Trevor

[trevor]

After Abbots Wood I headed up to High and Over.
Being high up on the South Downs it was quite breezy up there. I soon saw a single fresh
male Wall Brown, which was sent up by a group of Women hikers. After a short wait I saw
him again but no others, so it seemed. Then I saw a very clumsy attempt at flight, which
I initially mistook to be the same male. When I went over to take look it became clear
that I had seen a mating pair of Walls changing position, luckily they landed in the short
grass and I was able to obtain a couple of shots before a Dog walker sent them up!.
They flew over a barbed wire fence and landed right by the White Horse carved into
the steep hillside, and here many more Walls were present, basking and squabbling,
but all out of reach. Never mind I had shots of a fresh male with twin forewing eyespots,
and a mating pair, so I headed home quite satisfied with the mornings sightings.

Trevor.

[millerd]

They flew over a barbed wire fence and landed right by the White Horse carved into
the steep hillside, and here many more Walls were present, basking and squabbling,
but all out of reach.

Ah, so that's where they'd all gone when I searched the top of the hill in vain the other day, Trevor. It would have been sheltered down there.

A nice fresh male there, and a definite for the pair!

Cheers,

Dave

[Katrina]

Definitely for the pair

[trevor]

Many thanks Dave & Katrina. Two butterflies I had hoped for recently were female OT
and female Wall Brown, I've managed both but they were otherwise engaged!.

GO GREEN!.

This morning, over coffee, I pondered where to go for the Green Hairstreak.
Abbots Wood, Park Corner and Cotley Hill are usually the go to places for them,
but have failed me this year so far.
Then!, on the Sussex BC sightings page was an image of a GH on a Privet leaf taken
at Horseshoe plantation, and I instantly recalled an area there where Privet grows.

So off I went, and sure enough on arrival I was greeted by a GH squabble.
When they broke off one of them landed on a convenient leaf.
It was not long before GH disputes were breaking out all over, including two
at the same time, so that's four butterflies!. Later another dispute consisted of three GH.
It became a question of where to aim the camera next, fortunately a Grizzled Skipper
gave my brain a rest from all the GH action going on.
Trying to estimate the numbers of Green Hairstreak along this sheltered woodland edge
was difficult as they were so active, but a good guess would be upwards of half a dozen.

I have gone from nothing to the jackpot in one Sunny morning!.

Trevor.

[trevor]

Also found this morning, my first Small Copper, still at rest, and a Grizzled Skipper.

[Benjamin]

What a superb shot with the shieldbug Trevor - great to have something for scale.

Glad you hit the jackpot - always a bit disheartening when you think it’s just not going to be your year with a certain species.

[Katrina]

Very nice photos for the greens

[millerd]

The first Green Hairstreak is a cracker, Trevor. They all look pretty fresh, too. I'm pleased you caught up with them!

Cheers,

Dave

[Wurzel]

Some cracking reports recently Trevor - those Walls are great especially the mating pair and those Greenstreaks - brill! We just need the weather to start playing ball a bit now but I it looks like another week at least of the rain/cool

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[trevor]

Thanks Katrina,Ben, Dave & Wurzel. It was a great relief to find those Green Hairstreaks,
I was beginning to think I might miss them this year.

After a cloudy morning it was gone lunch time before any real Sunshine appeared.
So all I had time for was a local trip to the old railway. Here several Large Whites
and Holly Blues were seen. One butterfly, a male Orange Tip, gave a clue that Spring
is about to give way to Summer.................

[Wurzel]

That Orange-tip is looking a little past it's best indeed Trevor but to be fair they've been the stalwarts this season, the ever dependable butterfly that's kept me going at times!

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[David M]

I see you finally caught up with your 2021 nemesis, Trevor?

Green Hairstreaks are always a delight. Such a shame their flight season has coincided with this appalling spell of weather. Maybe this same weather is responsible for the sorry state of that Orange Tip? Generally, they seem to get tatty far less often than most other species, but that one has clearly been through the wringer!

[Goldie M]

Hi! Trevor, great you got the Wall, they didn't open their wings for me Goldie

[trevor]

Cotley Hill this morning.

My 2nd mating pair of Grizzled Skippers for 2021 Just like the pair in Abbots Wood
I saw the chase, but this time I'm sure they had coupled just before landing.

Trevor.

[trevor]

Obviously the Marsh Fritillary was the reason for todays visit to Cotley Hill.
I arrived at 8.45 and headed to the steep, facing hillside beyond the lower, cleared area.
Three Marsh Frits were photographed here, and then there was a lull in activity, so I found
a nice shady bush and sat down for a coffee.
Refreshed, I made my way along a path that looks down on my favourite lower area, and saw
a Marshie basking on a buttercup. As I went to investigate several more were seen, and soon
they were everywhere, including chases and disputes with the many Small Heaths present.
With a camera full of images I made for my Daughters home, and sifting through todays shots
it became clear how many images were spoilt with grass blades in the way.

Never mind it was a great morning with idyllic weather, in total contrast to the high wind and rain
of last Thursday.

Stay safe and well,
Trevor,

[essexbuzzard]

Congratulations Trevor.

You get some of these!

[trevor]

Cheers Mark, well worth a visit while the weather holds.

The best of the rest today.
Also seen but not photographed, a few Adonis Blues, and many Dingy Skippers.

[Katrina]

Wow a bumper crop of butterflies! for the Marshies and for just being free to get out when the sun shines

[Wurzel]

Brilliant report Trevor and cracking images It's good to hear that all is well at Cotley after the horror story of the shearing earlier in the spring
Looks like the Adonis are just starting so Tilshead might be worth a look

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[millerd]

Great Marshie images, Trevor. It looks like their particular habitat hasn't been disrupted there - maybe it's been enhanced?

Cheers,

Dave