I really enjoy reading your diary, Neil. The Mountain Ringlets brought back memories of a trip I made to Irton Fell many years ago!
And as for the Ladies Slipper Orchid! Marvellous! I remember reading somewhere that they have to be protected with electrified fences, search-lights and security men to keep the orchid hunters away!
Best Wishes,
Hoggers.
Neil Freeman
Re: nfreem
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Neil Freeman
- Posts: 4443
- Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2010 6:25 pm
- Location: Solihull, West Midlands
Re: nfreem
Cheers Wurzel, a nice bit of mid-morning sun gave me that light 
Hi Hoggers, thanks for the comments Not sure about the security around the Ladies Slippers 
, at Gait Barrows there were just some taped off areas ,to prevent trampling I assume.
Saturday 21st June - afternoon
After finishing the usual Saturday morning stuff around the house I decided to spend a couple of hours checking out a local spot or two. Starting off at Bickenhill near Solihull, I followed a footpath to a field by the M42 which I have visited a couple of times before. As soon as I got there it was apparent that there had been a mass emergence of Ringlets, they were everywhere, every step along the path would put up a dozen or more from the long grass to either side. Despite their numbers they were not easy to photograph, constantly flapping along or settling in the long grass.
Also present in large numbers, not quite as many as the Ringlets, were Meadow Browns. These were mostly fresh looking males but I did see a couple of females as well,
Other butterflies seen here were around a dozen Large Skippers, half a dozen Small Tortoiseshells, a single Marbled White, plus a couple each of well faded and worn Small Coppers and Common Blues. There were also large numbers of Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet Moths buzzing about with their distinctive flight and, living up to their name, a fair few Burnet Companions.
Considering the numbers of Peacocks that were here earlier in the year I was not surprised to find a number of larval nests in at least eight separate concentrations, some of which were made up of a number of nests spread out over large nettle patches.
I left here and popped round to Shadowbrook Meadows which is just down the road and in a quick circuit of the site saw a load more Meadow Browns and Large Skippers plus a few Ringlets, Small Tortoiseshells and a couple of Common Blues.
Bye for now,
Neil
Hi Hoggers, thanks for the comments
Not sure about the security around the Ladies Slippers , at Gait Barrows there were just some taped off areas ,to prevent trampling I assume.Saturday 21st June - afternoon
After finishing the usual Saturday morning stuff around the house I decided to spend a couple of hours checking out a local spot or two. Starting off at Bickenhill near Solihull, I followed a footpath to a field by the M42 which I have visited a couple of times before. As soon as I got there it was apparent that there had been a mass emergence of Ringlets, they were everywhere, every step along the path would put up a dozen or more from the long grass to either side. Despite their numbers they were not easy to photograph, constantly flapping along or settling in the long grass.
- Ringlet - Bickenhill, Solihull - 21.06.2014
- Ringlet - Bickenhill, Solihull - 21.06.2014
- Meadow Brown - Bickenhill, Solihull 21.06.2014
- Large Skipper - Bickenhill, Solihull 21.06.2014
- Large Skipper - Bickenhill, Solihull 21.06.2014
- Small Tortoiseshell - Bickenhill, Solihull 21.06.2014
- Small Tortoiseshell - Bickenhill, Solihull 21.06.2014
- Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet Moth - Bickenhill, Solihull 21.06.2014
- Peacock larvae - Bickenhill, Solihull 21.06.2014
- Meadow Brown - Shadowbrook 21.06.2014
- Meadow Brown - Shadowbrook 21.06.2014
Bye for now,
Neil
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Re: nfreem
Greta report and shots Neil The open wing Meadow Brown shots at this time of year are at a premium 
I hope you have a good stay in Dorset, if you get to Portland check out for Lulworths behind The Pulpit pub (at least that's what it used it be called). The usual path to Bindon Hill (the one by the ice cream kiosk) has been closed due to a cliff collapse so check at the Heritage Centre to see if there's another way to get up to Bindon Hill.
Have a goodun
Wurzel
The open wing Meadow Brown shots at this time of year are at a premium I hope you have a good stay in Dorset, if you get to Portland check out for Lulworths behind The Pulpit pub (at least that's what it used it be called). The usual path to Bindon Hill (the one by the ice cream kiosk) has been closed due to a cliff collapse so check at the Heritage Centre to see if there's another way to get up to Bindon Hill. Have a goodun
Wurzel
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Neil Freeman
- Posts: 4443
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- Location: Solihull, West Midlands
Re: nfreem
Cheers Wurzel, thanks for the heads up
Sunday 22nd June
Another nice warm day albeit a bit cloudier that the previous day so I decided to make the most of it and nip out to another of my usual local spots, Castle Hills near Solihull.
There were loads of Ringlets and Meadow Browns around, this time with the latter species being the more numerous, but with the Ringlets being a bit easier to take photos of,
Again there was a supporting cast of Large Skippers with more females now in evidence,
I was on the lookout for my first Small Skipper of the year and at one point a slightly smaller orange blur settled and resolved itself into a fresh male, the only one to be seen today so I guess they are just starting here.
A few Small Heath were also flying and one individual looked a bit ‘odd’ in flight and when settled looked to have its RH wings slightly smaller than the LH. I am not sure if its wings had not developed properly but whatever the cause it gave a glimpse of its topside colour around the edges.
Narrow-bordered Five Spot Burnet Moths were again all over the place along with a few Cinnabar Moths with their similar colour scheme,
Another couple of hours during which it was just great to be surrounded by loads of our more common butterflies on a nice summer afternoon
Bye for now,
Neil
Sunday 22nd June
Another nice warm day albeit a bit cloudier that the previous day so I decided to make the most of it and nip out to another of my usual local spots, Castle Hills near Solihull.
There were loads of Ringlets and Meadow Browns around, this time with the latter species being the more numerous, but with the Ringlets being a bit easier to take photos of,
- Ringlet - Castle Hills 22.06.2014
- Ringlet - Castle Hills 22.06.2014
- Ringlets - Castle Hills 22.06.2014
- Large Skipper - Castle Hills 22.06.2014
- Large Skipper - Castle Hills 22.06.2014
- Large Skippers - Castle Hills 22.06.2014
- Small Skipper - Castle Hills 22.06.2014
- Small Heath - Castle Hills 22.06.2014
- Narrow-bordered Five Spot Burnet - Castle Hills 22.06.2014
- Cinnabar - Castle Hills 22.06.2014
Bye for now,
Neil
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Nick Broomer
- Posts: 1091
- Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2011 11:01 pm
Re: nfreem
Hi Neil,
Great photos, especially the unusual shot of the Small Heath, the female Large Skipper and the mating pair of the same species. Excellent.
All the best, Nick.
Great photos, especially the unusual shot of the Small Heath, the female Large Skipper and the mating pair of the same species. Excellent.
All the best, Nick.
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Re: nfreem
Indeed, I agree with Nick great stuff That Small Heath is like both extremes rolled into one Brill!
Have a goodun
Wurzel
That Small Heath is like both extremes rolled into one Brill!Have a goodun
Wurzel
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Re: nfreem
Some of our more common species can provide hours of fascinating study (and great photo's 
) without too much travel involved...a real bonus Neil!!!
Bill
"When in doubt...venture out"
) without too much travel involved...a real bonus Neil!!!Bill
"When in doubt...venture out"
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Re: nfreem
A great shot of the Large Skippers mating Neil - I am still smarting over the one I nearly got 
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Neil Freeman
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- Location: Solihull, West Midlands
Re: nfreem
Hi Nick, thanks for your comments. I haven't seen you post lately, hope you are well.
Cheers Wurzel, it looked weird in flight which is what attracted my attention.
Thank Bill, I have some great little spots close by, no rare species but on a good day I can be surrounded by hundreds of butterflies
Pauline, you wouldn't believe the number of 'nearly' shots I miss
Thursday 26.06.2014
So far this year I have already seen more Red Admirals than I saw in the whole of last year albeit most of them briefly as they have flown past me. Yesterday afternoon(Wednesday), after work there was one in the garden that stayed around the nettle patch for a while, until the evening shadows from the trees lengthened over that end of the garden around 6.30pm.
Today there was another one, this time a female that spent some time checking out the nettles and looked like she was ovipositing. Looking carefully afterwards I could not find any eggs so I think she was just going through the motions.
A little later a male arrived that at first I thought was the same individual from the previous day but checking the photos confirms that it was a third individual. Like yesterdays, this one hung around the nettle patch until around 6.30pm before departing.
There was also my first hutchinsoni Comma of the year, a female that looked like she had already been out for a few days,
Also, as well as the usual couple of Speckled Woods, there was passing Ringlet, the second in the garden this week. Although there are hordes of these not far away I do not usually get these in the garden, in fact I had the first one there last year.
Looks like the next couple of days are going to be wetter and cooler, fingers crossed that it won't last too long.
Bye for now,
Neil.
Cheers Wurzel, it looked weird in flight which is what attracted my attention.
Thank Bill, I have some great little spots close by, no rare species but on a good day I can be surrounded by hundreds of butterflies
Pauline, you wouldn't believe the number of 'nearly' shots I miss
Thursday 26.06.2014
So far this year I have already seen more Red Admirals than I saw in the whole of last year albeit most of them briefly as they have flown past me. Yesterday afternoon(Wednesday), after work there was one in the garden that stayed around the nettle patch for a while, until the evening shadows from the trees lengthened over that end of the garden around 6.30pm.
- Red Admiral - Coverdale 26.06.2014
- Red Admiral - Coverdale 26.06.2014
- Red Admiral - Coverdale 26.06.2014
- Red Admiral - Coverdale 26.06.2014
- Comma - Coverdale 26.06.2014
Looks like the next couple of days are going to be wetter and cooler, fingers crossed that it won't last too long.
Bye for now,
Neil.
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Re: nfreem
Yet more great images of some of our most beautiful butterfly species Neil...lovely
Bill
"When in doubt...venture out"
Bill
"When in doubt...venture out"
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Re: nfreem
Must admit, I'm still not seeing many Red Admirals, although I expect numbers to seriously increase over the next fortnight or so.
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Re: nfreem
Beautiful images from your garden Neil great to see the Red Admirals, and like David I hope we see greater numbers soon.
Mike
great to see the Red Admirals, and like David I hope we see greater numbers soon.Mike
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Re: nfreem
Lovely shots Neil The Red Admirals seem to be increasing in numbers there as here
Have a goodun
Wurzel
The Red Admirals seem to be increasing in numbers there as here Have a goodun
Wurzel
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Neil Freeman
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Re: nfreem
Apologies for the belated response guys but thanks for the comments
I have got a bit of catching up to do now, both with this dairy and seeing what other members have been up to recently
Returned home today (Saturday 5th July) after spending a week on a family holiday with Jane and our daughter Sarah with her 3 year old lad Frankie, staying in a caravan at Bowleaze Cove just outside of Weymouth.
After driving down through some heavy rain last Saturday (28th June), the skies cleared as we arrived and during the week we had weather that varied from cloudy and breezy, through warm and cloudy, to clear blue skies and hot sun. We didn’t see any rain until last night when it started about 6.00pm and carried on through the night.
After arriving and settling in and having a bite to eat I went for a little wander around and found some likely looking spots close to the caravan site which looked like they would be worth closer investigation during the week.
Sunday 29th June – Bowleaze Cove
After breakfast, Jane and Sarah wanted to take Frankie to explore the play areas on the site so I took the chance to have a look along the coast path that leads up from the beach eastwards. It wasn’t long before I started seeing Meadow Browns, Ringlets, and Marbled Whites in good numbers plus my first Gatekeepers (Hedge Browns) of the year.
I noticed one Ringlet that didn’t have any ‘ringlets’ on its underside, just small white dots…
There were also half a dozen or so Small Tortoiseshells spaced out along one section with brambles along a fence to one side.
I had spotted a number of Skippers including some mostly faded ‘Large’ and some fresh looking ‘Small’ in areas of long grass by the path…
..and buzzing about amongst them a number of Lulworth Skippers.
I noticed a trail leading off the path and down the slope into a small sheltered gully and found loads more Lulworth Skippers.
On the whole, the females were in better condition than the males, some of which were getting very worn and faded. I did find a couple of males in quite good condition and during the week finding a fresh male become one of my targets.
A great start to my week and so far I had only gone 10 minutes or so from our caravan. During the next few days I checked out this stretch of cliffs and undercliffs and found loads of Lulworth Skippers all along from Bowleaze Cove to Redcliff Point.
I reported the sightings on the Dorset BC website and in a short e-mail exchange with Martin Raper, he has informed me that there have been no records of Lulworth Skippers in this area since 2003. Whether they have been overlooked or have spread into the more accessible areas recently I don’t know but there is definitely a large colony here now.
Bye for now,
Neil.
I have got a bit of catching up to do now, both with this dairy and seeing what other members have been up to recently
Returned home today (Saturday 5th July) after spending a week on a family holiday with Jane and our daughter Sarah with her 3 year old lad Frankie, staying in a caravan at Bowleaze Cove just outside of Weymouth.
After driving down through some heavy rain last Saturday (28th June), the skies cleared as we arrived and during the week we had weather that varied from cloudy and breezy, through warm and cloudy, to clear blue skies and hot sun. We didn’t see any rain until last night when it started about 6.00pm and carried on through the night.
After arriving and settling in and having a bite to eat I went for a little wander around and found some likely looking spots close to the caravan site which looked like they would be worth closer investigation during the week.
Sunday 29th June – Bowleaze Cove
After breakfast, Jane and Sarah wanted to take Frankie to explore the play areas on the site so I took the chance to have a look along the coast path that leads up from the beach eastwards. It wasn’t long before I started seeing Meadow Browns, Ringlets, and Marbled Whites in good numbers plus my first Gatekeepers (Hedge Browns) of the year.
- Marbled White - Bowleaze Cove 29.06.2014
- Marbled White - Bowleaze Cove 29.06.2014
- Marbled White - Bowleaze Cove 29.06.2014
- Ringlet - Bowleaze Cove 29.06.2014
- Ringlet - Bowleaze Cove 29.06.2014
- Small Tortoiseshells - Bowleaze Cove 29.06.2014
- Looking towards Bowleaze Cove
- Small Skipper - Bowleaze Cove 29.06.2014
- Lulworth Skipper - Bowleaze Cove 29.06.2014
- Lots of Lulworth Skippers in this little spot
- Lulworth Skipper - Bowleaze Cove 29.06.2014
- Lulworth Skipper - Bowleaze Cove 29.06.2014
- Lulworth Skipper - Bowleaze Cove 29.06.2014
- Lulworth Skipper - Bowleaze Cove 29.06.2014
- Lulworth Skipper - Bowleaze Cove 29.06.2014
- Lulworth Skipper - Bowleaze Cove 29.06.2014
- Lulworth Skipper - Bowleaze Cove 29.06.2014
- Lulworth Skipper - Bowleaze Cove 29.06.2014
I reported the sightings on the Dorset BC website and in a short e-mail exchange with Martin Raper, he has informed me that there have been no records of Lulworth Skippers in this area since 2003. Whether they have been overlooked or have spread into the more accessible areas recently I don’t know but there is definitely a large colony here now.
Bye for now,
Neil.
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Re: nfreem
Just had to log in Neil to say you've got some gorgeous shots there of Lulworth Skipper, 2 in particular How on earth did you manage it as they wouldn't keep still for me Well done on finding that colony too. The Ringlet is interesting - is it an ab?
How on earth did you manage it as they wouldn't keep still for me Well done on finding that colony too. The Ringlet is interesting - is it an ab?Diary entries for 2014 have been archived. If there are missing images in this post, then they can be found in this archive if one exists. All archives can be found here.
Re: nfreem
Fantastic hots of my favourite butterfly Neil Cracking find with the Ringlet ab.arete(?) Hope you had a great holiday down there in Dorset:D .
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Cracking find with the Ringlet ab.arete(?) Hope you had a great holiday down there in Dorset:D .Have a goodun
Wurzel
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Neil Freeman
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- Location: Solihull, West Midlands
Re: nfreem
Hi Pauline, I was lucky with the Lulworths, there was just enough cloud around to slow them down a bit. Contrary to what I have read about them only flying in sunshine, I saw loads of them flying in overcast and sometimes quite breezy conditions.
I included the shot of the Ringlet hoping that someone might confirm if it was an ab. Not the best shot but it was the only one I managed before it flew off out of reach.
Cheers Wurzel, we had a great time, the women and nipper were happy and I squeezed in some great butterflying
Thanks for the ID on the Ringlet ab.
Cheers,
Neil.
I included the shot of the Ringlet hoping that someone might confirm if it was an ab.
Not the best shot but it was the only one I managed before it flew off out of reach.Cheers Wurzel, we had a great time, the women and nipper were happy and I squeezed in some great butterflying
Thanks for the ID on the Ringlet ab.
Cheers,
Neil.
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Re: nfreem
Brilliant Lulworths, Neil. I'm just hoping there will still be plenty come the school holidays and one of our trips down to Swanage! And that's a great Ringlet ab. as well. I looked at dozens today at Ryton, and they were all normal 
Dave
I'm just hoping there will still be plenty come the school holidays and one of our trips down to Swanage! And that's a great Ringlet ab. as well. I looked at dozens today at Ryton, and they were all normal Dave
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Re: nfreem
Great Lulworth Skipper shots Neil, they are so fresh looking too
Mike
Mike
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Neil Freeman
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Re: nfreem
Thanks Dave, I am sure that there will be plenty around still, they seem to have a protracted emergence and the past couple of years I have seen them at Durlston in the first week of September albeit they were worn and faded by then. Thanks for the comment on the Ringlet as well, there were loads around and having seen it I started checking all I saw but that was the only one.
Cheers Mike, I was hoping to find some fresh Lulworths this year after seeing them late in the season for the past couple of years.
Neil.
Cheers Mike, I was hoping to find some fresh Lulworths this year after seeing them late in the season for the past couple of years.
Neil.
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