Thanks, Wurzel.
There are still new Brown Argus appearing, which is interesting since the first of the second brood appeared at the end of June. Could these be third brooders already, or is it just a long drawn-out second brood?
Cheers, David - the late season seems to have come early this year (apart from the Brown Hairstreaks). We're not quite halfway through August yet! Still, last year I was seeing butterflies well into November, so there is still time - and we may get some more extra broods to see too. Here's hoping!
Thursday 9th August, and to some extent Friday 10th, were complete washouts. The rain came down in large quantities. Luckily I was otherwise engaged on both days, being occupied with the delights of the Great British Beer Festival at Olympia on the Thursday, and taking a friend to Stansted Airport on the Friday. (We have a perfectly good airport just up the road, but...
).
Saturday 11th August promised much better, and I had originally planned to head down to Shipton B. However, I failed to get up early enough and took the next best option of another try at Bookham for the Brown Hairstreaks. As I pulled into the car park, a familiar figure was studying the oaks - Bugboy was already there and set on the same quest as myself. He had just noted that a third Purple Hairstreak egg had appeared close to the two he had been monitoring. We headed along to the Banks Common area and scoured the blackthorn for Hairstreaks. On the way we were distracted by the variety of other species still flying here: Commas, Speckled Woods, Meadow Browns, a few tired Gatekeepers, Small Heaths, Common Blues, Brown Argus and the ever-present Small Coppers.
We had almost given up on seeing any Hairstreaks, when I spotted something in the hedge that looked a bit different. Sure enough, a female Brown Hairstreak was wandering up and down a vertical blackthorn stem.
She teased us with some opening of the wings before wandering off over the hedge.
Soon afterwards, Bugboy spotted another, feasting on a blackberry, and a bit later I found what was probably the same one on another rotten fruit.
Oddly enough we also found a very worn Purple Hairstreak indulging in the same way.
When I disturbed it, it promptly fell off its perch straight downwards - a bit of over-indulgence perhaps?
Bugboy then had to leave, but I stayed a few minutes longer, enough to see another Brown Hairstreak high up with wings open, but bothered by a dragonfly before I could get closer. I also saw a Painted Lady, again at some distance...
...and a particularly fresh female Speckled Wood.
At last, some success - they've been a while coming.
Dave