www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Beautiful scenery shots Neil, looking forward to seeing your photos Goldie

Some stunning coastline shots there, Neil. I look forward to seeing the butterflies too (especially the Clouded Yellows).

Hi Dave, I was actually in Swanage on the morning of 3rd Sept but we went off to RSPB Arne from there. Sorry I missed you at Durlston.

Thanks Trevor, I have visited that area of Dorset quite regularly at this time of year and can usually find 18-19 species , not quite made it to 20 yet.

Sorry about making you well up a bit Wurzel

Thanks Goldie, that is a beautiful bit of coastline

A dull, grey and damp day here has given me chance to do the next report...

Dorset August 31st to September 7th part 2 – Adonis Blues

My main target species when visiting Dorset at this time of year is always Adonis Blues. I don't often get to see the first brood as my plans earlier in the year usually take me elsewhere, so I like to catch up with the second brood in early September on the Dorset coast. During my previous visits I have always found the Adonis Blues in Dorset to build in numbers through the second half of August and reach a peak in the first week of September, hence the timing of our usual breaks down there. Given the weather this year and the fact that many summer species seemed to have had early and comparatively short flight periods, I was a little concerned that I may have missed the best time to see Adonis Blues this year. As it turned out, my concerns were groundless as I saw plenty of good condition examples of both sexes and most sites visited had a good assortment from worn and faded to recently emerged. In fact the timing this year seemed pretty much in line with what I have seen in previous years.

We arrived at Durdle Door on the first Friday afternoon just before 4.00pm and after settling in to our caravan and having a coffee, I went for a wander to stretch my legs after the drive down. It was a beautiful afternoon with clear blue skies and I made my way straight to the far right of the the car park and through the gate onto the grassy slopes above the famous arch. As I followed one of the paths diagonally down across the slope I soon began to see the first butterflies here, mostly Small Heaths and a few Meadow Browns and Small Whites. I headed down to the lower part of the slope and began to see a few Adonis and as I moved across the slope I spotted more and more with a few Common Blues mixed in. I spotted a nice fresh male basking down in the grass and took my first Adonis photo of the week.
Staying at Durdle Door meant that I could visit these slopes easily and most days saw me having a wander along them at some point, either in the morning before we went out somewhere or later in the afternoon after returning to our caravan. The numbers of Adonis seen varied depending on how long I was there and how warm it was and anything up to 50 odd could usually be seen scattered across the slopes.
I have mentioned before that one of my favourite sites in the area is along the bridleway that leads diagonally across the hillside from the back of Osmington village up to White Horse Hill. I was keen to visit here again and in fact went twice, on the Saturday afternoon (1st Sept.) and again for a couple of hours on Tuesday afternoon (4th Sept.).
On both occasions there was a mixture of cloud and sun with the temperature reaching 22/23 degrees which meant that there were plenty of butterflies actively flying across the hillsides. This site has usually produced the highest numbers of Adonis Blues that I see down here and I am pleased to say that it came up trumps again with at least a couple of hundred flying all along the slopes above the path.
One particular undersized and slightly worn female turned out to be ab. with reduced spots on her hindwings, although I couldn't get a shot without her being photobombed by another female that was sharing the same flower head.
On Sunday afternoon (2nd Sept.) I decided to have a walk across to Bindon Hill above Lulworth Cove. I have walked there a few times in previous years and always taken the coast path across the top of Hambury Tout. This time I decided to take a footpath that I had spotted which led from the entrance of the car park at Durdle Door and followed a route around the landward side of the Tout and came out on the road a little way up from the car park at Lulworth Cove. From there I went back up the road and onto Bindon Hill through the gate just off the main road.
Although the weather was similar to the previous day, e.g. mixed cloud and sun, there was a bit of a breeze which could be felt more as you moved higher across the hillside. Good numbers of Adonis Blues were flying although nowhere near as many as at Osmington, but nevertheless I reckon I saw at least 40 odd individuals of both sexes.
On Tuesday morning we popped into Weymouth and then had a drive over to Portland. Before heading back we called in to Tout Quarry and whilst Jane and my mom wandered about looking at the stone carvings I checked out some of the side paths. Despite the clear skies and warm sun, there were not many butterflies there but amongst those that I did see was a single male Adonis Blue.
Wednesday (5th Sept.) afternoon saw us at Durlston Country Park for a couple of hours. Jane and my mom had a slow wander along the tarmac path towards the lighthouse whilst I headed down to the gully to see what was about. I have to say that this site was the driest I have ever seen it and the gulley still looked particularly parched. This had obviously affected the butterflies as although I saw the usual expected species including Adonis Blue, with one exception (Small Copper) these were all in lower numbers than seen here in previous years. There were also a larger percentage of worn Adonis here, possibly reflecting an earlier flight period than the sites at Lulworth and Osmington.
The final site visited was on the morning of Thursday (6th Sept.) when I dropped Jane and my mom off in Swanage for a couple of hours and carried on to Ballard Down. Good numbers of Adonis Blues were flying here although like at Durlston there was a higher proportion of worn ones flying. From my experiences in previous years and again this year, I suspect that both Durlston and Ballard Down are earlier sites than Osmington, Durdle Door and Bindon Hill.
So then, plenty of Adonis Blues were seen but what else was there?

Next to come...the other Blues.

Neil.

Those are really clear, vibrant images, Neil. Fabulous.

I'm eagerly anticipating your next batch now.

A truly epic Adonis posting Neil there are stunners aplenty They appear to have had a cracking end to the season Looking forward to the next installment

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks David . My apologies, looks like I missed your previous comment when I was posting my last report.
No Clouded Yellow photos unfortunately, they wouldn't settle for me when I saw them in the warm afternoon sun.

Cheers Wurzel. Yes, they seemed to be doing well down there with plenty of fresh ones about .

Dorset August 31st to September 7th part 3 – More Blues.

As well as the Adonis Blues, there were other species of 'Blue' flying at all of the sites visited. These were mostly Common Blues that were usually seen in fair numbers and in varying condition from really worn and tatty to nice fresh looking examples. These were all flying alongside the Adonis Blues and telling the really worn ones apart could sometimes be quite difficult, especially with the females.
I have often found Chalk Hill Blues on Bindon Hill in my past visits at this time of year with actual numbers and condition obviously depending on the weather in any particular season. I was curious if there would be any still flying this year and my walk over to Bindon Hill on the Sunday (2nd Sept.) afternoon was in part to find out.
At first I only saw Adonis and a few Common Blues but on making my way around to where the old blocked off cliff path comes out of the trees, I spotted a paler blue butterfly that proved to be a Chalkhill Blue. In the end I found half a dozen of so still flying, mostly well worn and faded males with a couple that were in slightly better condition. I didn't see any definite females, although worn examples of the latter can be extremely difficult to tell apart from worn female Adonis Blues so it is quite possible I overlooked a few.
At Durlston Country Park on the Wednesday (5th Sept.) I was surprised to find a fairly fresh looking male Small Blue in one corner of the gully where he was actively scrapping with a couple of Common Blues and a Brown Argus. I only managed a couple of photos before he was seemingly driven off by the odds against him and despite lurking around the spot for a bit I could not relocate him. This was the only example of Small Blue that I have ever seen down there at this time of year, hence my surprise.


The last species of 'Blue' (although it is brown) seen during the week was Brown Argus. These also appeared at every site visited although usually in lower numbers than the Common Blues and most were more worn and faded although one or two were not too bad looking.
There was one other Lycaenid seen down there, Small Copper, which appears to be having a good third brood around the country - and Dorset was no exception.

These deserve a post to themselves so they will be next...

Neil.

All your September Blues look remarkably fresh, particularly the Adonis.
That Small Blue must have been a surprise.

Great images,
Trevor.

Nothing to feel Blue about with those Blue shots Neil They're positively jumping out of the screen That Small Blue is in wonderful nick - which begs the question; very late 2nd brood or a 3rd?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Fantastic Blues shots Neil, love the Adonis shots, Goldie

That Small Blue is intriguing - basically what Wurzel said! I saw some flowering kidney vetch there on 3rd, but didn't entertain the possibility of a Small Blue as well... Some lovely shots of the Blues, Neil.

Dave

Thanks Trevor, that Small Blue was indeed a surprise. I was aware that they usually have a second brood at Durlston but thought that it was too late for them, I have never seen one there at the same time of year before.

Cheers Wurzel, I would suspect a late second brood individual. Small Blue second broods are often only partial anyway so I don't reckon they could manage three broods, even in this years summer.

Thanks Goldie, I was well chuffed with the number of fresh ones still around.

Thanks Dave, nearly missed your comment as I was posting this next one, see my reply to Wurzel above.

Dorset August 31st to September 7th part 4 – Small Coppers

From various reports I have seen recently on UKB and elsewhere around the internet it seems that Small Coppers are having a good third brood in many parts of the country and during my week down in Dorset I certainly saw more than I am used to seeing there at this time of year. Every site that I went to produced a few, with at least half a dozen or so seen at Durdle Door and probably getting into double figures all across the hillside at Osmington.

Most of them looked fairly fresh or just a bit worn around the fringes of the wings and a good variety of blue spotting was seen from just a hint to 4 full spots on each hindwing.
The female below, seen at Durdle Door on the Monday (3rd Sept.) was particularly large and attractive with a lovely set of blue spots but sod's law dictated that she wouldn't settle in a position for me to get a photo of her that I was really happy with.
The jewel in the copper crown however was a nice ab. radiata seen at Osmington on my first visit there on the Saturday (1st Sept.). Again, I would have liked to have got a better photo but with the warm afternoon sun it was mostly sitting with it's wings nearly closed and I just managed the one quick shot when it opened up a bit. I tried to relocate it on my second visit a few days later but without success.
Well, that's the blues and coppers covered. The next report will be mostly shades of brown.

Neil.

Seems like you had a good time down there,Neil. I have to say I was a bit concerned for you this time, but I clearly needn’t have worried and I’m delighted for you!

Lovely set of Coppers Neil and a brilliant range of blue badges as you said Mind you the best one is definitely the radiata - what a cracking butterfly and something I've still to see

Have a goodun

Wurzel

What an eclectic mix of Coppers, Neil. There are more in that sequence than I often see in a year in swansea but delighted to say that this year has seen plenty.

Fantastic Coppers Neil, they've done very well this year , we've had a real treat. Goldie

Coppers are great aren't they? I particularly like your ab. radiata as I haven't seen that one yet.

Another brilliant set of Coppers to add to all those we all seem to be seeing! The radiata especially is a striking little insect.

Dave

Hello Neil, I am catching up on diaries.

I love the coast line shots you have taken and that is a mighty load of beautifully taken Adonis images you have posted. Like everyone else, I am eagerly awaiting your next instalment

You can consider yourself a fully paid up member of the blue badge club, Neil.
What a great selection of bright, fresh Small Coppers.

Trevor.

Thanks all for your great comments

The next report should have been done last night but I got hijacked into baby-sitting duties for our grandkids...hopefully will have it done shortly.

Cheers,

Neil