Wurzel

[Goldie M]

I think the Comma and Small White look great Wurzel, especially the Small White, that's a great shot Goldie

[Philzoid]

Some great photos there Wurzel. Great exposure of that 2nd Red Admiral against the sky.

In case you didn't know there is a butterfly related to the Comma called the Question Mark Polygonia interrogationis (though I prefer Batman's arch enemy) . A species native to North America

Phil

[Wurzel]

Cheers Bugboy I have actually already tried that - there was an interesting moth flying around on a previous visit and the embarassment suffered by Mrs Wurzel means that now butterflying is banned during shopping
Cheers Dave A bit of an over-reach on the keypad I reckon
Cheers Goldie That was a lucky shot as the butterfly actually stayed relatively still for once
Cheers Philzoid I'll have to look that one up.

November 2015
The Social is just round the corner now...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Larkhill 25-09-2015

This was the first time that I’d stopped in a little over a week and after the age I spent at work yesterday (I was out of the house for 14 ½ hours) I treated myself to a five minute stop off. It was nice to walk swiftly down the Eastbound path and then start the slow amble back to the car in the cool and fresh air. The morning sun made the dew twinkle and the cobwebs glow and amongst the straw coloured grasses a Common Blue popped out and into view. It cheered me no end to see one still present.

Chuffed I strolled back to the car and started packing my camera away. As I was closing the boot I glanced around and there was something on the Golden Rod. I hastily unpacked my camera and in five steps I was onto the butterfly. It was a Red Admiral sitting waiting for the suns warmth to strike.

After this fantastic five minute stop I headed onto work refreshed and ready to face another day in The Vale.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Super photo of the Common Blue Wurzel, Goldie

[David M]

Good to see that a mere 5 minutes spent in the company of barely awake butterflies can alleviate 14.5 hours of work!

[Wurzel]

Cheers for your kind comment Goldie
Cheers David That 5 minutes was a life saver that week

Laverstock 28-09-2015

This was the last visit I was going to make to Laverstock this year. As K had sat the 11+ at the weekend this was the ‘Coco and Cake’ session which marked the end of an era really. For almost a year I’ve been coming to the Tutors house, marking during the winter months or when it rained or finding my way round the down when the sun shone and the butterflies flew. I shall miss my weekly visits and next season I will need to find some way of disappearing off once a week as it really did me good. As it was the final session I had been accompanied by little L and my wife and I left them talking to the tutors youngest son about our cat Teddy.

Along the path that bordered crop field all was quiet and so it continued as I broached the reserve and made way along the bottom path. The usual bramble bushes were today bereft of butterflies and I was starting to wonder if on this final visit I would draw a blank. I needn’t of worried the ‘Dark Green hollow’ finally broke my duck and there was a battle weary and torn Common Blue. At least I thought that it was, when I got home and looked through the pictures I could just make out the faintest of chequering along the margins. It also lacked the double edge on the margin and so it became an Adonis.

As I wandered I recollected of all the special things that I have observed here; the range of firsts for 2015 that it offered me, stunning Chalkhills and close ups with Adonis, the Skippers Golden and not so golden, freshly emerged Red Admirals and belligerent Small Torts holding the line on the footpath. Mostly though, I will remember it fondly for the hour of solace from work that it offered me once a week. If I hadn’t have been able to escape up the Down I think I might have lost it. I carried on up the hill reminiscing and skirted round the top Copse hoping to catch a Specklie or two but there was nothing flying here either. I was again wondering if a single Blue would be all for my final visit when a couple of Meadow Browns flew by and had a small tussle and a Small White nipped by as well.

Time as always ticked away and before I really knew it I was back outside the back garden and then saying thanks and goodbye. As I left the tutor did say that I was always welcome to cut through the house and make my way up to the down and I think I might take her up on the offer as it is such a splendid place!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Hard to believe this was all a mere 6 weeks ago, Wurzel! Things have changed completely since. Now, any butterfly at all is a result.

[Wurzel]

Cheers David Six weeks is a long time for a butterfly I've almost caught up with my postings now and I've finally finished writing up my Czech Report too - so only another couple of weeks til I post

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

I'm Looking forward to seeing your Czech postings Wurzel Goldie

[David M]

...and I've finally finished writing up my Czech Report too - so only another couple of weeks til I post.

I've been looking forward to this, Wurzel. Bring it on.

[Neil Freeman]

Me too Wurzel

Cheers,

Neil

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie, David and Neil I would have posted more recently but I am snowed under with work and at the moment I seem to be living to work rather than the much more sensible way of doing things Still only three more and then I've caught up with my PD...including this one...

Work 02-10-2015

This could be one of the shortest posts that I ever write. I was waiting to attend a meeting during lunch break where I would find out the wonders of 'Show My Homework' when something much more interesting caught my eye. I could see through the open door of the staff room, across the corridor, through the window and across the car park to the stand of Leylandi that border the car park. There was a Comma flitting around its way along the trees. I nipped back to my lab, nipped out to the car park and got a few distant shots as it fed in the Ivy on the top of the transformer hut.

So it’s come to this snatching shots of single species...the end is now in sight. 'Show My Homework' wasn’t that awe-inspiring either.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Nice shot Wurzel, some times I think the Comma looks better when not opened winged like in your shots , the shape of the Comma is so different to all the other Butterflies, I remember the first time I ever saw one, I was in awe Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie I know what you mean Commas are cracking butterflies, I love the underside probably more than the upperside.

Five Rivers and The Devenish...last trip of the season? 04-10-2015

As we had reasonable weather for October and I needed yet another break from the painting I took a lunch break at two of my local sites to wrap things up for the year. First of all was Five Rivers as I like the symmetry of visiting this site for my first and on one of my final outings. Despite there being a reasonable amount of nectar sources around still there was a dearth of butterflies. As I wandered along the riverside path I kept my eyes open for any late Red Admirals to no avail. The break between the path and Comma Corner didn’t yield any Whites and Comma Corner wasn’t living up to its name either. I eventually found a butterfly on one of the Banks; a Specklie high up in the tree. I couldn’t work out it if it looked so pale because it was worn or because it was backlit? Apart from this the Banks too were bereft of butterflies and only threw up a single Common Darter as I rejoined the riverside path further along.

The walk back was just as dismal and once back at the small wood I gave up butterflies and started looking for mushrooms instead. As usually happens this meant that butterflies started appearing but due to the late timing 2 Specklies were all it could muster. From here I thought I would try my luck at The Devenish as it couldn’t be any worse and so I set off.

I didn’t have long as I needed to get back to apply another coat of paint and so I hurried through the Paddock, the Tunnel and across the Orchid Meadow. My hurrying didn’t scatter any butterflies as there were none about and so before I knew it I was traversing the side of the Down. A Small Tortoiseshell greeted me feeding and appearing to hang suspended in the air as it did so. A Red Admiral was showing well amongst the foliage at that bordered the edge of the Down and the Copse and after some careful stalking I managed to get in nice and close and so my species count for the day was raised to three.

I carried on up to the top of the Down and scanned across the valley laid before me. It was a scene of mellow fruitfulness, the weak sun still providing enough warmth for the hibernators and final stragglers. Speaking of which a straggler appeared – a Small White which unlike previously didn’t play ball and stayed almost at the limits of the reach of my lens. As if to make up for its cousins rudeness a/the Small Tort gave me some really close close-ups.

Time was ticking away but a late showing from a Comma on the way back was enough to make me tarry for another five minutes or so. I’ve often wondered if these late showing individuals could be the same ones that I will see here next spring? And still wondering and trying to work out the implications of a catch, mark and release scheme I headed homewards, five species in the bag perhaps the end is here?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Philzoid]

A fine selection of butterflies for a late part of the season Wurzel. Nice fungi shot too .

[Goldie M]

I love the Comma Wurzel, great shots of the others too Goldie

[MikeOxon]

Good selection of photos, Wurzel, and a reminder that. although our British list may be small, it contains some real beauties

Mike

[Gary.N]

Excellent last Shot of the Comma.

[David M]

Now you've reported on your 'last trip of 2015', Wurzel, surely your Czech Republic instalments are next?