Wurzel

[millerd]

Butterflies and cream teas, Wurzel? Now there's a combination I could get into the habit of doing...

Dave

[Neil Freeman]

Butterflies and cream teas, Wurzel? Now there's a combination I could get into the habit of doing...

Dave

Oh yes!...in fact cream teas are one of my weapons with the family...they seem to accrue a large number of brownie points

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie The best thing about that Marshie was that it was from a 5 minute stop-off on the way home
Cheers Dave It's hard work this butterflying Mind you still not as quite as good as sitting back in the sun with a bottle of Warka and watching a Greater Spotted Eagle
Cheers Neil Same here Neil, in fact that one cream tea got me two trips out!Bonus

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Martin Down 14-05-2017

Having had a busy/hectic weekend I finally managed to shoehorn in a couple of hours butterflying at Martin Down. When I say finally I mean finally as it comprised the final few hours on Sunday afternoon before starting the ‘back to school routine’ for myself and the girls.

As I hit the small section of dual carriageway the two available options ran through my mind. Sillen’s Lan end and straight to the hotspot or main car park and wander along the Dyke – this time all the way along to the hotspot? While I was deliberating I realised that I’d missed the turning to Martin/Sillen’s Lane and so the decision was made. I cut through from the main car park across the depression towards the ridge marking the start of the Dyke. The cloud momentarily hid the sun and the powder blue butterfly I’d been watching landed on a scrape. I managed to get in nice and close to my first Adonis of 2017. Brill the first of my thee targets. Next a larger, darker orange butterfly tumbled about despite the cloud, too larger and dark to be a Small Heath, a Marshie and target number two. I followed it with my eyes and as it landed the sun reappeared making the chequers positively glow from the dark background.

I then started on my way along the Dyke with the sun occasionally being covered with small clouds which actually helped with the photography but eth strong gusty wind was a bit of a pain. Luckily the walls of the Dyke offered a little shelter and when I broke away from the main Dyke the trick was to check the leeward side of the bushes. On the way tot eh small island of scrub past the Butts and about half way along the Dyke I encountered all the usual suspects. Another Adonis, Brown Argus, plenty of Small Heaths, Grizzlies and Dingies including my first pair in cop. There were also Marshies intermittently, possibly a further five after my initial finding. Generally I’d be watching something else and a larger, whirling butterfly would drop in and then whirl away again and I’d have to make a choice of which to follow, the Marshies seemed to come out best from these decisions. In the lead up to the half way hot-spot things quietened down with only the odd Grizzlie or Small Heath about so I took a moment to enjoy seeing my first ever Burnt Orchids.

As the Dyke wound round and down towards the main hot-spot numbers picked up and there seemed to be more and more Grizzlies and Dingies. The number of Marshies increased as well and there was further variety added by a Small Copper and target species number three, Small Blue. The Small Blues here often seem more diminutive than at other sites and this was one of those; a really, really small male with only the very faintest of dusting of blue scales. It was great to catch-up with this gorgeous little fella and watch how the colour of the forewing changed as he ever so slowly opened up; from slate blue through to almost purple.

I had a quick rootle around at the hot-spot seeing more of the same minus the Small Blue and then I started the return journey. I’d only just started off when a blue flew into my face. I turned my head which enabled to slide off and land. I thought I’d try for a few shots where the lack of chequers meant that it was my first Common Blue of the year. I was probably most chuffed about seeing this one species as it had actually grabbed me in order to get my attention so that I’d see it – if only other species acted in the same way!

After a relaxing wander back I spent some more time in the initial field before deciding to head home half an hour early so as to bank some Brownie points. That didn’t work out as in the car park I bumped into my mum and dad so we had a stroll, searched in vain for Marshies and had a chat – much more important than Brownie points.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Fantastic shot's Wurzel, much more going on down South than up here at present, Goldie

[Wurzel]

Cheers Goldie I'm sure you'll catch-up eventually

June 2017

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Art Frames]

The burnt tip orchids are wonderful Wurzel. Perfect condition. And lots of pictures of butterflies I never get to see - Marsh Frits. Lovely to enjoy seeing them via your diary. Thank you.

[millerd]

Looks like you had a splendid trip To Martin Down, Wurzel. That was the tails side of the coin the other day when I called heads and went further north... The Adonis is particularly magnificent, with overtones of purple and turquoise in the mix. Lovely butterfly.

Dave

[trevor]

Great to see some Marshies away from the Hill.
As I now frequently drive through Wiltshire, and Salisbury Plain in particular,
I often wonder how many Marshie sites I am passing. Some areas look just right.

Great images,
Trevor.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Art Frames If you ever fancy a trip to see some Marshies I can pass on details of a couple of top sites for them and/or wife/family permitting could act as a guide
Cheers Dave I was mighty chuffed with that Adonis myself It seems like it's okay to mention that there are Marshies at Martin Down now although there weren't nearly as many as at the Hill
Cheers Trevor You're right there are loads of areas round this way that hold Marshies - they're pretty much all over the Plain and any likely looking habitat could hold them. My first Marshie of the year was actually from my 'on the way home' stop-off

Big Trip Number 2 Part 1 – Bentley Wood 21-05-2017

I arrived at Bentley Wood earlier than Philzoid as unlike him I didn’t need to venture anywhere near the extension of the M25 car park that the M3 has become. As he was travelling I felt duty bound to find a Small Pearl to hand over on a platter as it were. So to this end I started a slow wander along the various rabbit runs and small tracks that wend their way around and about. There didn’t seem to be anything about apart from the occasional Speckled Yellow Moth and a grounded Red Admiral that erupted from beneath my feet at the far end of the Clearing. I started my way back from this bottom end towards the bench under the tree and I was just approaching it when something flew up from the vegetation. I followed it with my gaze noting its much darker colour than the Pearls I had seen previously. It looked good for a Small Pearl even from distance and as I continued to watch it, it landed and so I made my approach. As I caught a glimpse of the under wing illuminated from the back I knew immediately that it was a Small Pearl. Quarry found now I had to sit on it until Philzoid arrived . Luckily it clouded over and so it seemed content for me to have a mooch around and try for various different shots.

I stepped back to check through my shots and pour a coffee and then sun briefly came out again. This small amount of sun was enough to get it moving again but it didn’t go very far, only about a metre or two at most and as the sun dipped behind another cloud it dropped again. This time it was in an amazing position. Over the few years that I’ve been butterflying I’ve always hankered after specific types of shot – there’s the classic open and closed wing, in cop, close up and stained glass but one that I’ve always wanted for this particular species is the double open underwing…

As the Small Pearl closed up again I stood and waited and watched. Philzoid arrived and was able to get straight onto the Small Pearl, almost on a platter. We spent a bit longer with it and then started our way round to see what we could find and also to set up a few moth lures. Over next hour we made our way round the site checking out various different places, commenting on the overgrowth in the main part of the clearing, the new fencing that’s appeared all over the site and hoping that it will lead to a resurgence of the Small Pearl here. There were also a few faded Pearls around, still motoring about although some were looking more than a little jaded.

On the way back to the car we had to stop momentarily to enjoy a Specklie, it’s almost a ritual to see one at this site.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[trevor]

May I be the first in the queue to award those SPBF open wing undersides some mrgreens.
Talk about jam on it !!.
The underside of the forewing is something not often seen.

Great stuff,
Trevor.

[Maximus]

And I'll be the second, beautiful SPBF underside shots, Wurzel

Mike

[Goldie M]

I'm just Green Wurzel, such lovely shots Goldie

[Philzoid]

I’m a built late on the scene (catching up with your diary that is) . I have to say the picture of mating pair of Dingy skippers is brilliant as is the Small Blue with green-blue overtones . And, as you say, the Small Pearl was put on a plate for me … out the car … into the clearing .. straight into the butterfly couldn’t be easier . I seem to remember a similar thing happened when I turned up for the aberrant Pearl the year before.

Another thing you touched upon was the size of Small Blues at Martin Down …... it’s not easy to judge relative size on such a small butterfly but the ones I saw at Hutchinson’s Bank were definitely on the big side. Even the Brown Argus’s thought twice about messing with them . I need to acquaint myself again with some Martin Down ‘tiny’s’

Still no joy with the clearwing lures. Still time though

Looking forward to journeying out your way again and an escape from the South-east congestion

Phil

[millerd]

Adding my appreciation to the others, Wurzel - unbeatable underside shots of the SPBF. They rarely seem to pose for me anywhere it is possible to actually get underneath them!

Dave

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Wurzel,

Great reports and photos from Martin Down and Bentley Wood

I love the SPBF undersides, really lush to borrow one of your terms

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Cheers Trevor, Mike and Goldie I was very chuffed with those Small Pearls so thank you for all the Mr Greens
Cheers Philzoid Well you'd travelled quite a way so it was the least that I could do Not sure what species to try for next...what a great problem to have
Cheers Dave I got lucky with that one, everything seemed to fall into place - timing, weather and location
Cheers Neil The compliments are returned for your lush Marshies

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Wurzel]

Big Trip Part 2a Marshie Site

The drive over from Bentley to the Hill was relatively uneventful and Philzoid and I chatted about this and that. We’d had a delectable entrée at Bentley and now we were preparing ourselves for a smorgasbord of butterflies, an all you can eat buffet. There were only a couple of cars parked in the car park which boded well and we started off in the little flat patch at the bottom of the Hill. There was a Holly Blue fluttering about up high and a beautifully marked female Green-veined White trying to shake of the arduous advances of a male. In the end he eventually got the message despite forcably trying to join genitalia several times while we observed. It must have worn him out as upon finally getting the message he quickly found a sheltered spot and settled down for a recuperative roost.

We then started to work out way up the path towards the Hollow. The butterflies must have been impatiently for our arrival as they started coming down the Hill to greet us. A Specklie, Green-veined White, a Peacock, and Orange-tip and a Red Admiral. We broke out onto the Hollow and the list started burgeoning and Philzoid and I didn’t know where to pint our lenses first. There was a Small blue, then a Dingy, a beautifully fresh Brown Argus and the species we’d come to see – there were four Marshies looking pretty good. Towards the other end of the hollow there was another Brown Argus, another Dingy, a Common Blue and on the Bramble a Greenstreak looking a little tired and worn. As we scaled the short but almost vertical track out of the hollow Small Heath and Marshies were flying everywhere on the hill in front of us. It was a fantastic sight to behold. There were some really nice variations on a theme visible and I tried my best to capture as many different specimens on film, desperately trying to drink in the evolutionary wonder before me.

Round in the Battledrome/Bowl area things were slightly quieter as it looked like this area had been recently grazed there were still a few Marshies about here, the odd Brown Argus and an Adonis male passed through but we only made short stop here and had a quick conference on which way to head next. As all three of us (we’d picked up another butterflier in the Hollow – something that would never have happened when I was birding) fancied adding Wall Brown to the day list and yearly tally it seemed that the best option was to stick to the path that skirted around the bottom of the Hill as this would give us access to the bare soil areas and small scallops that the Walls seem to like. At the first Hollow there were a couple more Marshies, an Adonis, a couple of Small Heath, and a couple of Brown Argus – they seemed to be pretty much everywhere we looked – almost second in number only to the Marshies!

We carried on round scanning up the hill side and watching Marshie after Marshie flutter around, occasionally disturbing another butterfly, occasionally being disturbed themselves. We’d worked round to almost the end of the path when up ahead I spied something fast moving that disappeared from view into a clump of vegetation. It was a Wall and I called it out loudly – it then led all three of us on a merry dance and we desperately tried to follow it with our gaze. It landed on a clear scrape just long enough for some distant record shots, another time on a small branch and another time further up the side of the hill so we all scrambled up. While I followed the initial one, a male with some damage to the hind wing Phizloid and the other butterflier put up a female.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Art Frames]

Cheers Art Frames If you ever fancy a trip to see some Marshies I can pass on details of a couple of top sites for them and/or wife/family permitting could act as a guide

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thank you for this kind offer. I would love to see some, but am going to Hungary till 20th June so probably would need to be next year. But the more I see the radical difference living in the South makes the more likely a series of trips or short break becomes. I will need to do some planning. I usually manage a trip to Dorset once or twice a year, maybe I am going to far!

[millerd]

That was a cracker of a trip to the Hill, Wurzel. I can picture every step in my head! You saw the Marshies much fresher than I did and got some terrific shots - it's somewhere I could happily visit daily throughout May I think... And I do believe in the Walls, now - a real bonus for me.

Dave