Hoggers

[Hoggers]

A day off work. All week I've been watching the weather forecasts with the same avidness as my Grand-dad watching the football results come in on a Saturday when he was doing the Pools. I'd long planned to visit Abbot's Wood in East Sussex in the hope of seeing the beautiful Pearl-bordered Fritillary. I've spent weeks drooling over the stunning photographs of this butterfly posted here by UKBers and desperately wanted to see the butterfly for myself.

By the time I'd arrived at Abbot's Wood it was warm and sunny with a slight breeze. The car park has rather stern warnings about being fined and "enforced" at the Magistrates' Court if you don't buy a ticket to park, there was a pink Ice Cream Van doing a lively trade and lots of Little People with Mums and Dads and dogs all having Bar-B-Qs nearby. Undaunted, I wandered in a Northerly direction along wide sunny Bugle-lined lanes and soon left the crowds behind. I saw a Speckled Wood, Green-veined Whites, Brimstones, a Peacock and a Small Tortoiseshell.

I then reached a very sunny ride close to clearing and jumped for joy at what I thought was a Pearl-bordered Fritillary. But it was a Speckled Yellow moth! And there were lots more of them to confound me before at last a sharp, fast moving butterfly slipped past me at knee height: A Pearl!

My goodness they are hard to follow with the eye as they whiz along! I didn't think I was going to have much luck getting a photograph. Here's a couple of my early efforts

But although they were "juiced up" after many trials I at last managed to get close to a few

I saw one egg-laying amongst the bracken

I think it was this one.

In all I must have seen about 20 of them, which delighted me of course (although I was told by a fellow enthusiast that numbers are significantly down this year).

Many thanks to all the kind UKBer's who sent me help and advice on how to track down this butterfly at Abbot's Wood. I had a grand day out, saw a gorgeous butterfly and even had an Ice Cream to celebrate.

[Susie]

It's lovely that you achieved your goal and got some nice photos too

[David M]

Congratulations, Hoggers. Always nice when research and perseverance pays off.

[Hoggers]

Thanks Susie and David: seeing the Pearls of Abbots Wood was a great way to spend my day off.

Bitten by the travelling bug, today I ventured out of Kent and into Surrey. Getting me on the M25 takes a lot of doing but Wood Whites are strong enough attractions to do it. I decided to make my annual pilgrimage to the woods at Chiddingfold but this year instead of Botany Bay and Oaken I thought I'd make a change and start at Tugley Wood. I arrived at 9am to sunshine and a blue sky. It wasn't long before I saw my first Wood White fluttering delicately towards me along the ride

I counted 19 in the two hours that I spent there

And for the first time I was able to witness some of the courtship behaviour of this magical butterfly. The butterfly on the left of this photograph (which I suppose to be the male) settled opposite to the one on the right (which I suppose to have been a female) and began tapping her with his antennae in alternate right and left movements of his head

This went on for over a minute with no reaction from her. He then raised his abdomen

And they then both suddenly flew off and went their separate ways.

I also saw 9 Dingy Skippers, 5 Speckled Woods, a Large White, several Green-veined Whites, 9 Brimstones and a Holly Blue

But it was the Wood Whites that stole the show. I like to close my eyes and picture them in my mind's eye daintily fluttering along the woodland paths: it's very restful and better than counting sheep

[Hoggers]

Walking the hounds today I saw two Orange Tips, a Large White

A Peacock and a Green-veined White

No sign of any Brown Argus yet.

Our Blue Tit chick continues to thrive

We've named him Egbert.

The garden is looking nice

I'm just waiting for all my Tadpoles to turn into Slug Eating Frogs.

[Hoggers]

I've been stuck in the concrete jungle of the City of London all through this glorious weather. As I walk along the pavements I find I'm gazing about searching in desperation for so much as a blade of grass, anything green and living.Unsurprisingly I haven't seen any butterflies. It's especially frustrating on the train journey because we pass through countryside that in this sunshine looks so inviting yet there's no stopping to have a look. But today work came to an unexpected early finish and I was able to get home to Ashford by 1pm, put on a T-Shirt and go out over the fields with the dogs.

It was warm, sunny and breezy. I saw a few Small Whites, a battle-scarred Small Tortoiseshell, two male Orange Tips, a Small Heath

And five Common Blues ( 4 males and a female)

I particularly enjoyed watching the Blues either when they were perched or feeding on the Bird's Foot Trefoil or chasing after one another.

Beautiful creatures and a welcome treat for my eyes after four days of looking at concrete.

Back Up the Smoke tomorrow but after seeing some butterflies this afternoon I feel fortified enough to get me through to the weekend.

[Hoggers]

Little Egbert isn't so little anymore

I think he'll be flying the nest very soon

Today I went to Lydden with Brother Hoggles. The first butterfly we came across was a Common Blue in the meadow

(and many more on the hill)

And no less than six Brown Argus (my first of the year)

Moving on to the hillside we quickly found the brilliant Adonis Blue (another first for me this season)

I hadn't noticed the black dots on the hind wing margins before today. What a beauty.

We saw two females and two mating pairs

There were also good numbers of Dingy Skippers, Small Heaths and a couple of camera-shy Walls.

[David M]

That chick looks absolutely ready to take its first flight. I sincerely hope he/she comes through unscathed.

Thanks for keeping us updated, Hoggers.

[Wurzel]

Sounds like you had a great day, with some great shots to boot I know what you mean about working - I almost feel trapped - oh if only I could win the lottery!

Have a goodun


Wurzel

[Hoggers]

Wurzel, If you're a Butterfly Fancier work can feel like a cruel torture on sunny days in Summer! I got home today at around 3.30pm after driving cross-country and every mile wishing I could go butterflying. The sun had come out and it was very pleasant indeed. I wandered up the garden and stood gazing at (and sniffing!) the flowers. The number of bees in my garden has increased noticeably since planting the Wall Flowers & Co which gives me a great deal of satisfaction. I must get myself a Bee Identification book.

Anyway, as I stood watching the bees to-ing and fro-ing look what came fluttering in

I rushed indoors to find my camera

An Orange Tip on 14th June!

And in my garden!

Wonderful!

P.S - Egbert our Blue Tit chick left the nest last sunday, spent the rest of the day in a bush in the garden being tended to by his parents and was gone the next day.

[Pauline]

You must be pleased as punch Hoggers. All that work in the garden has clearly paid off - and quite quickly too. I hope you are feeling very smug as you deserve to be and great shots to top it all off! Thank you for the update on Egbert - let's hope he makes it.

[Padfield]

I'm delighted Egbert made it through! Perhaps he will be bringing up his own chicks in that same box in the future ...

I fear many broods will have been greatly reduced this year, with insect numbers so low. Round here, black redstarts nest quite conspicuously on and near buildings and in poor springs I have often found dead chicks beneath the nests. My guess was that the parents actively thinned their brood, rather than waiting for any chicks to die. If there was only food for one then in the end they would only try to rear one - I could be wrong. Your blue tits did the right thing by little Egbert.

Guy

[Hoggers]

I do feel rather proud of my efforts in the garden Pauline although I'm sure dear old Percy Thrower is turning in his grave at all the blunders I'm making. It's very much work in progress. I've surprised myself by how much I enjoy gardening having never before seen any attraction in it. It was only the desire to attract butterflies and other wildlife into the garden that got me out there on my hands and knees wielding a trowel. I now heartily recommend it to others and if they say they don't have any interest gardening I raise my eyebrows at them in silent reproof.
I'm also pleased with my handling of the Gastropod Problem. Somewhat miffed at spending £7.50 on a new Lupin only to watch it being slowly consumed by The Garden Slug (I spend considerably less on feeding myself each afternoon in the work's cafe) I went out each night armed with a torch and a Slug Pot to catch them in the act. All Molluscs that I bagged I deposited in a nearby field and away from my garden. I didn't want to use any chemicals at all in the garden (potentially harmful to other wildlife such as Hedgehogs) nor could I kill the creatures (putting salt on them is absolutely barbaric - they are living things after all.) Well, after about a month of these Nocturnal Expeditions my Gastropod Problem is almost entirely solved and my Lupins and I rest easy at night.

Guy, I'm sure you're right:there were so few insects about when the seven chicks first hatched I could tell they were not thriving. At least One survived.

When finally I got the chance to go out today I headed to Wye Nature Reserve even though it was blowing a gale strong enough to lift my eyelids. And doubtless because it was so very windy it was difficult to find any butterflies but I did my best to squeeze as much out of the trip as possible.

The first thing I noticed were the Lady Orchids

Together with Common Spotted Orchids just coming into flower

And some Common Twayblades too.

My first butterfly in the blustery conditions was this Common Blue

Several Large Whites

(and a few Small Whites.)

This single Brimstone

A Small Heath and this Wall

I also saw a Red Admiral, only the second that I've come across this year, but too flighty for me to get a photograph.

When I got home I walked into the garden and saw what was certainly yesterday's Orange Tip but not looking too good I'm afraid. It was motionless on the grass and appeared quite stricken

I encouraged it onto my finger where it happily sat

Then put it on a Wallflower where it made urgent efforts to take on nectar

I saw it making rather feeble efforts to crawl to other flowers, it wouldn't fly, so I assisted it again and again watched it feeding and there I left it in peace, out of the wind.

[Padfield]

I'm so glad you don't kill the slugs! I had quietly noted your opposition to them and wondered (without being so rude as to ask) what you did to them. Now I am relieved!

And lovely butterfly pictures too!

Guy

[Wurzel]

Great stuff Hoggers Looks like you had a great day, and the Orange-tip shots from your garden were cracking They make me miss my garden though...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Hoggers]

Yes Guy, I'm really quite Slug Friendly (for a gardener!) I remember doing a project on them for my 'O' Level Biology (showing my age here - it was long,long ago!) and when you actually look at them up close, they are beautiful creatures.

Thanks Wurzel, I'm not surprised that you miss your garden but in moving home you did what you had to do at the time. At least you get out and about as much as possible.

The Orange Tip was still in my garden this morning

But had gone by lunch. It was lovely to have one so near at hand but I felt a tinge of sadness at the thought that I'll have to wait until next year before I see another one.

On my walk with the dogs I saw only a couple of Large Whites but this magnificent chap crossed the lane in front of me

Some kind of Moth?

[Pete Eeles]

Some kind of Moth?

Garden Tiger, I reckon.

Cheers,

- Pete

[ChrisC]

I'll refer you to my comment in December about wildlife gardening

you won't regret it.

Chris

and i'll second Pete's Garden Tiger.

Chris

[Hoggers]

Thanks for the ID Pete and yes Chris, you were spot on!

I stopped off at Lydden Nature Reserve on my way home today to spend some time with the Adonis Blues

I noticed how strikingly different the blue of the wing is depending on how it catches the light

Some lovely females too

Also Common Blues including a female

And Small Heaths.

Good to sit amongst the Fragrant Orchids in such dazzling company

[Hoggers]

There are times of the year when Dungeness can seem to be the most forbidding and desolate of places on Earth, a bare post-apocalyptic wasteland of shingle and withered Gorse bushes with a wicked wind blasting in off the sea. Thank Heavens there's a pub.

But today,although a strong wind was blowing, it was nevertheless warm and more often than not bright and sunny.

What is more, the whole place has blossomed into a riot of colour and perfume

The first butterfly I came across was a Common Blue

I saw several, including this female with very little orange on it

As I walked along something brownish and fast flying (particularly in the strong wind) caught my eye then disappeared. After a lengthy search I managed to track it down

I jumped for Joy: my first Painted Lady of the Year!

Then not much further on I came across my second

I was delighted with my find and hope this is just the start for them this year.

When I got home I stepped out into the garden and saw a flash of blue. Not a Holly Blue at this time of year surely?
Yet it was!

What a delightful and surprising day with the butterflies