Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Great close up shots Wurzel, Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie The butterfly WA almost as well behaved as the butterfly watchers

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Good to hear your companions were well behaved butterfly enthusiasts. I have to say when I was watching the mating pair (and for some time before hand, the freshly emerged female) my companions were as equally well behaved (one was of course Neil Hulme) and queued politely. I think if I'd have been present when it all went stupid I wouldn't have been able to control my temper

[trevor]

HI Wurzel,
Your Small Pearl was probably the nearest one to me, these days.
Just to think, only a few years back, we had some 7 miles up the road.
Your camera has done it full justice .

All the best,
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Bugboy It seems that my experience was a total contrast to what happened a day of so later
Cheers Trevor Hopefully they will remain 'just up the rad' from me too, but they were worryingly low this year

Anyway with usual Wurzel luck just as the Purple Emperor Season starts to begin in earnest I am dragged away from my Wiltshire base ... to Iceland Soon be leaving to catch the plane - my main target is to photograph just one butterfly as they only have 6 regular species and I'll try not to mention football

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Have a good time, Wurzel - I'm expecting some highly unusual butterfly pictures from this trip!

Dave

[Wurzel]

I wish Dave I looked it up expecting Artic Frits and North American species but they have only 6 species regularly recorded - all of which are 'common' British species, so my target is to photograph a butterfly, any butterfly will do!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

That's bad planning at it's worst, jetting off to an ( almost ) Butterfly desert at this time of year.

Have a great trip.
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Indeed Trevor Mind you it was a fantastic trip and I saw some mind blowing things Hopefully there will be a late Purp around Bentley next weekend
I've got a lot of catching up to do so better get cracking...

The Devenish 06-02-16

Chores done I headed out to the Devenish hoping maybe for an Adonis up on the side of the Down. For once the sun was with me and so I didn’t feel as rushed as I have recently hence I wandered round to see what there was to see. I started at the smallest field and checked out the old stump where again there were the same interesting bees, including what I think was an Osmia caerulescens? Also here was a Specklie holding territory by the gate. It was good after so many concerns and worries etc. this season to see something ‘normal’ at this site.

I then moved in the Orchid Meadow but only briefly paused here, just long enough to pick up odd Brown Argus before starting the ascent of the Down proper. It was surprisingly quiet up here with mot an Adonis in sight and neither a Common Blue. A Red Admiral did the briefest of fly-bys and before I realised it I was at the far side of the Down and almost into the woods. As I brushed aside the shrubs and ‘waded in’ I spied 2 and then 3 Specklies so I paused for a while here to get some shots.

I then zig-zagged my way across the Down and right across the other side of the field too ending up back in the Orchid Meadow. As I was back here with no new additions to the day list (back to feeling concerned and worried) I spent a bit more time here. My slightly longer wanderings produced a mating pair of Ermine Moths, a GVW and also a slightly aged Grizzlie. Also present were two Brown Argus, one beautifully fresh, and at least two Large Skippers.

I then realised I didn’t have enough time to do any more circuits so headed back through the ‘wood tunnel’ and the smallest field disturbing the Specklie on guard duty once again. However I didn’t head off immediately as I couldn’t resist another check of the stump which again had the Osmia and also an unusual looking mite.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

Now you've had a look at my diary, you'll have a good idea of what you have missed.
Still there's the summer break to play catch up.

Hope you had a good trip.
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Trevor Catch-up indeed

Larkhill 03-06-2016

It comes to something when I’m heading to work during my holiday. But that’s what teaching has come to now a days and so on the last day of the break I found myself driving into work to deliver a revision day. As I was passing Larkhill I found myself indicating and then turning into the car park on autopilot! So as I was on site and parked I thought that I’d better have a quick check to see how things were progressing.
It was quite grey as I set off around the Northbound path and there didn’t seem to be anything much about apart from a couple of Small Heath. It was only on the return journey that I spied the familiar little flag fluttering in the breeze. It was a Common Blue roosting on the grass stem.

Physics pretty much covered and the pupils sent off to continue their revision independently (fingers crossed they did) I tidied up and headed for home myself. Once again I found the car tugging to the right as I approached Larkhill and once again the autopilot seemed to have taken over and I was parked in the car park. “Surely the Northbound path will house more butterflies now?” I thought and set off in that direction to test my hypothesis.

Once almost back at the car park I found not one but two Common Blues – both males and both wanting the same territory from the long of the fight that ensued when they met. The victor remained the loser moved on and by a happily for me out me onto a male Brimstone. After a while here I was tempted to try down the Westbound path but I didn’t give in and so I was soon bombing on homewards again.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

If you're going to post shots of Red mites Wurzel I am not sure I will be able to read your diary ever again

[Goldie M]

Hi! Wurzel, nice shot of the CB, I didn't see many round here in June, in fact there's not been much of any thing up here and what as been seen is usually in poor condition, the Gate Keeper doesn't seem to have arrived yet and I've only seen one Small Skipper so far at HLB, it's been a poor year up here for Butterfies. Goldie

[Paul Harfield]

Hi Wurzel
Just catching up with your recent posts, nice shots. That Brown Argus close up is superb I have still not seen one this year

[Neil Freeman]

...That Brown Argus close up is superb I have still not seen one this year...

Me neither, agestis that is, made up for it with salmacis when I went north though.

Cheers,

Neil

[Wurzel]

Sorry Pauline I promise not to mention anything remotely small nor red in future
Cheers Goldie The CBs seemed to be around and then before I knew it we were in the June gap, only they were so late it's more like the 'July gap'
Cheers Paul They have (along with lots of other species) been thin on the ground this year
Cheers Neil I still think that counts

Lulworth Cove 05-06-2016

Pretty much the entire week had been cool and cloudy or warm and cloudy with very little butterfly activity. As per usual the day before the end of the holiday was a scorcher! To make the most of it we all headed to Lulworth Cove. I reasoned that it would be a bit too early for the ‘named’ skipper but I took my camera anyway.
When we arrived the cloud still looked heavy and so we wandered down the tracks and made the necessary ‘pit-stop’. I checked out the little wildlife area and found what I think is a Common lizard – although it looks a little green? We then made our way down the Cove, turned right and wandered along to our usual spot. The cloud was starting to be guzzled by the sun and so after a leisurely lunch I took little L off as she wanted to explore and climb the cliff (in reality walking up the steep footpaths). We stopped in the hollow and there were butterflies almost immediately. The most worn Grizzled Skipper appeared on the path so pale it looked like a ghost butterfly. It was harassed by a tiny golden skipper and then another couple joined in before forgetting the skipper and attacking each other. Little L was delighted and so we avidly waited for them to settle – both their disputes and also onto photogenic perches. When they did I could see one was very worn, one very fresh and one was a female, with crescent moons. All three were Lulworths. On the other side there was another and a Brown Argus. Further up a Common Blue hung around so we set to climbing the paths, stopping occasionally to admire the view and with little L babbling away on almost every subject – this is now another one of those treasured moments.

All three of my girls decided they wanted to explore round the other side of the Cove (the Eastern side) and so I arranged to meet them in a short while and headed back up the cliff path for another mooch around. I checked out the main footpath and round towards Stair Hole seeing a few more Lulworths and another Common Blue and back in the hollow another much newer Dingy joined the seemingly three resident male Lulworths along with a female Large Skipper. However try as I might I couldn’t find a Wall – yet last year I was tripping over them here? Could it be a gap between broods? So instead of hanging around I picked my way through the beached Grockles and the boat queue and located the girls about 2/3’s of the way round the Cove.

After the briefest of sit-downs K and I set off to explore the far side of the Cove. It was mainly sheer chalk cliff face on one side of us with the sea on the other but eventual we came to a less steep part of the cliff where there had been some slippage revealing the softer sandstone underneath. There were plenty of Vetch growing here in little islands of yellow and a movement caught my eye. A Red Admiral bombed away and as I turned back a smaller movement caught my eye again. This time it was a Lulworth and it was taking salts from the rock, something I’d not seen before. A little further on was a second doing the same thing and a brief climb of the wooden steps here produced a totally black lizard hiding from view and possibly the sun too.

Once back at ‘camp’ the girls had a paddle and then we headed inland back to the car. Just near the site of the old Bucket Tree (alas no more) a familiar ginger/brown butterfly detached itself from the wall, flew towards me, circled twice and buggered right off again! Still there was no mistaking my first Wall Brown of the year.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Sounds like a great holiday Wurzel, the photos of the Lulworth Skippers are great I've yet to see one myself,I thought they didn't arrive until July, Must admit to not looking them up yet too busy trying to get PE/PHS the last couple of years now they're in the bag the search is on Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie They have a really long season sometimes from May til September so when you try for them they should be easy to get
Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Lark Hill WB 06-06

06-06
AM
After not making many stops the week previously I set to too make sure that this week I’d be able to make more stop-offs. So it was that I found myself heading down the Westbound path first thing in the morning prior to work and enjoying that rarity of 2016 – a sunny, early summer day. Despite the great weather there didn’t seem to be much about and as I walked to the usual half way point I clocked up a single Grizzlie and 4 Small Heaths. I didn’t see any other butterflies until I was back in the car park when a male Common Blue appeared and cheered me up.
Come the afternoon everything was solar charged! So I headed up the Northbound path anyway just in case. First up was a Mother Shipton moth and further on there were various Large Skippers, numbering 4 and 5 Small Heaths. Back almost at the car park there were 3 Common Blues all males and a male Brimstone.

07-06
AM
Another morning and I was back at the Westbound path. I took the usual route half way along the path with a Grizzled Skipper, Large Skipper and three Small Heaths for company. Also present this morning was a Forester Moth, looking resplendent in the morning light. It practically glowed.
PM
Another afternoon and I was back at the Northbound path. The short trip up the path yielded only 2 Large Skippers and a single Small Heath and the car park area was down to a single male Common Blue so perhaps I was observing the victor of all the territorial battles yesterday? The Brimstone was still around though, a bit too big for the Blues to fight perhaps?

08-06
AM
My morning visit was a bit of a bust as after a few days of glorious sun today was cloudy and grey and no butterflies. However I did find a singing Corn Bunting and was able to sneak up and catch a glimpse of him through Hawthorns.
PM
Come the afternoon the sun had returned and so I tripped down the Westbound path. There were Foresters and Burnet Companion moths everywhere as well as the odd Cinnabar. In terms of butterflies there were 5 Small Heaths and singles of everything else including Common Blue, Large Skipper, Brimstone and a Small White. As usual time was limited so I had to head off a quickly as possible.

09-06
As I’d been burning the candle at both ends since September I was running late and so I didn’t get to stop in the morning and in the afternoon I had a meeting and so no stop-offs today.

10-06
AM
After the no show yesterday I wasn’t able to stop again. This time it wasn’t because I was knackered but in fact was the opposite. Today was the first Science GCSE exam and so I was in work by 7:10 getting the revision breakfast up and running.
PM
I made up for my absence in the morning by making sure that I stopped on the way home. This time I didn’t stop at the half way point along the Westbound path but carried on to where the path dipped down and there is a small lay-by. Along the way there were 6 Small Heaths and a Large Skipper but at the hollow a Red Admiral and Small Tort both did a fly by. There was loads of Vetch here and with it Blues, and finally they were Adonis. I was getting a bit worried as I hadn’t seen any here so far this year, but they’d just moved on. I counted 8 in total in one small area, seven males and a single female.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[bugboy]

Thats what I like to see, getting a few days packed into one report Wurzel, at this rate you'll be back in the same month as everyone else by Christmas .

Nice to see some Common Blues as well, which seem to have been anything other than 'common' this year for me at least!