Bugboys mission

[Padfield]

Amazing shots, Buggy!

Guy

[bugboy]

Thanks for the comments Goldie, Wurzel and Guy, much appreciated

Well this year seems to finally be over, bar the odd Red Admiral that may wander past on a sunny day, so time for the annual roundup. It was another hectic year and the third year in a row I’ve broken through the 50 mark.

The year started off rather cold with a couple of icy blasts, a first hint that 2018 might be an above average year and with increasing temperatures I was into double figures by the end of April. The star of the show during this period was coming across a courting pair of Peacocks, watching them complete the act and achieving the very rare sight of mating Peacocks . The following week I came very close to getting a double whammy after watching a courting pair of Small Tortoiseshell for over half an hour. Unfortunately the male lost the female and in his flustered state blundered into a spider web .

One month later and with the above average warm spring well underway the species total was sitting at 25 with good numbers of many of the spring species responding very well to the near perfect weather conditions so far. The star of the show here was undoubtably the finding of Padfield, my first ever Purple Emperor larvae .

June arrived, along with a continuation of some ridiculously hot weather, and so did my first long distance trip of the year, the trip to finally complete the mission. Looking back it’s odd how we talk about a ‘June gap’ when I had 23 season debuts during those 30 days.

For nearly every butterflier who was in the southern half of the country during the middle of the month, the Black Hairstreak was probably the standout butterfly, combining what was probably the best emergence in living memory with a discovery of a healthy population in the middle of Sussex. For me though, even though I had by far and away my best experience with them, another butterfly won by a nose during June. My one remaining resident species left to tick off in my ‘mission’ who I found fluttering around in the Cumbrian hills, the Mountain Ringlet. I also managed to tick off the salmacis race of the Northern Brown Argus, the scotica race of the Large Heath plus plenty of Fritillary action.

By July and August the hot weather was starting to have a negative impact with many of my regular sites now suffering from a distinct lack of rain. Later emerging grass feeders didn’t do so well as their earlier emerging cousins, most notably the Gatekeeper, and based on my single trip looking for Lulworth Skippers, they seemed to have a poor latter half of their season too. The incessant heat did however cause another Hairstreak explosion with purple Hairstreaks coming down to ground level in their droves looking for moisture. Purple Emperors had another good season with groundings at Bookham for the second year in a row. As ever, Bookham remained a regular destination and proved good hunting grounds for me. Brown Hairstreak season was soon upon us but unlike the Sussex populations, the Bookham population seemed to struggle, at least struggle to come down low at any rate. Nevertheless determination and teaming up with Millerd won the day!

A day in Chiddingfold with Millerd was also memorable on two instances, the sheer number of second brood Wood Whites (linear count of over 100 in mostly cloudy weather ) and the surprise visitation of an Empress, my first ever sighting of the Emperors consort . Then a second trip up north found me at Smarsdale Gill and a field covered in Scotch Argus.

The end of the season was mostly spent in Sussex and Essex on a mildly obsessive Clouded Yellow hunt (species 54 for the year), attempting upperside shots, and wondering if the butterfly season was ever going to end with some remarkably late emergent’s of several other species.

So, Mission officially complete. I’m not quite sure where leaves this diary, I shall still continue making entries but I think 2019 will see a reduction in posts. Like other users I am conscious of my diary becoming somewhat repetitive so I’ll use the winter months to have a ponder and see if I can think up a different angle to continue posting in .

See some of you next week

[Maximus]

A great 'round up' of your year, illustrated with some lovely photos, Bugboy

[Wurzel]

A cracking round up of the year Bugboy - I think that I've had a great year with 49 species

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Maximus]

Perhaps the different angle you're looking for Bugboy, is Europe, lots new to see and to post about

[Goldie M]

Well done Bugboy, I'm lucky if I get near forty, not made it yet Goldie

[David M]

Lovely to see your year presented in such a way, BB. You've cleaned up in 2018 and you may now find (like I did several years ago) that you can only satisfy your continued hunger with a trip overseas!

I still think those mating Peacocks are the highlight. I doubt many people have ever seen that!

[Old Wolf]

What an absolutely brilliant year you have had Bugboy

I love the presentation of your summary. So many brilliant photos you have captured this year.

[bugboy]

Thanks for all the comments. Europe is on my radar Max, although I have my usual issue of getting around I'm sure I'll work something out though

I've not been able to get out much recently since the wintery weather has finally arrived. Just two afternoons on some local patches. On the 18th November I spent a few hours wandering around Epping Forest. It was a Sunday so it was always going to be a bit busy but the usual array of dog walkers, joggers and families were today joined by some sort of orienteering thing going on. I'm not entirely sure if many of them had ever done it before since I don't think I saw any two going in the same direction. All this running around in the undergrowth meant most of the birdlife stayed in the treetops and rather quiet. The lake near the southern end, Conought Water, provided some of the few photographic opportunities. Mostly just Black-headed Gulls.

Falling of his perch!

Having a spruce up

Then yesterday, 2nd of December, I spent a couple of hours on Walthamstow Marshes. I was in two minds whether to go out, it was one of those days where one minute it was sunny then 5 minutes later the sky was darkened by a huge rain cloud but in the end I decided to pop out. Just as I was leaving I received a message from Millerd telling me of his local patch finds, giving me a tiny glimmer that perhaps I might get lucky. These hopes were dashed as soon as I arrived on site and was forced to wave goodbye to the last of the blue sky for the day A few birds were about but in the poor light I didn't take many pictures except for the Pied/White Wagtails which were frollicking in the horse paddocks.

one of whom threw possibly the campest pose I've ever seen a bird pull

[Wurzel]

That is a classic comic pose Bugboy! If you're thinking about Foreign butterflying then perhaps a Continental City break would be favourable somewhere like Prague - as there are plenty of good butterfly sites around the Old Castle accessible by bus or tram plus plenty of species a shirt train ride away...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Andrew555]

Fantastic roundup Bugboy, excellent work. Great Wagtail shots.

Cheers

[David M]

Those are amusing shots of the gulls/wagtail, BB. Keep 'em coming as I suspect butterflies will be off the menu for a little while.

[Neil Freeman]

Great roundup Bugboy
You could always go continental to continue your mission as others have suggested but there are still some regional sub-species and forms in the uk that you can track down.

Cheers,

Neil.

[bugboy]

Thanks once again for the comments

16th December, birding south of the river.

A dry day tempted me out to do a bit of birding down at the London Wetland Centre. The early sun dissipated by the time I’d got there, squandering the already slim chance of a fleeting Red Admiral sighting but the birds were a welcome consolation. Of the non-native enclosures I always stop by the North American one, I do love Hooded Mergansers and the Buffleheads.

Out on the main lakes Gulls and Ducks predictably dominated.

Cormorants were hanging out here and there, drying out.

Wigeon grazed on the grassy banks, sometimes close enough to hear the camera .

One of the hides was particularly busy with a gaggle of twitchers all pointing very large lenses in one direction. At this time of year here that could only mean one thing, Bittern! He was showing quite well but in typical bittern style, doing very little. Occasionally he’d blink which would cause a flurry of photographic action from his watchers. I left to wander off and came back on three occasions to find him still in the same place. On my third return though I actually managed to get a seat though.

Whilst watching the Bittern a Sparrowhawk settled in the trees to one side of the hide, from where he eventually launched himself and made an attempt at a kill, flushing two snipe but failing to capture either one. According to local knowledge he’s been hunting the Snipe here for a couple of weeks now. Sadly my camera was focused on the Bittern at the time and it was all over very quickly, fantastic to watch though

Couldn't resist a Robin, well it is the season for them

[Wurzel]

Love the balletic pose being thrown by the Mallard Bugboy But the first gull shot looks like the start of something that could be on 'You've Been Framed' - face plant! Did really well with the Bittern as well

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Sounds like a fabulous day out, BB. Who needs butterflies?

[bugboy]

Getting out and about at the moment is proving very difficult with just grey gloom on any free days off. Yesterday however I did decide to go for a little local wander despite the greyness. Not a great deal was about, in fact I didn't see any winter visiting thrushes or ducks which is very unusual on my local patch at this time of year. I can normally guarantee seeing around 40 species of bird at any given point in the year but I was struggling to hit 20 this time. I did manage to point my camera at a few odds and ends. The horse paddocks of the local riding school often make good hunting grounds for winter birdwatching (they're usually covered in Thrushes, finches, starlings with various other odds and ends mixed in during the winter). Today I had mixed flocks of Linnet and Chaffinch (a careful scan for Brambling came up fruitless) and a scattering of Pied/White Wagtails.

A Robin also posed nicely

Well this will obviously be my last post for the year, but my last post for several weeks as far as new photo's are concerned since I shall be welcoming the new year with a hernia operation (this Thursday). Still better to be immobile now rather mid butterfly season eh . Fingers crossed I should be healed and ready for the first hibernators in a few months time . Happy New Year everybody and I hope to bump into some familiar faces again in 2019

[trevor]

Hope to see you, post op, next season. Hope all goes well.
2018 is nearly done, so Happy New Year.

Trevor.

[Buchan Boy]

Take care bugboy and a happy new year.

[Maximus]

Hope all goes well and that you're back fighting fit for the new year