www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Thanks Alan, looks like we'll have to wait a day or two for some good weather we'll take your advice though when we go, I find it's always best to know when other people have been before you, thanks again fingers crossed I'll get my Cloudy! Goldie

Your trip to the South is certainly paying off, with all the species you are seeing.
Glad you are having a great time.

Trevor.

Thanks Trevor, so far I've had great luck with the Butterflies, just hope the weather keeps up. Goldie

Tuesday, was another good day but very windy, we went to Samphire Oh! and nearly got blown a way but we did see the moth cats already posted, we wen't on to the Battle Of Britain Memorial afterwards and in the grounds we saw a lovely little Copper, slightly worn but I was pleased to see it.
We still had plenty of time so decided to go back to Temple Ewell, it's my favourite place for Butterflies and there we saw another
Copper, mating pair of Meadow Browns, another Brown Argus, the list goes on Goldie

Looks like the trip South is really paying off Goldie - you're having some cracking successes especially with the Hairstreaks Looking forward to the next installment

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel, yes so far things have been good but gradually the weather's deteriorated, since Wednesday I think.

On Wednesday we decided the weather was windy but we'd still try some where different so we went to Seasalter,. When we got there the seeds from the tops of the Thistles were blowing every where, it was a job to tell which were the Butterflies
It was very disappointing we only saw a few species and one was a Cloudy which landed briefly and just has I was about to take a shot, flew off I suppose at least I'd saw one ,may be two as another one passed but didn't stop.
After that we went to East Blean Woods but apart from loads of GK's MB's and a Comma the PHS's stayed well up in the tree's so the day wasn't too exciting BF wise.
Thursday we went back to Temple Ewell, I knew I'd see butterflies there for sure and always some thing happening
We saw lots of Brown Argus, the Chalkhill's and Marbles were still plentiful and on the way there we stopped at the roadside and guess what another Cloudy passed by behind me We also saw Chalkhill's mating. Goldie

You are making me very envious with your trip to Kent, Goldie, with a great variety of species and especially the Clouded Yellows you've seen. I used to go to Seasalter as a child when my grandparents lived near Whitstable, and somewhere round there is where I saw my first ever Clouded Yellow! You really are bringing the memories back...

Dave

I too am pretty envious of your Cloudies as I haven't seen one this year let alone two

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks for your post David and Wurzel, it's been interesting here, I love going out here because you never know just what you'll come across Butterfly wise, I was also pleased when I saw my Daughter's garden, she's changed it all to perennials and I was pleased to see a Comma in there on some Ivy, also a Marble flew in and out yesterday.

On Friday we went to the White Cliffs again, it's then I made a real mess by not changing my camera from indoor to out door lighting,( we were going for a meal the night before ) Any way I've done the best I could with the shots but still got a faint blue haze I wanted to put my Painted Lady in my post though because the Butterfly was so lovely. Goldie

That Painted Lady is an absolute beauty, Goldie. I've yet to see a bright new one this year.

Dave

Goldie, you've just reminded me that I've seen only two Painted Ladies in the UK so far this year! Let's hope for a few more during August & September.

The painted lady seems to be a very widespread species. In Bhutan also, you can atleast encounter one of them in your trip.

Sonam

Thanks everybody, I've been extremely lucky whilst down in Kent, I've seen the PL quite a few times but could only get this shot they were never still. Goldie

I've put Saturday and yesterday (Tuesday's )shots together because the weather has been pretty awful Sunday and Monday but we still enjoyed ourselves, we went to a Cricket match again Sunday which got washed a way but still had a good laugh with our Grandson"s, Monday we went to that new film Dunkirk and it was fantastic, then off for coffee.

Saturday Morning was okay weather wise but with the clouds arriving it was a quick visit to Reculver , it was very windy there but still warm, the only Butterflies we saw though were Whites before the clouds arrived ,I managed a mating pair of Whites which at first I thought were Cloudies because their wings had a lovely yellowish cast.

It was Tuesday that had to be the highlight of our trip, the sky's were cloudy with a bit of sun peeping through now and again so we decided the best place to go would be Temple Ewell having seen nothing really over the last couple of days.
we stopped first at Lydden to look, the slopes there usually have Butterflies, it was there I saw loads of Brown Argus chasing each other and Mating
Then onto Temple Ewell and my best surprise Because I'd got lots of shots of the other Butterflies there, I went up to the top hill and was taken by surprise when a Wall Brown landed in front of me Then my Daughter shouted of me and a flash of yellow went passed me up the hill, I lost it and thought not again but I went on over the hill and there it was my first Cloudy for some time and I think an Helis. what more can i say. Goldie

Well done, Goldie - Wall Brown and Cloudie!. I know just how difficult Cloudies can be to photograph.

Well done with the Clouded Yellow, Goldie. It almost looks pale enough to be a helice.

Thank you Mike and David, it is an Helice David, I took this shot when I saw it at first, I just managed to catch it taking off and I went up the hill after it thinking it had gone and there it was on a flower, I was so excited I just fired a way at it but it kept on flying from flower to Flower, it gave me a right run around Mike, it would have been better if it'd changed the colour of the flower to land on in stead of yellow but when it did it was in the long grass. Goldie

Yesterday was a miserable day weather wise but although the forecast was for rain I think most of it fell during the night, so it was late afternoon when we decided to take a chance and go back to Temple Ewell ( rain coats and all )
Every thing was in Hiding but we did manage a few shots of the Brown Argus, a Chalkhill in Hiding and I think a Common Blue
Goldie

Goldie M wrote:it is an Helice

Your blurred photo shows how even a 'poor' shot can be very useful when it comes to identification! It is clear that your butterfly gave you the "run around" that I expect from this species

The odd thing is that the very first time I saw a Clouded Yellow was at Smardale in Cumbria!

Hi! Mike, I did think of getting rid of that photo but decided to keep it because although the shots poor, like you say it's proof of species and first time I'd seen an "Helice" .
Cumbria get's the Clouded Yellow mostly I think at Arnside Knott but your very lucky if you see one so you did well that day

I must say Mike I took your advice yesterday the weather was dark and cloudy all day so I decided instead of changing the camera from Sunny to Cloudy I'd try Auto and I was pleased with the shots I took. Goldie

Hello Goldie,
Well done with the Helice ,a nice find ,but I take it ,no luck with the Silver Spots,i must have just been lucky,did you find the area I mentioned ok ?
May have another trip up there again at the weekend .......weather permitting ! Regards Allan.W.