July 2012

[Jack Harrison]

So the rule of thumb: Essex man's is short and straight

Jack

[NickB]

So the rule of thumb: Essex man's is short and straight
Jack

Thanks for that succinct summary, Jack...

[David M]

So the rule of thumb: Essex man's is short and straight

LOL! Yes it is....and one assumes that's why it's called lineola.

[Willrow]

Parc Cwm Darran, Caerphilly County Borough. Tuesday 17th. Another rather cool day with a persistent breeze...but wait for it...it was nearly DRY...yippee Not a great deal to shout about, but my quest to officially record Essex Skipper from this nice upland country park goes on, I thought for some time that I had finally managed, alas it was not to be, all I had of interest was a Small Skipper freshly emerged that I managed to photograph excreting meconium.

Great to see that the second colony of Marbled White in this small valley that I've monitored over several years is still pretty healthy, I counted at least 15 in rather blustery conditions, many more were undoubtedly grounded, this colony is the smaller of two that are about a mile or so apart, I'm still uncertain of which of the two 'colonies' was established first, but it probably indicates a meta-population that is still expanding, and there are ideal grassland habitat areas still awaiting exploitation by this most attractive butterfly in this lovely little valley.

Bill

[MikeOxon]

With signs of a chink in the seemingly perpetual rain, I ventured to Bernwood this afternoon and was rewarded with bright and occasionally sunny conditions. I saw my first Purple Emperor just over 100m from the main Shabbington Wood car-park, near the log pile, as described in the post on http://oxonbirding.blogspot.co.uk/ It was soon disturbed by dog walkers but the rides were lined with Ringlets and several Silver-washed Fritillaries. I continued to the main crossroads, where I had hoped to find Purple Hairstreaks, but no luck. As I was returning towards the car-park, another butterflier, whom I had been talking to earlier, called to me and there was a 'bomb-proof' PE probing the damp surface of the ride.

These refined Oxford PEs seem to prefer clean ground, so there is no need for the sensitive to avert their eyes from my photos. Having taken well over 100 shots, it was hard to choose a few but these are my initial selection:

Shabbington Wood, Oxon - 19th July 2012
Nikon D300s with Tamron 90mm macro - 1/350s@f/8 ISO1600

Shabbington Wood, Oxon - 19th July 2012
Nikon D300s with Tamron 90mm macro - 1/90s@f/11 ISO800

Shabbington Wood, Oxon - 19th July 2012
Nikon D300s with Tamron 90mm macro - 1/180s@f/9.5 ISO800

Mike

[Neil Hulme]

Nice one Mike!
Neil

[MikeOxon]

Thanks Neil - I felt very privileged to be granted over half-an-hour's private audience!

Mike

[CJB]

These refined Oxford PEs seem to prefer clean ground, so there is no need for the sensitive to avert their eyes from my photos

Hi Mike,
Certainly more refined than my picture! Not a Mr Whippy in sight.
Do you know any good sites near Bodmin for our fluttery friends?
Flutter on!
CJB

[badgerbob]

At last while searching an area on the edge of Friston Forest where I've suspected the White Letter Hairstreak to be a female gave me all too brief views this afternoon. I have spent a bit of time here over the last 3 weeks but the weather was always against me with it being cool and breezy so it was a relief today to find one just before the sun went again. Unfortunately all along this valley the elms are suffering from dutch elm disease so these colonies will be even harder to find in years to come.

[Neil Freeman]

A Green-veined White and a Holly Blue passed through my garden this afternoon.....the white stopped briefly, the blue didn't.

These were the first of the summer brood of either of these species that I have seen in the garden.

Green-veined White 20.07.2012

Cheers,

Neil F.

[EricY]

Holme marsh this morning had several butterflies in cloudy conditions. Quite a few Meadow brown & riglet, 2 Red Ad, 2 Comma, 2 Lge Skip & 3/4 Gatekeeper my first of the year. Apologies for posting a humble Gatekeeper photo but it was a pleasure to find one. Eric

Gatekeeper

[Neil Freeman]

Don't apologise for the Gatekeeper Eric, I have only seen a couple so far. I have just posted a 'humble' Green-veined White but the fact is I have not seen many of those so far either.

Cheers,

Neil F.

[David M]

Don't apologise for the Gatekeeper Eric, I have only seen a couple so far. I have just posted a 'humble' Green-veined White but the fact is I have not seen many of those so far either.

Trust me, Neil, that Green Veined White is a very reassuring sight. No butterfly suffered more from the appalling April/early May than this one. I've never seen so few in any given year up to mid-July. Let's hope they can recover.

[Ian Pratt]

After the discussion regarding small and Essex skippers I attach some photos of small skippers taken this morning which may assist in identification of the two butterflies. Ian

[Perseus]

20 July 2012
No sun equals no butterflies, but a visit to a verdant Mill Hill under a cloudy sky and I managed to disturb two male Chalkhill Blues for my first time this year. After the blues two Meadow Brown Butterflies appeared, possibly because I almost trod on them. At least twenty Cinnabar Moth caterpillars were seen on just two budding Ragworts plants near the top of the steps at the southern end of Mill Hill. Earlier, on the approaches ot the Mill Hill via the now cleared Pixie Path route, I noted two Speckled Woods and two Meadow Browns near the Mill Hill Cutting and a Gatekeeper nearer the top. The white butterflies seen in the outskirts of Shoreham were thought to be Large Whites and Green-veined Whites.

21 July 2012
Weather still inimical for butterflies after raining last night. Overcast (with black clouds but gaps), cool and breezy.



Swallowtail Moth

Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-list2012.html

Cheers

Andy Horton
glaucus@hotmail.com
Adur Valley Nature Notes
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2012.html
Adur Valley Nature Notes: July 2012
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/July2012.html
Sussex Downs Facebook Group
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=111843132181316

[Hoggers]

Lots of Ringlets at Orlestone this afternoon

Two White Admirals, Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns and this contender for an Essex Skipper

[Neil Freeman]

A return trip to Oversley Wood and Snitterfield Bushes today in better weather than the last one posted in my diary.

More details and photos as usual when I have time and sorted through the photos but the highlight was a 5 minute audience with HIM ,during which I just managed a record shot as he was high up about 50 feet away, before he disappeared over the top of the trees. We hung around for a while but he did not return so we carried on round the wood.

Photo below is a fairly severe crop from this shot taken on full zoom with my FZ150.

Purple Emperor - Oversley Wood Warwickshire 21.07.2012

Cheers,

Neil F.

[NickB]

... and this contender for an Essex Skipper

Nailed-on contender. No way to argue about that one!

How come when I work on Saturday and Sunday, the weather is ALWAYS good???

[A_T]

As today promised to be just about the best weather for nearly 2 months headed to Llynclys Common. Saw a number of pristine Silver-washed Fritillaries (both male and female - some courting going on), innumerable Ringlets and Meadow Browns, one Gatekeeper. Also saw a Speckled Wood and either a Small White or Green-veined - hardly seen a white at all recently.


f9, 1/250 sec, ISO 400

f9, 1/250 sec, ISO 400

f9, 1/250 sec, ISO 100

All taken with Sony DSLR-A200 with Minolta 100mm lens. Processed (resized, cropped, unsharp mask) using Gimp 2.8

[Wurzel]

Red Admiral, Comma, Small White in my garden today.

Red Admiral, Large White and Marbled White at the Lower Bemerton at park this afternoon.

Have a goodun

Wurzel