www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Smashing report Wurzel . For me that cross-country route via Winchester added a whole new dimension of going to Noar Hill.

Wurzel wrote: I think a guide is definitely the way to go at this site

As someone who has visited Noar Hill half a dozen times over the years, getting us around should’ve been a doddle. It’s fair to say I was a little ring-rusty

Phil

Cheers Philzoid It did get a bit Rally Cross at one point but you know me; I don;t see the point in hanging around No worries about being rusty I reckon it changes every year just to catch people out

June 2018

Almost missed this but what's one day late when you're almost a month behind on the PD? Have a goodun

Wurzel

Bank Holiday at Lulworth and after...07-05-2018

“What’s the weatherperson just said – the Bank Holiday is going to be hot and sunny?”
“Now they’re just taking the piss!”

But indeed the weather was hot and sunny so no urine had been extracted. Having been out the previous two days (albeit one of those was childminding) it would have been bad form to have suggested another butterflying trip. Luckily my wife suggested a trip to the coast, to Lulworth Cove and as a back-up I had to take Little L to her tutoring in the evening so I could also nip up the Down. So with things warming up nicely we set off early so as to beat the traffic.

Once there we made to use the facilities and I noticed that the wildlife area has been flattened and all life grubbed out. From here we carried on our way to our usual little spot in the far right hand corner of the Cove. My wife and I took it in turns to paddle and find sea glass and after a quick rock climb with L I watched the bags while L and my wife paddled almost the whole way round the Cove and back. I was biding my time see and when they got back I vamoosed up the small track to my usual spot. It was disappointingly quiet with not even a Skipper to greet me. I’ve seen 6 species here in the past but it was far too early for three of them though I was hopeful of my first Dingy or Grizzlie. No such luck. In fact after wandering the paths several times I was bereft of butterflies. Surprisingly I wasn’t that bothered by the lack of butterflies as a lizard had clambered out like a Dinosaur on the Jurassic coast and there was the stunning Lulworth Crumple to see as well as erosion taking place before my very eyes at the caves at Stair Hole. I know that being from Dorset I may be considered slightly biased but it is a simply stunning place. Eventually I saw a few butterflies; a distant White and the incongruous sight of an OT set against a turquoise backdrop as it patrolled along the surf line. On the way home I caught a fleeting glimpse of what could have been a Peacock or more likely a Red Admiral though I wouldn’t like to have called it. Sun-soaked we made our way back home revelling in the stunning sights, sounds and smells we’d sensed. And that would normally be where I’d leave it. But it being a Monday I had to take Little L to her tutoring and so once I’d dropped her off I hared up the dusty tracks to Laverstock Down. As I approached the lower slopes of the Down a male OT flew by and this put up a Peacock not exactly looking brilliant but still impressive in stature when compared to the roving OT. It settled back down after clearing its airspace and so I managed a couple of shots.
Leaving the senior citizen in peace I carried on feeling the path start to head upwards. Just at the point where it really starts becoming a Down (i.e. steeply rising) a small block of scrub causes the path to fork. To the left it cuts across the Down diagonally taking longer to reach the top but at a more gentle gradient. I opted for the right hand path where it just goes up and as I made to mentally shift my pace to a lower gear two brown blurs diverted me and stopped me in my tracks. I was pretty sure that one would turn out to be a Dingy but the other was smaller and really moving so I wasn’t really sure if it was a brown blur, it was just ‘a blur’. I watched and waited and eventually one had enough, they separated and both settled. By almost going cross-eyed I managed to note where one had landed but and then set about to investigate. It was a Dingy, my first for 2018 and one of the species that I’d hoped to find albeit much earlier today. I started up the tracks again but didn’t get far as another small blur caught my eye. As it was so small I was convinced that this one was a Grizzlie. It landed and I approached managing to confirm my ID and get a couple of record shots before it was off hassling the nearby Dingy (again?). I watched the ensuing battle and then somehow managed to follow the smaller Grizzlie once it broke away landing just a short way from where it had originally come from. I hung around here for a bit and the behaviour that I’d witnessed continued with a second Dingy also getting into the mix. I’d watch one settle, move in and get a few shots and then it would be off either because another Skipper was hassling it or it wanted to hassle another Skipper. I was a joyous sight to behold and it made me feel a little like a Grandad – the grandkids were enjoying some rough and tumble and then at the end of the day I could pass them back to the parents and let them sort them out LOL All too soon the hour was almost up and I was hightailing it back to pick Little L up. Finally I’d gotten my Skippers!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I've only been to Dorset a handful of times Wurzel but I don't think you're at all biased - smashing place with some stunning areas. Love the shots of the lizard

Agreed about Lulworth Wurzel.
Nice Skipper's.

We went to Dorset about three years ago and I've wanted to go back ever since, we had a Caravan then and stayed near Lulworth Cove, we had a fantastic time Wurzel and we saw loads of Butterflies this was towards the end of May, unfortunately I didn't see a Grizzled Skipper, lovely shots of both Skippers Goldie

Wurzel,

Lovely photos of the skippers at Lulworth. Shouldn't be long before the Lulworth Skipper joins the party there. I visited there in May a couple of years ago, but didn't have the best of weather. Would like to return next year, if I can swing it with Mrs L

Kind Regards
Kev

Cheers Pauline I was chuffed with the way it emerged like a dinosaur from one of those old movies 'The Land That Time Forgot!"
Cheers Andrew Finally got them but it took a while
Cheers Goldie If you're ever down this way again give us a shout and I'll see what I can drum up for you
Cheers Kev Yep it won't be long, a couple of years ago and they were already out by this stage, things seem to have slowed down this year Start your campaign of persuasion now and drip feed the idea of a visit - that's my tip

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Love your Jurassic Coast "Dinosaur" pics Wurzel.
By the way did you know there is a fossilized forest on the far side of the cove along the coast?

My favourite bit of coastline in the world too, Wurzel. A nice Skipper selection even without the one that belongs there! I think they are out now - you can't have missed them by many days...

Dave

Cheers Ernie I didn't know that I'll have to have a look on my Jurassic Coast app, is it East or West from the Cove?
Cheers Dave Looks like a return visit then - oh well someone has to I suppose...

Have a goodun

Wurzel 4

Work 09-05-2018

Back at work not much happened on Tuesday but on Wednesday one of the younger pupils after break came strolling up to me armed with a cardboard cup. I thought this was a little usual until he showed me what was inside – my first ever Muslin Moth, what a cracking looking Moff! I took a few shots whilst the next class was filing in. At lunch I grabbed the camera and headed out. It seems that the rewilding of the school field is not going down too well with some people namely certain local residents that see fit to use the school’s private property as a dog walk come toilet or as a recreation ground for their toddlers. Hopefully they won’t do too much trampling damage as things are really paying off butterfly wise. Up at the ‘Pits’ a Small White and OT mooched about, the white occasionally stopped providing me with an opportunity of a photo but unsurprisingly the OT didn’t. At the end of this little section where the tree line makes a right angle and follows along the hedge I again found a couple of Specklies but was gutted when a Holly Blue took off from low down. I needn’t have minded as slightly further along the hedge another floated down to sit nicely on a Dock leaf. I didn’t want to spook it so took a few record shots from distance and then gave it a wide berth as I continued on down the hedge. It all went a little quiet after this until I’d almost completed the length of the hedge and then I as buzzed by something which erupted out from a large patch of nettles. It dove back in and I was able to find it easily as it stick out like a sore thumb; a Small Tort. The fading of the cream spots to white gave a hint at its age but apart from that it wasn’t in too bad a shape for this late in the season with most of its wing margins still present and no noticeable tears in its wings. As I was in danger of being late again I cut straight across the field – not too shabby a tally today.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi! Wurzel, I bet that Moth was a nice surprise for you and very nice of your pupil to bring it to you has well
Hall-Lee-Brook my little CP has been over taken with Brier's and whilst we were there a huge tractor arrived and cut the grass in the field where I'd seen the Large Heath, and Meadow Brown, we left having seen no Butterflies, we did see plenty of people with Dogs who don't pick up the Dog poo, it was every where, I hope your school property does okay but look out for the Dog poo Goldie

Cheers Goldie I do let me gaze stray floorward every now and again when I'm out there Goldie, just in case I shouldn't have to really as it's private property You should have read some of the nonsense and fuss made by some of the locals - they were concerned about their dogs getting bit by Adders and their toddlers tripping over in the long grasses - all the while missing the point that they shouldn't be on the field anyway

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi! Wurzel, I must have had Large Heath on the brain last time I posted you I should have said Large Skippers
I've since seen the LH today at Foulshaw Moss they were too busy looking for mates and when they did land it was so hot they quickly flew off again always landing in the shade.Still at least I saw them
I don't go to Hall-Lee-Brook too often now, it just annoys me what 's happened there, the place has gone from having 15 or 16 species to a walk round and nothing being sighted and the people don't pick the dog dirt, any way luckily we don't live too far from places full of Butterflies, if we get to Dorset again I'll let you know Goldie

,

cheers Goldie After your recent report having Large Heath on the brain is totally understandable

Work 10-05-2018

After the joys of the previous day I made my way back out starting again at the Pits area. This time the two whites flying around here were both Smalls and the Specklie was in the usual haunt by the break through the trees. The sun was a fair bit weaker today and much more intermittent so I was expecting to see less. As it was the Holly Blues were a no show but further along the hedge a watch another Small White enjoying having one of the unmown sections to itself. With the number of buttercups etc. growing so profusely here I’m really looking forward to checking these sections out in a few weeks’ time to see if we can tempt in some Common Blues, Brown Argus and maybe a few Golden Skippers? Definitely something to look forward too! After this little forward planning moment I refocused back on the present and carried on wandering along the hedge. Down at the bottom the Small Tort was in the same place as yesterday but on another of the unmown sections a beautifully marked Green-veined White was making the most of both the nectar feast and also the sun which had momentarily poked its head out from behind the cloud. On the return journey things were pretty much the same but with one Small White fewer.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi Wurzel

I do despair at some peoples attitude to a bit of long grass. You can tell it's summer, the local council are mowing and strimming every bit of grass verge in sight along all the roads around here and devastating some nice dispays of wildflowers in the process

On a more cheery note, that is a lovely female Green-veined White

Cheers,

Neil.

Lovely GVW Wurzel, unfortunately has Neil's mentioned the grass cutting at this time of year seems stupid and a lost of lots of Butterfly eggs I think. i blame the loss of BF's at HLB my local haunt on just that .Goldie

Cheers Neil I know what you mean. I drive past verges on m way to work and think "they're starting to look really good" and the next day they've been levelled
Cheers Goldie I've never understood why, I mean I get that some has to be cut back to improve visibility but the whole verge? And in unused fields why? Anyway on a positive note the school 'Meadow' is looking pretty good about now - though it might take a while for the Blues etc to actually find it. I got the first 5 Spot Burnet there the other day

Have a goodun

Wurzel

It's great if the school is 'rewilding' the meadow, Wurzel - but surely nobody should be exercising their dogs on school land