Wurzel

[Maximus]

Very nice Small Coppers Wurzel, and regarding posting dates I agree with David, we all know you I'll call you David and raise it to minus five weeks

Mike

[Wurzel]

I'm desperate to catchup now but I can only type so fast Hopefully by the start of next week I'll be back to only four weeks behind

Five Rivers 07-09-2014

I find that when I head back to work I have to take every available opportunity to get out for some butterflies and today was no exception. With the balmy weather continuing I took my chances and while the girls went swimming wandered over to my Five Rivers. I generally start season here as it’s really good for the early hibernators but then Bentley and my Duke and Marsh sites along with The Devenish seem to take precedence. However by the summer and into the autumn I find Five Rivers back on my mind.

Today I headed straight to the banks and found a BA and three Common Blues all involved in a huge scrap. All looked slightly worn and o I would have though their territorial urges would have calmed slightly as they passed into their dotage – but not so. The feisty little Brown Argus seemed to be the main instigator never settling for long and then zipping off at a moments notice to hassle the large Common Blues.

The second bank was quieter holding only a male Common Blue and a single Red Admiral on the Buddleia which was a little disappointing as I had hoped for a Painted Lady or at least another species of Aristocrat. The third bank was totally devoid of butterflies but instead plenty of different species of birds flew by including my first Spotted Flycatcher from this site. There were a few more whites flitting around at the far corner of the reserve and walking back across to the third bank the trees were weighed down with Swallows and House Martins perching all over them. One would take off and then all the rest would follow in a swirling wave before settling down again once more. There was also another Spotted Flycatcher here.

I needed to make my way back so again called in at the second bank on the way back. The Red Admiral was still present on the Buddleia and the Common Blue (if t was the same one) hung around in the longer grass and both were joined by a vivid male Brimstone and a pair of Bullfinches. These were whistling their soft, sad call and gave a stunning few of their white hind markings when they dove together into the Hawthorns.
At the first bank I settled down and watched them (CBs and BA) fighting for a bit and then I checked the other side of the bank. There was a stunning Wasp Spider and I crawled in closer to get a different view of it and one a butterfly would not want to experience! Here the whites were actually stopping all be it briefly so I was able to identify both a Small and Green-veined White. The Brambles here at the bottom of the bank back onto the Spinney and on the other side of this were a final Common Blue and my first Specklie of the day. I was quite surprised by this as I’d expected to see plenty more of this species and to see only one seemed somewhat strange – perhaps they’re between broods here?

Pleased with my haul from a quick check up I packed the camera away and headed in to help get the girls changed. Typical but almost as soon as the camera was in the bag a Large White flew by and landed on the flowers just outside the pool entrance.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

HI,Wurzel,

Yes you are right,and what's more i took that shot without eye protection !!!.
All the best ,TREVOR

[Goldie M]

Weird Spider Wurzal, great shot of it, I'm chasing them out of the house at present, scooping them up I don't like to kill them Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Trevor, my eyes have recovered slightly now
Cheers Goldie Be careful in case they're False Widows as they bite Glad you liked the reverse shot of the Wasp Spider it's not a usual view as people generally focus on the topside view

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Larkhill

08-09-2014
As September progressed I began to lower my expectations from Larkhill as whilst it is really fantastic during the stage of the year when the season is waxing, the lack of decent nectar sources mean that as the seasons wanes butterflies are harder to find. In fact on some days rather than being pleased about the range of species or the numbers see I’m just glad to see any. That being said sometimes the final part of the season can still produce the goods. And so it felt today...
The morning wasn’t particularly great with the mist hanging round and only a single Brown Argus but my afternoon stop-off was much better with the main activity centring around the Golden Rod. I thought it would be good as there were plenty of Whites fluttering along the hedge on the drive there as well a Red Admiral by the Enford bus stop and a Small Tortoiseshell at Durrington. So I pulled into the car park and eagerly scanned around.
A quick walk up the Northbound path didn’t produce anything so I made my way back to the car and went straight back to the Golden Rod. A Red Admiral and a UFW both fluttered by, the former skimming over the tops of the tall yellow flower heads almost to draw my attention to the other butterflies that were all very busy feeding here. A Brown Argus was acting in its usual boisterous and rum bumptious manner hassling what appeared to be about 5 Common Blues that kept nipping into its airspace. Also here were a couple of Small Heath still clinging on later than I thought they would.

09-09-2014

Again the morning stop-off didn’t produce anything and I’m tempted to stop these but I was hoping to see something in the afternoon.
I tired the Northbound path again willing the patch of Michalmass Daisies (I think that’s what they are) to flower but it looked like I would draw a blank again. But there on the way back was a gorgeous female Common Blue clinging to the dead grass stems and glittering in the sun. She was stunning to look at and I almost used my full allowance of time in her company.

Over by the Golden Rod (I risked being late for a quick check) there were a further 3 males and 2 females all flitting about and taking on nectar as if there was no tomorrow. I suppose for these insects there could well be no tomorrow so I didn’t mind that all I was seeing was closed wings.

To finish up I cut across to the Westbound path and then back to the car and here there was only Small Heath today...

10-09-2014

Again there was nowt around during the morning stop-off but the dew covered spider webs looked stunning in the pale morning sun. There was also a jewel encrusted bee clinging to the Golden Rod which would hopefully thaw as the morning warmed up.

The afternoon visit was much better as things had warmed up nicely. The Golden Rod was focus of most of the activity and produced a nice surprise with two Meadow Browns still looking good for September. Flitting around them were 4 Common Blues (3 males and a female) and a Brown Argus was holding its own as usual. I did check the Northbound path and it added a further two male Common Blues and a fly over Brimstone as well as a Red Admiral. I was just making my way back to the Golden Rod when something caught my eye – a Specklie which for Larkhill is quite an unusual sighting.

11-09-2014

I was driving towards Larkhill trying to decide if I should make a stop-off or not and as I’d just pulled off the mini roundabout I was travelling slowly enough to glance out of the passenger side window at the wire fence. This has had Wheatears, Goldfinches, Corn Buntings and on one memorable occasion a Merlin sitting on it. But today it wasn’t the birds on the fence that grabbed my attention but a pair of massive ones in the field. I pulled over as soon as I was able to, grabbed my camera and trained it on the brown blobs amongst the green.
As I focused in the blobs became a pair of Great Bustards (the Wiltshire bird). I checked the wings for orange tags and one was the number “15” so was part of the re-introduction programme. Even more interestingly the smaller one lacked wing tags - could this be a Wiltshire born Bustard? Whatever the providence it was great to see these colossal birds back in their former range.

I felt kind of guilty that I had neglected Larkhill that morning and so I stopped on the way home. Despite looking in all the usual haunts I could only muster an aged Common Blue female on the Golden Rod. So a quiet end to a topsy-turvy week.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

That's a nice female Common Blue, Wurzel - one of my favourites. Really striking when they're fresh and have that much blue on them.

Dave

[Maximus]

Great Bustards, Wurzel the butterflies are not bad either!

Mike

[Goldie M]

Wurzal, I think you should start writing a book, a childrens book, I simply loved your posting and explanation of what you saw, it was full of colour from the Bee full of Dew, to the Common Blues flitting around and the Photo's made it all perfect, can't wait for the next Installment Goldie

[Neil Freeman]

Just catching up on your catching up Wurzel , I have had a busy couple of weeks but at least I am only behind on reading other peoples diaries

Looking forward to the rest of your catching up

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Dave I don't think I've seen a Brown female Common Blue this year or last
Cheers Mike I still need to do some digging about the provenance of the untagged one
Cheers Goldie So as not to disappoint I pulled my finger out and got another post written
Cheers Neil I feel like BR - I'm getting there

Larkhill 15-09-2014

So I’d been reading about the Small Copper emergence but despite checking in at Larkhill whenever I wasn’t having any joy at this site even though last year they were probably the final species of the year here for me. Mind you I’m not really one for giving up so I continued to stop at Larkhill whenever work or weather permitted. On this afternoon we were still enjoying some sunny intervals and so I figured it was worth a quick stop – off even though I didn’t expect much. I started off at the patch of the Golden Rod as this usually holds something and is a good indicator of how the stop-off might pan out. It was surprisingly busy with plenty of Hover and Drone flies buzzing around as well as numerous Blues which after a bit of watching turned out to be 2 males and 2 females. The grass along the side of the path around the Golden Rod also housed a Brown Argus. So already it was proving to be a productive stop.

I continued slightly farther round and came out onto the West bound path which I followed for about 20 metres or so. There was a small patch of longer grass on the left hand side and a flash of Blue caught my eye so I investigated the area in a little more detail. Scanning around a flash of vivid orange shot by and landed. A beautiful Small Copper. I managed to make a close approach and it spent several minutes flitting from one roosting spot to another – always on the lookout and ready to attack any other butterflies that hove into view – which in this case was the single battered Common Blue male.

Chuffed to have finally got my Larkhill Copper I headed back to car realising that I was running out of time fast. But just as I was trying to leave a Red Admiral enticed me back away from the car park and promptly vanished as I approached and a Meadow Brown followed suit; landing all too briefly as I made first footfall on the stony car park deck and then vamoosing as soon as I trained my lens on it. Still the Copper was great and cheered me after yet another dire day at work.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

I really like the Small Copper perched on the haws, Wurzel.
Interesting too - it appears to show how butterflies may have started to evolve from having six fully functional legs to having four (with two non-functional ones). It clearly isn't using the front pair.

Dave

[Goldie M]

Hi! Wurzal love the Copper on the Berries, I like shots like that they're more interesting than sticks and grass Goldie

[MikeOxon]

I agree with the others -that is a splendid Small Copper shot

As Millerd noticed, it is interesting to see how the front legs are raised, out of use. The soft lighting and superb sharpness make for an exceptional picture.

Mike

[essexbuzzard]

Wow! Great Bustards!

[Wurzel]

Cheers Dave I think the Small Copper is, like you say, exhibiting that wonderful aspect of evolution which can be summed up as "use it or lose it"
Cheers Goldie I do like getting something different
Cheers Mike You're too kind
Cheers Essex - I managed a few closer shots in the coming weeks- but such is work I haven't gotten round to sorting them yet

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

16-09 Larkhill

After the joys of yesterday I decided I should definitely make a stop-off on the way to work. But unfortunately the stop amounted to nowt as I couldn’t locate a single butterfly roosting.

I didn’t think that the afternoon was going to be up to much as the sun only poked out now and again so most of the time it was just grey. Surprisingly the Golden Rod was devoid of life barring a few Cluster flies and the Westbound path was quiet all the way down to the little patch on the left (which I think I might name Copper Corner). Once again there were a small collection of Blues – 2 male Common and a/another Small Copper. The Blues were well past their best with patches of scales missing and torn edges of the wings so I focused my efforts on the Small Copper which again flew from perch to perch.

As I headed back to the car in good time I couldn’t shake the nagging suspicion that this could be it for Larkhill this year...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Paul Harfield]

Hi Wurzel

Cant believe you are still on September Great Small Coppers Have sent you a PM

[millerd]

I do hope it wasn't, Wurzel! That's a lovely Copper to finish on if it was, mind...
(Though this was six weeks ago, and there have been a few things around since then!)

Dave

[Neil Freeman]

Loving the Small Coppers Wurzel

I echo Dave's comment about it being a cracker to finish on....but hope it isn't. Mind you, I've seen nothing for about a month now with the only bits of decent weather being when I have been at work.

Cheers,

Neil.