a Large White, though!

[Susie]

I bet you catch me up soon enough, Nick!

Today I went to Heyshott to have another look at the dukes and hopefully find a green hairstreak. Lucked out on the green hairstreak again!

I saw about 12+ Dukes, plenty of dingy skippers and not a lot else, until I found a PBF. I lost it briefly before finding it again and getting some photos. Leaving the site I bumped into Paul (hello Paul ) and saw a small heath - another first for this year.

After Heyshott I went to Kithurst Hill but the weather had broken and with rain falling down I decided to cut the visit short and head for home.

Butterfly challenge

1. Peacock - 11/01/14
2. Red admiral - 05/03/14
3. Brimstone - 05/03/14
4. Small tortoiseshell - 09/03/14
5. Comma - 09/03/14
6. Small white - 01/04/14
7. Orange tip - 01/04/14
8. Holly blue - 09/04/14
9. Speckled wood - 09/04/14
10.Green veined white - 13/04/14
11.Dingy skipper - 21/04/14
12.Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 22/04/14
13.Duke of Burgundy - 24/04/14
14.Wood white - 26/04/14
15.Grizzled skipper - 28/04/14
16.Small copper - 28/04/14
17.Wall brown - 28/04/14
18.Small heath - 07/05/14

[Susie]

Despite the weather I went to kithust hill this afternoon. I wanted to see small blue but still no luck. I couldn't go into the meadow because of the dog but was lucky enough to bump into Mark Colvin and Katrina. I took pup for a walk and when I returned Mark and Katrina hadn't found any small blue but had found three dukes and a brown argus roosting in the meadow. I was green with envy as I haven't seen a brown argus so far this year. Mark was kind enough to explain that the brown argus was just the other side of the fence and so with us staying roadside and Mark meadow side he took us to the spot and pointed out where it was roosting and I am able to add another tick to my list thanks Mark!

19. Brown argus. 10.05.14

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Susie,
I'm not sure whether someone has told you that you can't take the Butterfly Hound into the meadow, but this certainly isn't the case! The local National Park ranger and I have put up a notice on the gate explaining the ecological importance of the meadow, and asking that dog owners prevent their pets from fouling the field and adjacent area, as the cumulative build-up of nutrients is a problem when the flora and fauna depends on a nutrient-poor soil. But dogs are more than welcome (here and everywhere else) when owners clear up after the inevitable poop. The problem is exacerbated by the small size of the site, which supports the highest diversity of butterflies per hectare in the UK.
BWs, Neil

[Susie]

Oh! Thanks Neil. I must have misread the sign on the gate which I thought said dogs were prohibited. I am very pleased that isn't the case

It is such a special little place and a real credit to those who work so hard to preserve it (and expand it).

[Susie]

Looking at the weather forecast for the weekend last Friday I felt pretty depressed; rain, rain and more rain, and a fair bit of wind too was forecast. We certainly had plenty of rain and it blew up a hooley at times but overall the weekend has been much better than I expected.

This afternoon I took a trip to Denbies (without the hound, we had taken him to the Cowpie show earlier in the day and worn him out!), it was quite late in the day and to be honest I wasn't expecting much but I was still hoping for a green hairstreak. No chance! I walked to the bottom of the hill, to a spot which was protected to the east and west by tall trees from the gusty wind, and was delighted to see a flash of blue, and then another; adonis blue in fact I managed to get some photos, then I saw common blue too, and brown argus - and then female Adonis blue. In total there must have been four or five Adonis blue, about the same numbers of common blue, one female Adonis, two brown argus, a couple of small heath, loads of dingy skippers and a couple of grizzled skippers and one brimstone and one speckled wood. I am sure that over the coming week if the weather hots up this place is going to explode with butterflies - maybe even a few green hairstreaks

Butterfly challenge

1. Peacock - 11/01/14
2. Red admiral - 05/03/14
3. Brimstone - 05/03/14
4. Small tortoiseshell - 09/03/14
5. Comma - 09/03/14
6. Small white - 01/04/14
7. Orange tip - 01/04/14
8. Holly blue - 09/04/14
9. Speckled wood - 09/04/14
10.Green veined white - 13/04/14
11.Dingy skipper - 21/04/14
12.Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 22/04/14
13.Duke of Burgundy - 24/04/14
14.Wood white - 26/04/14
15.Grizzled skipper - 28/04/14
16.Small copper - 28/04/14
17.Wall brown - 28/04/14
18.Small heath - 07/05/14
19.Brown argus - 10/05/14
20.Adonis blue - 11/05/14
21.Common blue - 11/05/14

I also found this little critter; don't know what it is so I'll have to look it up

[Lee Hurrell]

In total there must have been four or five Adonis blue, about the same numbers of common blue, one female Adonis, two brown argus, a couple of small heath... I am sure that over the coming week if the weather hots up this place is going to explode with butterflies

That's my next trip out sorted then!

Lovely photos Susie.

Best wishes,

Lee

[millerd]

Lovely to see those, Susie! And to think that a few miles further north, the weather was so grey, cloudy and chilly that I abandoned all thought of a trip to Denbies... I should have known better! Later this week, perhaps.

Dave

[Goldie M]

Hi! Susie lovely Photo's, it will take me into August to capture an Adonis, that's if I'm in Kent then

I also love your Landscape photo's they remind me of Constable's scene's. Goldie

[Susie]

Thanks Lee, Dave and Goldie

Another visit to Kithurst Hill was in order this morning. As I arrived down came the rain ...

I met up with Colin Knight and Neil Hulme and it wasn't long before Colin found a small blue and with the weather being showery interspersed with brief periods of better weather it wasn't going anywhere far. After a while it started to nod off, and you can see it's antenna have drooped.

So that's me at the half way mark

Butterfly challenge

1. Peacock - 11/01/14
2. Red admiral - 05/03/14
3. Brimstone - 05/03/14
4. Small tortoiseshell - 09/03/14
5. Comma - 09/03/14
6. Small white - 01/04/14
7. Orange tip - 01/04/14
8. Holly blue - 09/04/14
9. Speckled wood - 09/04/14
10.Green veined white - 13/04/14
11.Dingy skipper - 21/04/14
12.Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 22/04/14
13.Duke of Burgundy - 24/04/14
14.Wood white - 26/04/14
15.Grizzled skipper - 28/04/14
16.Small copper - 28/04/14
17.Wall brown - 28/04/14
18.Small heath - 07/05/14
19.Brown argus - 10/05/14
20.Adonis blue - 11/05/14
21.Common blue - 11/05/14
22.Small blue - 12/05/14

[Hoggers]

Hi Susie, I'm following your Butterfly Challenge with interest (and envy!!) Good Luck with it.

I know you do a lot of butterflying with your hound alongside. He must be a lot better behaved than mine! Every time I spot a butterfly and I've wriggled along on my belly to get a nice Padfield-esque close-up photograph (I can dream!) my Spaniel comes charging in with his tail thrashing about and knocks everything flying (literally!)

But he's not all bad. Sometimes as I'm stalking my butterfly and can see the dog in the corner of my eye heading towards me at speed I manage to stop him by calling out "Wait! Waaaaait!!" and he'll stand there within inches of the butterfly, containing his energy like a bomb just about to go off, until I've taken my photo.

Great fun!

Best Wishes,

Hoggers.