essex buzzard

[Wurzel]

I thought the Chalk Hill was in good nick Essex but that Adonis is electrifying

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

Hi Paulne,thanks for your comments. I guess it's quality over quantity! I am working on my backgrounds and trying to improve my images,where possible.

Thanks also Wurzel. Fresh Adonis Blues are,arguably,our most stunning butterfly.

When walking the south west coast path west of Durdle Door,i always look for the Autumn Ladies Tresses.This tiny orchid is the last to flower and is so small,it goes unnoticed by most people.In some years,mid-August is to early for it but this year,they were abundant,especially on the downs just off the coast path. As it's latin name suggests,the flowers are usurally arranged in a spiral,which can be in a clockwise or anticlockwise direction.

In these areas of short,sparse turf,Small Heaths were common,particularly on the lower slopes.

[Wurzel]

More stunning vistas Essex and the orchids are delightful I've noticed a sudden resurgence in Small Heath recently too

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

While in Dorset,we spent a morning at Arne RSPB reserve. A few butterflies were around-Graylings and a few worn Gatekeepers and so-on. But far more interesting was a pond and its surroundings,which were pink with cross-leaf heath and Dorset heath-a kind of heather which is restricted to Dorset and Cornwall,i believe.

In this heather,were several wasp spiders. Although crickets and grasshoppers are their main food,they will happily eat butterflies too-on the downs i have often seen blue butterflies wraped up in their webs. On the pond were several raft spiders,a first for me. One was seen to catch and drown a small green beetle on the water surface,before eating it.

Lots of dragonflies were nearby,including a late male emperor,which was trying to catch some of the smaller ones. A common darter flew into a spiders web where,quick as a flash,it was dispatched and wraped up by the spider. Others were laying eggs by dipping their tails in the water.

The heaths were resplendant in pink ling heather,with the occasional sprig of yellow dwarf gorse thrown in.

[essexbuzzard]

FONTMALL DOWN

OUR last port of call before we left Dorset was Fontmell Down. It was the first time i had visited for several years,and it was good to be back.

A small colony of Silver-spotted Skippers is here and,late in the season,several were seen. A female is below. A Brimstone and 3 Clouded yellows were seen,including one that was laying eggs on short sprigs of clover on the footpaths,ignoring big,lush plants nearby. Every now and then she would stop and bask for a minute or two,then lay a few more on this chilly day.

Numbers of Adonis Blue were low at Ballard,but here there were plenty. Nearly all were males,many fresh,too. A few Common and faded Chalkhill Blues were also around,as were lots of Meadow Browns. A nice end to our Dorset break.

[David M]

That's a highly productive return this late in the season, EB.

Glad to see you made the most of it.

[essexbuzzard]

Female Silver-spotted Skipper at Fontmell Down is below.

[essexbuzzard]

Thanks David. Because of the earlier season this year,i felt that is might just be Adonis Blues in Dorset by late August, therefore i was pleased to still see a good variety of species.

Cheers, Mark.

[essexbuzzard]

DUNGERNESS

Inspired by the reports and excellent images on Hoggers' PD,i felt it was time to pay a visit to Dungerness this week,in the south of Kent. With its huge nuclear powerstation and almost endless shingle,it may at first glance seem a barren place,but a closer look reveals Dungerness is full of good stuff.

Amongst the shingle plants,including yellow horned poppies,were Small Coppers. Some were males,which lept out at anything that flew past,others were feeding on ragwort blooms. Several Brown Argus and Common Blues were here,too. Further on,near the power station,were wild cabbage,with atendant Large Whites. A Clouded Yellow was here,too,with another Small Copper or two. A Hummingbird Hawkmoth was on the shingle beach,and as we headed back,a couple of Small Heath were spotted.

So a most enjoyable couple of hours here,before we headed towards Dover for the afternoon.

[Wurzel]

Lovely Small Coppers Essex Is it just me or do the later broods seem to have more pronounced 'tails'?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Hoggers]

Hi EssexB, glad you had such a productive visit to Dungeness. Great report as usual!

I hope you popped into the pub for a bit of well earned refreshment!

Best wishes,

Hoggers.

[essexbuzzard]

Now you mention it,you could have something there,Wurzel.

Sadly,Hoggers,there wasn't time for any liquid refreshment in the pub! As we were soon off to...

... Lydden Downs,near Dover.With warm early autumn sunshine continuing, There were still plenty of butterflies-16 species in all-quite impressive for September!

Surprisingly,there were still some Silver-spotted Skippers in good condition,mostly females. There were also a few mint Adonis Blues,but numbers were low-this has been the case at most of the Adonis Blue sites i have been to this summer. I wonder why this is? With good weather this summer,i was expecting a better 2nd emergence.

I was surprised,but delighted to see a Peacock. Meadow Browns were everywhere,even some fresh males. The devils-bit scabious is now in full bloom at this site,attracting many insects. Throw in another Hummingbird Hawkmoth,great green bush-cricket and a fox amongst other things,and this amounted to a very good day,for so late in the season.

Full list: Silver-spotted Skipper,Brimstone,Large White,Small White,Small Copper,Brown Argus,Common Blue, Chalkhill Blue, Adonis Blue,Small Tortoiseshell,Peacock,Red Admiral,Painted Lady,Meadow Brown,Speckled Wood and Small Heath.

[Wurzel]

A lovely collection of atmospheric shots Essex, you've spurred me on to sometimes 'take a step back' when photographing the butterflies as that Peacock shot is fantastic

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[essexbuzzard]

Just thought i would try something different,Wurzel-glad you like it!

[David M]

Full list: Silver-spotted Skipper,Brimstone,Large White,Small White,Small Copper,Brown Argus,Common Blue, Chalkhill Blue, Adonis Blue,Small Tortoiseshell,Peacock,Red Admiral,Painted Lady,Meadow Brown,Speckled Wood and Small Heath.

Good lord! It's like being in a time warp. Vanessids and Whites apart, there ain't much on the wing here in. s.Wales.

[essexbuzzard]

To be fair,David,as the autumn progresses i'm having to go a bit further to get my butterfly fix. But with a long winter to come,i will keep the season going as long as i can,if the weather holds.

Thanks for your feedback!

[Neil Freeman]

Just catching up with you diary Essex, great reports and photos recently Interesting to compare your experiences in Dorset with mine although it looks like I was luckier with the weather.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Pauline]

Great reports and photos Mark, especially the Clouded Yellow ...... but where's the fox?

[essexbuzzard]

Hi Pauline,actually i did photograph it-at great distance! This was a country fox,and as soon as it spotted us,it was gone in a flash. If i can crop it to a resonable image,i'll post it.

SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT

This week,we headed up to Martins Meadow,north of Ipswich. These meadows are great in spring and early summer,with many orchids, snakes-head fritillaries and other flowers. But in autumn i come to look at the meadow saffron,a crocus-like flower whih was once common but has died out in most places,leaving just a few protected populations. The blooms are pink or white,and several grow from each bulb. I have a few in my garden but seeing them in the wild means so much more.

Southern and migrant hawker dragonflies were seen near the hedges. At one end of this Suffolk Wildlife Trust reserve is an old orchard. As old trees die out,they are being replaced with old,traditional varieties.

Butterflies were not ignored,of course,and Large and Small Whites were present. There seems to have been a third,autumn brood of these this year.Certainly there are a lot more around now than a month ago. Common Blue,Small Tortoiseshell,Red Admiral and Speckled Woods were spotted,and a barn owl was lovely to see.

[essexbuzzard]

After lunch,we headed down to Bedfords Park. This is a favorite site of mine for autumn Small Coppers and,sure enough, several fresh ones have emerged. Some of the Coppers were feeding on Devils-bit Scabious. Another was laying eggs on the sorrel plants,choosing the leaves that were growing in warn,sheltered conditions.

Large White,Common Blue,Comma and Speckled Wood were seen too.