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Middle Street 31-05-2017

After sampling the delights of Lime Kiln Way I moved over to the other side of the City to the tried and tested ‘Middle Street’ for a quick check in. I was hoping to find my first Large Skipper(s) and so on entering I started scanning the longer grasses for small ginger blurs. It didn’t take too long for my plan to come to fruition and there in a small patch near the football pitch I found my first Large Skipper. I got a few record shots but got distracted by a fast moving tangerine looking butterfly (a Painted Lady?) and also by an ill-saved football which spooked the Skipper. Leaving the lads to their game I wandered over to the pond. Making my way slowly round I found/startled a Red Admiral that was basking on the path. It flew high, circled and then plopped down amongst the reeds, wings held low Batman style. I carried on mooching around seeing a 4-Spot Chaser and Common Damselflies. What I was really hoping for were some of the different colour variants of the Blue-tailed Damselfly and I was lucky enough to find the green form (infuscans) and the pink form (rufescens) to add to my ‘typica’ shots…just got to find the stunning ‘violacea’ form to complete the collection. I then followed the path along the river heading towards the Meadow on the other side of the football pitch. A Hobby shot across the tops of the trees following the watercourse possibly to fresh hunting grounds upstream. Shortly after a Painted Lady followed suit (but for different reasons I expect) and a bit lower down, bombing in and around the trees. In the Meadow I found my second Large Skipper which was much more approachable revealing the dark underside of the antennae and the androconia shone out metallically in the sun. Burnet Companion moths fluttered about doing their best to distract me but they didn’t achieve their aim as I still found three Common Blues, all males. As I wandered back to the car a Brimstone appeared out of the blue as if to wish me farewell.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Stunning Common Blues. The few males left at Tilshead were at death's door.

Hi! Wurzel, lovely shots of the LS's and CB's, I saw one CB at Gait Barrow, I thought it was a Northern Brown at first because like you say very few females seem to be Brown these day's.
When I was at Foulshaw Moss most of the people there were looking for a White Faced Darter, I don't know much about DF's but it seems this one is rare. Goldie

Cheers Trevor It's surprising what a difference a couple of weeks makes
Cheers Goldie A Brown female Common Blue - that's a real rarity now-a-days

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Very nice Common Blue shots, Wurzel. Going back a fortnight, that's what they looked like here too! Looking forward to the next round now...

Dave

Cheers Dave Saw my first Smessex today so the next round won't be far behind

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Mottisfont 01-06-2017

We took advantage of the relative peace that comes from Little L being on a play date to head over to Mottisfont for picnic lunch. It seems that everyone else must have had the same idea as the main car park was full and we had to park in the overflow instead. Actually this is better as it’s directly opposite the Walled Garden. As we went in I was bemused to see a Painted Lady do a fly-by – still no photos of this species…

After lunch we set out for a stroll about the gardens starting off in the Walled Garden. Before we’d even gotten in proper there was a Hummingbird Hawk moth which got the better of me. Everytime I’d be set up, focused ready to shoot it would nip off to another flower. I swear it could hear the gears of the autofocus. Once inside my wife and K enjoyed the sun while I wandered round and round. The only butterfly it seemed was a GVW which despite being at the perfect height was always on the far side of the wide borders, staying well back so just out of reach of my lens. Any shots I got were all distant and heavily cropped. As we set off a Red Admiral shot by, over the wall and was gone. We walked from here across the estate and down to the river and then strolled along the banks to the Fisherman’s Hut where there was another distant GVW and another (or possibly the same) Red Admiral. There was the occasional Specklie but I managed very few shots. It was all getting a bit frustrating. Luckily my wife and K set up camp on the Lawn and so I was left to my own devices. I decided to check out the bank on the other side of the ‘Ha-Ha’ (if that’s the proper name?). The ten minutes or so that I spent here were the most productive all day. I spied a male Common Blue so hopped down and made my way across just as the sun went in, for the first time all day, but it worked as it rendered the butterfly inactive. It was swiftly joined by a second and then as I was about to leave I clocked a Bee Orchid which swiftly became a patch of Bee Orchids. As I’m about to leave for the second time two Meadow Browns hove into view and are having a bit of a barny. I didn’t mind though as they gave me the first proper opportunity to photograph them in 2017. We then made our way back to the car and made it home just in time to pick up Little L. Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi! Wurzel, a Humming Bird Hawk Moth was seen at Brockholes near where I live, I'm thinking that may be unusual also a White Letter Hair Streak's been seen there, so you know where I'll be visiting when the Sun returns ( I've not seen the WH's yet
Goldie

Cheers Goldie The Hummingbird Hawkmoth was a right pain, I swear it could hear the autofocus Good luck on your quest for Whitters

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Larkhill 02-06-2017

This was a ‘usual yet unusual’ stop-off. I’d spent the day running a holiday revision session and to give my wife a break and earn some Brownie points I’d taken the girls with me. Little L had really enjoyed watching the sessions and sing the electronic whiteboard whereas K spent her time revising for her own exams and drawing cells on my main whiteboard.

On the way home I mentioned stopping off at Larkhill and they both seemed keen and so we parked and strolled down the Eastbound path to see what we could find. Little L was delighted by the masses of Small Heaths and Burnet Companion Moths on the walk downhill. As we neared the half way point we’d counted 5 Common Blues, all males and found a lovely little Brown Argus Slightly further on there was an Adonis Blue hanging out on the path and blazing blue amongst the greenery and dingy brown. This went down even better than the Small Heaths with the girls. We worked our way back to the car confirming at least three of the Common Blues and on the way adding a local scarcity to the yearly tally - a Specklie which unfortunately seemed to realise how out of place it was and so soon scarpered without me being able to get any shots. Have a goodun

Wurzel

Bentley and onwards… 03-06-2017

I was all set for another big trip, off to see Glannies at Hutchinson’s Bank and then ‘pop’ in for Wood Whites on the way home…but it wasn’t to be and on Friday I had to make the tough call and not head over to Woking for Big Trip Number 3. The Glannies were having a poor year here and my summer cold that had been malingering for a few weeks took a turn for the worst which was all topped off by exhaustion from seemingly never ending working days. Luckily I woke and it’s moved to my chest but it was too late to head over to meet up with Philzoid. As I made the short journey to Bentley I found that so long as I could hold onto the steering wheel tightly enough the coughing fits could be dealt with and at least my nose had stopped streaming – I just needed to get out before another week locked away at work.

As soon as I reached the Eastern Clearing I found a Painted Lady taking salts on the path, something I’ve not seen this species doing before. The Lady I encountered seemed less bright than those I’ve seen in late summer but then those are ‘home-grown’ about to depart whereas this Lady had almost reached her destination. And then there was nothing apart from a few Speckled Yellows as I made my way down towards the until a Red Admiral at the bottom in the same place that I found one on my previous visit. I decided to branch out and check out the ‘new field’ so I made my way across the ditch, followed the track and then bore left towards the new enclosure. Three Small Pearls were all visible at once, seeming to prefer the damper ground where the short rushes grow. Even in the early morning sun they were still very flighty but occasionally they would stop – for just long enough for me to think that they were going to settle. They didn’t though although I did manage a few shots. Also here were a few Meadow Browns, a female Broad-bodied Casher and what I think are my first Black-tailed Skimmers? I worked back round encountering a couple more Small Pearls and a few faded Pearls and back near the little bridge I bumped into the same chap I’d met at Martin Down on my ‘Marshie outing’. While we’re chatting the we’re joined by another chap (who will always be Whitter man as I’m reaching the age where names escape me) and then we were all joined by a Small Pearl. It flew in exactly the same patch where I’d encountered my first a fortnight earlier but as it was so fresh I thought it was a another individual. This was born out as the lighter wing margins suggested it was a female. Another was spotted flying in the same area and then a third slightly further away so in total there were at least 8 in this one area of the Clearing which hopefully bodes well for them next year. As I take my leave and head for home I’m joined by a couple of Meadow Browns and the most two-tone Specklie I’ve encountered. As I was still going to be home in good time I made a right at the Castle Street roundabout and cut through all my short cuts to get to the Devenish. It was only going to be a quick stop-off and as it turned out it was even quicker than I imagined. There was a real dearth of species which I couldn’t fathom was it the June gap has hitting home here or was it that the sward was so high? I worked all the way along the side of the Down from one side to the other and then the other half as well and all I found was a Silver Y, three Specklies in the little hollow and a Mother Shipton. In the Orchid Meadow I check out the Spotted Orchids and I’m joined by a couple of Large Skippers. Pleased with encountering at least some different butterflies I head home in time for lunch. Have goodun

Wurzel

A relaxing day with ' His Majesty ' would be a great tonic for that chesty cold !.

Take care !.
Trevor.

It was fortuitous you never made it to Croydon for the glannies, very few were seen and I'm not sure any were even photographed .

Looks good for a female Black-tailed skimmer to me

I like your two adjacent photos of the Blues a couple of posts back, Wurzel - great contrast between Adonis and Common. I'm also glad the SPBF were in reasonable numbers in the end at Bentley - I only saw a couple on my visit.

Dave

Hi! Wurzel, I envy you those lovely Small Pearls it looks like I'll miss out on those this year, the weather's pretty bad over the next few days, a bit of good news though for me, seems there's WLH near by so I'm on the hunt when the weather picks up
Goldie

Cheers Trevor I don't know if an audience with His Nibbs would be considered relaxing Trevor
Cheers for the confirmation Bugboy, I got some Heaths to make up for the Glannies
Cheers Dave There were some disconcerting reports coming from Bentley but I think that they might have had a slightly protracted emergence, fingers crossed that was why there were fewer at the start of their season
Cheers Goldie Good luck with your hunt, I falling way behind species wise this year - still no DGF, SWF, PE, PH or WLH I need to get to teh woods pronto

Have a goodun

Wurzel

There were a few lucky photographers who managed to get Glanvilles at Hutchinsons Bank in 2017, some from Norfolk who turned up late on the best day, when this picture was taken.

Next year will hopefully be better for them, as a lot of the site had been worked on last winter making their areas more widespread on site.

Hi! Wurzel, I'm the same with those species, I want to call at Fermyn Wood on my way South to Kent in a couple of weeks but I'm thinking I may be to late, they all seem to have come out soon this year Goldie

Cheers Mr Spock Hopefully a trip next year will be on the cards
Cheers Goldie I hear what you're saying, everything has happened all at once Good luck on your visit

Kingston Lacey 11-06-2017

With the June Gap well and truly on us I didn’t know where to head for the best this weekend. Lulworths are emerging but they should be around for a while yet, DGFs and Large Blues have been recorded but their numbers may take a while to build yet and the week of stormy weather may have held them back. So when it came to what to go for next Philzoid and I thought it would be a good idea to gain the Brownie points and stay closer to home.

As it was a nice looking day the family Wurzel met up at Kingston Lacey for a picnic and a bit of a nurdle. We started off on the Lawn and while everyone else made themselves comfortable I took a little look on the bank of the ‘Ho Ho’ (or whatever it’s called). There were a couple Large Skippers – both males – I’ve still not seen a female – and at least five Meadow Browns fluttering about. After a few shots I thought it wise to head back to the others and as I turned there was a familiar face to greet me the House Cat. He greeted me with a Miaow and then followed me back to the picnic rug where we all got straight down to munching. Like last time the House cat joined us, twining himself round the base of the deck chairs and visiting each person in turn to see what was on offer, he seemed to really enjoy my mum’s Pork Pie! After lunch while the others had a snooze little L and I headed back to the ‘Ho Ho’. She kept watch from above and directed me to the butterflies so that I could get the shots. We then set off to wander the gardens taking in the Fernery, the ‘blue and white’ borders and strolling down the Avenue. It’s almost unrecognisable now with all the Daffodils and Bluebells gone for another year. Again there were plenty of Meadow Browns inhabiting the longer grass in the field on one side of the Avenue. There were also the odd one or two in the clearer areas of the Woodland walk though there wasn’t much else. In the Walled garden we stopped for an ice cream and I had a quick look around the allotments. A Scarlet Tiger Moth bombed by and I watched a very frustrated Small White. It was trying to get some cabbages, presumably to lay its eggs but it couldn’t get past the protective mesh. Watching it I too was getting a little frustrated as I wanted to get a shot of it but even with Sports Mode it didn’t work out. Sighing I turned to watch it fly away thwarted by a polymer. As it flew into the next garden it put up something larger and ginger. I followed this with my eyes and I instantly knew what it was, it couldn’t be anything else but a H.Comma. They can be quite flighty at this time of year so I was pleased to get some nice close-up shots of both top and underside. We then made our way back through the wood to the Pacific Garden so we could have a sit down in the sun and the girls could play in amongst the small Bamboo Spinney. On the way we didn’t see the pigs being used to sort the woodland understorey out but I did find a green Jewell Wasp. While everyone did their thing I enjoyed more of a nurdle and mooched about with the Meadow Browns. All good things must come to an end eventually so we wound our way back, through the trees, across the lawn (the cat was still doing the rounds), past the Brass Band and said our goodbyes. One of those really relaxed days to remember and cherish.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Lovely pics of the Commas Wurzel - I have seen only two this year so far.