Paul Wetton

[Denise]

Hi Paul.

I thought that footage was excellent I have never seen Chequered Skipper, well not in this country and then only a fleeting glimpse.
I am thinking of going up to Glasdrum at the end of May as my birthday treat. Might run into some of you guys there, that is if I recognise any of you in drag, or worse!

Denise

[Paul Wetton]

Hi Denise

Many thanks for the kind comment.

What could possibly be worse than myself, Seth and Neil prancing about the Scottish hillsides in drag. Can't think of anything myself.

[Denise]

Oh! I can't get this image out of my head

So your really sayin take a large dark naked woman daubed in blood who has extremely soft skin whilst you should be wearin white silk stockings and smokin like a steam train

No naked people please

Denise

[Paul Wetton]

OK less of the naked, drag queens of UKB.

Maybe I should put another video on to put some more pleasant images into everyone mind.

[Gibster]

Maybe I should put another video on to put some more pleasant images into everyone mind

How about Painted Lady-boys?

[Piers]

This garment works very well against midges.

http://www.fifecountry.co.uk/PRODUCT_DE ... 106&cid=52

Felix.

[Paul Wetton]

Nice one Seth. I may have to have a play in photo shop over the weekend if I can't get out anywhere.

Felix that looks like a great item of clothing for anyone planning to spend time in the midge infested regions north of the border.

One thing that does work with midges is to keep moving. Trouble is then you can't look at anything in detail and as soon as you stop they're back.

[Gibster]

To misquote a famous film slogan, "In The Highlands no-one can hear you scream"

[Susie]

Forget the butterflies, this thread has made me laugh my head off.

[Paul Wetton]

We're only here to please

[Paul Wetton]

Time for some more butterfly video.

Here's some footage of Large Blue at Collard Hill taken in the second week of June last year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzfT7NSUYKU[/video]

Hope this spurs some of you to go and have a look at Collard Hill this year.

[Gibster]

Hey Wetton!

Wot's happened to UKB's most surreal blog?

Not in hibernation are you, mate???

Gibster.

[Paul Wetton]

Hey Gibbo

Time for an update.

Had a trip to Broadsands in Devon on Sunday looking for Cirl Buntings. Found several and had a couple of Shags in the sea. Two Cormorant like birds for the non birders.

Female perched amongst Bramble

Male eating seeds

Stopped off at Woolhampton Gravel Pits near Reading on the way home to take a look at the three Black-necked Grebes.

Here's one of the three

Had my first butterflies at Broadsands in Devon whilst sat in the car park watching the Cirl Buntings. Two Small Tortoiseshells were feeding on the Willow flowers along the edge of the car park.

I've broken my vow of long distance travel already and probably did £100 on petrol. Off down the slippery slope again.

[Gibster]

Yo, Wetton!

Glad to see you're still alive, and getting in the shag-gags...I'd never stoop that low. Of course, if we're talking Parus major then I'm listening...

That Cirl site is great, isn't it? Not as scenic as Prawle, but Broadsands car park does offer fantastic photography opportunities. The warden has been seeding the top corner for few years now. We had 13 on our visit, including young birds, all in the grit alongside Dunnocks.

I've had Small Tort, Peacock, Comma, Brimstone (as adults), Small Copper (a larva), Purple Hairstreak & Brown Hairstreak (eggs). How's your yearlist going so far???

All the best,

Gibster.

[Paul Wetton]

Hiya Seth

Had a funeral yesterday unfortunately but managed my second and third species of the year at the crematorium. Peacock and Red Admiral.

Yep, Broadsands car park was a great spot for photos of the birds but not very scenic and full of dog walkers and kids. Can't have everything.

Nice pair of P. Major always goes down well.

I've been watching news about the Large Torts with interest as it's a species I've never seen before.

[Gibster]

Yeah, I know what you mean about the IOW Large Torts, the temptation is strong. But the money in my pocket is weak. And we've a week in southern Spain with friends in a couple of weeks time which won't be cheap. I've seen a couple of Large Torts before (one is probably a bit iffy, in mid-Surrey in 90s. The other at Portland which I'm claiming as 100% genuine...ish!)

Sam's just started a new job and has her rota till the end of the year, which strikes me as mind-boggling. I never know my rota from one week to the next (!) Tonight we can settle down and work out our day trips/overnighters/mini-breaks for the summer. Mountain Ringlet and Real's Wood White are the main targets this season. Plus Small Heath rhoumensis. Of course, it always helps to get off at the correct island...doh! We shall pay better attention this year...

Gibster.

[Paul Wetton]

Never been to Rhum. Just looked over the sea at it.

I'd be interested in a spot of Mountain Ringlet spotting. I can get up there in less then 3 hours from Notts.

I'm an 8-30 til 16-30 5 days a week sort of bloke so it's easy to plan trips. Just don't get enough hols in a year.

[Paul Wetton]

Time for an update as I've been quietly skulking around at my local nature reserve until now.

Had a trip to Goring on the Thames to find the Club-tailed Dragonfly.

Shot along the Thames south of Goring

Found plenty of exuviae on the concrete edge of the bridge but didn't find any hatching out. Guess we were too late in the year or it was the wrong day. We did find a couple of adults warming up in the riverside vegetation. I love these dragonflies.

First Club Tail

This was the second found by two wildlife enthusiasts we met at Bentley Wood last year. Good to meet up again.

Second Club Tail

Second Club Tail

We visited the nearby Hartslock Nature Reserve famous for its Orchids.

Hillside at Hartslock Nature Reserve

The Lady Orchids were over due to the hot spring but Monkey Orchids were beginning to flower.

Monkey Orchid in flower

There were some splendid Monkey x Lady Orchid hybrids showing quite tall spikes on the hillside.

Lady x Monkey Orchid hybrid

I'm not sure if the individual flowers actually look like a cross between a lady and a monkey though.

Lady x Monkey flowers

Helen found a rather worn Green Hairstreak that I missed whilst I was filming.

Green Hairstreak

As we were not a million miles away from Wrecclesham we headed off for some Glanvilles. I took about 30 minutes of video then had a play with the DSLR while Helen had a kip amongst the Ox-eye Daisy's.

I took some what I call scientific shots attempting the underside upperside and males and females.

Here are some female shots.

Female underside

Female

Nectaring Female

Arty shot of a Female

Here's a few of the males.

Nectaring Male

Male

And now some more arty shots.

Female Glanville surveys the daisies

Female riding an Ox-eye Daisy in the wind

Hello to John who started the thread on Wrecclesham. Thanks for the information posted here and good to meet you at the site.

All in all a good day out catching up with all the target species we had hoped for. The only down side was a detour to Homefield Wood a suggestion from someone we met at Hartslock. We couldn't find the site and spent over an hour getting through reading.

[Michaeljf]

Hi Paul,
a smashing range of images and a lovely description of your trips to Goring, Hartslock and Wrecclesham. I love the combination of the scenic shots and the diversity of the orchids, butterflies and dragonflies. You can't beat getting out and about, eh?! Keep up the good work!!
Michael

[Paul Wetton]

Hi Michael

I thought you might enjoy the scenic shots. It was a great day out with some interesting observations and lovely weather. You're right you can't beat it.

I took many more photos and plenty of video and could have added plenty more text but I don't want to bore folks.

All the best.