www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Belfairs Wood, Essex produced 4 White Admirals this evening with possibly a further 4 seen by another observer in a different part of the wood. Many Heath Fritillaries out still but most well past their best though some were still still fresh.

Great shots! Iv eyet to see one up close. I hope to pop to Brampton woods to see if they are out there too - its only 6 miles from me.

Mark

There is a large patch of brambles and nearby tree at the southern end of the main open ride near Poors Lane where the White Admirals kept coming down to in the evening. This bramble was amongst the last, and may be the first in the morning, to catch the sunlight so they kept coming back every few minutes, they were active though which did make getting any shots a challenge but persiverance paid off.

Hi all,
Southwater Woods in West Sussex is on top form now. I spent yesterday there with Matthew Oates, watching Purple Emperors and planning our 2009 assault on Fermyn Wood - where some rather light-hearted Emperor-related activities will be taking place. At Southwater we saw 8 Purple Emperors, including a bundle of 3 testosterone-charged males at the Dogbarking Master Trees. The wood is maintaining its reputation for throwing up aberrations, with ocellata Silver-washed Fritillary, obliterae White Admiral and suffusa Comma. I saw my first female SWF of the year (already 'loved up') and my first Small Skippers. WA and SWF numbers are good, with more than 20 of each species.
Neil

With the possiblity of a Sussex trip this weekend can yoyu advise where the Dogbarking MasterTrees are at Southwater Woods. This is not a wood i've previously visited so don't really want to spend to much time searching in the wrong area.

Assistance appreciated

Lots of Meadow Browns about, even on the peas in the garden, I've noticed on the side view that there are two spots.
A female, a male and the side view of the female.

Lovely pictures Shirley, I have been trying to get the Medow browns for the last two weeks but they appear to be so active.

Sezar

Sezar:

I have been trying to get the Medaow Browns for the last two weeks but they appear to be so active

Yes hopeless when the sun is shining but much easier on bright but not sunny days.

Marbled Whites are equally difficult but I got some shots today simply by waiting at the “fuel station”.

Jack

The female went into the Polytunnel and it was so hot it went into a sort of stupor so I picked it off the plastic and placed it on the peas where it was a good model until it got fed up and flew out the door
Shirley
PS I've just seen your beautiful Marbled White Jack, I've never seen one ever.

Hi SteveA,
The Dogbarking Master Trees are at TQ13952620. I'm leading a BC walk for Purple Emperors at Botany Bay on Sunday (see Sussex Branch website), but might be there on Saturday to help you out.
Neil

Many thanks for info, Sunday was the day planned so fingers crossed for the weather to be good

Thats a gorgeous pic, Jack.

I have been trying to get the Medaow Browns for the last two weeks but they appear to be so active

Same here, everytime I try to get them, they land in the grass, where I can't get a photo because the tall grass blocks them, then when I get able to get a photo, they fly away. I found it easier in past, not now though.

Dave, look for thistles in flower. Meadow browns love them and you can often catch them at the top with nice diffuse backgrounds.
I visited Lower Woods near Wickwar today with Jerry where there were around 20 SWF males. We followed with a quick hop south to West Yatton Down to look for WLH but we were out of luck. Jerry found a couple of small blue though near the bottom of the slope opposite the roadside gate.

White-letter Hairstreaks can turn up in the strangest places. This link is culled from the WLH survey website - check at 8 mins 55 seconds into the footage:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/events/wimbledon/p003kbkh

Lots of Large Skippers, Red Admirals and masses of Meadow Browns. and this caterpillar Shirley

Matsukaze wrote:White-letter Hairstreaks can turn up in the strangest places. This link is culled from the WLH survey website - check at 8 mins 55 seconds into the footage:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/events/wimbledon/p003kbkh

Amazing! Well spotted

Cheers,

- Pete

eccles wrote:Jerry found a couple of small blue though near the bottom of the slope opposite the roadside gate.

Really? That would be very unusual at this time of year! If they were Small Blue, they must have been well-worn!

Cheers,

- Pete

First sighting of this years Grayling, not sure of the form though

SteveA wrote:Many thanks for info, Sunday was the day planned so fingers crossed for the weather to be good

was thinking of going myself tomorrow, but I don't know of any reported there yet (no updates for a couple of days now on the Northants site). Has anyone heard of any sightings? 1st last yr was 1st July but I think everything's quite early this yr?