www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Nice shots of the Hedgies, Wurzel. They seemed to be only around for five minutes this year, and I didn't get to see that many at all.

Those Grayling photos you mention were back in 2015 - I've sent Ernie a PM about them.

Cheers,

Dave

Cheers Dave I know where did they got to? Another 'blink and you missed them' species As for the Grayling shots it's either that my dementia staving regime is working or (more likely) they were exceedingly memorable shots

Larkhill 12-07-2018

I feel like I’ve kinda neglected this site slightly this year but it’s become a lot harder to visit. Not only do we have an earlier start but also the earlier finish (which should have been handy for stop-offs) has meant that I’m able to pick my wife and little L up from their school run and so after work stop-offs as a practice has almost been consigned to the history books. Also continued road work by Wiltshire Council and the massive building work that’s taking place at the Camp have meant that stopping off for 10 minutes isn’t an option because if I do then I could end up being late for work because who knows what delights and diversion, route changes and road closures face me later in my journey? To top it all the lay-by which has served as the car park is now blocked off with massive white concrete blocks. I’ll try and keep stopping here but I really need to find another stop-off point to invest my cheeky 10 minutes on.

So this was possibly the last Larkill stop-off of the season and after all the brilliant moments here and a very impressive species tally it felt like a bit of an anti-climax. A quick wander round threw up the usual suspects brown wise with the odd Common Blue still hanging on in there but unlike last year I wasn’t knee deep in Smessex Skippers. True they were around and were the most numerous species but there wasn’t the same margin as last year. Musing on their decrease I set too finding a few that were willing to pose. All too soon (about 6 minutes later) I was back in the car and facing a queue through the camp and only one diversion because of a road closure…

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Larkhill is my preferred route to avoid the Stonehenge queues on the A303.
I was at a loss when it was closed as a through route, last year, and found
myself heading for Upavon.
I have always thought that the habitat in the area looks great for Butterflies,
but like you I can't find anywhere suitable to pull over. I am sure Marsh Frits.
are in that area. Still you now have Tilshead to explore !.

Cheers Trevor I got my first Marshie for 2017 at Larkhill so there are plenty about though probably quite widely dispersed. I also heard of Dukes at Larkhill but never saw them as I didn't know the exact location and didn't fancy coming up against men with machine guns or a Tank I need to work out a route home that encompasses Tilshead

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Very nice nectaring Small White and Skippers from work Wurzel. Love the Holly Blue and Dragonflies from Godshill, and of course the Graylings. Great shots, well done.

Cheers Andrew I was chuffed with the Grayling shots as I wasn't expecting to find anything much

Laverstock 16-07-2018

What with the Chalkhills being mentioned on numerous PDs and recording websites for some time now I was hoping that today would be the day when I would finally get to see a ghostly blue apparition floating across the grass tops. So I dropped little L off and high-tailed up the Down noting a Peacock on a neighbours Buddleia as I nipped over the Tutor’s fence.

After that I put my head down and motored across the field only slowing when my feet felt the soft spongy turf of the foot of the down through the soles of my shoes. The first little area I stopped at was within 10 metres or so of the entrance to the Down where the path widens on either side to become a larger patch of shorter turf. I stopped here as the hoped for ghostly sky blue butterfly had appeared stopping just long enough for a rapid approach and time for me to fire off a few shots. As I did so the sun came out really lighting up the subtle orange lunules on the underside. Also here were a couple of Common Blues looking surprisingly vivid in comparison to the spectral Chalky as well as a smattering of Meadow and Hedge Browns and Large and Small Whites. I took the path that runs hugging the base of the Down and occasionally it would go through a short tunnel or arch of Hawthorn. When I emerged blinking on the other side I found that I’d caught the butterflies unawares. At one stretch I was able to find 4 Common Blues and 2 Chalkhills among the numerous Meadow and Hedge Browns as well as a late-ish Marbled White. The only problem was that the more observant Hedgies would set off the Meadow Browns that seemed to fly about a la Corporal Jones; “Don’t panic! Don’t panic!” which would set everything else off before I got a chance to get any photos. I made it round to the Gully and the butterflies seemed a little more relaxed here. Scanning around I saw a couple of Common Blues, a Large White fussed about and there were a brace of Comma on the large Bramble bush at the end of the gully where it opens out. There were also a couple or three of Chalkhills here, all males, including one which was very chilled out even doing a little wing rolling for me. He posed brilliantly with the afternoon sun casting just the hint of shadow on the veins of his wing. This was what I’d come for. This species isn’t found in massive numbers here, possibly the sward isn’t quite right for them to build their population to the epic heights of other sites but such a close site isn’t to be sniffed at. After this I climbed the gully and w orked my way through the narrow corridor right at the top of the Down coming out to the side where I spent most of my time during spring. The area here is more scrubby with islands of Hawthorn and small trees with a mixture of grasses of different heights. Because of this habitat make up it was no surprise that I saw so many Hedgies but there were also some good whites about with representatives of three species. The highlight of this area though came just as I was starting to make my way back down the Down. A Tangerine Cream butterfly buzzed past me and alighted atop a Thistle head. A Painted Lady. It was terribly twitchy so I had to keep my distance but I did manage a few record shots before it was off hectically searching out more nectar. Chuffed to have the Chalkhills on the yearly tally and a lovely Painted Lady image I made my way back to collect little L.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

A rather good Painted Lady there, Wurzel - they've been generally a bit thin on the ground this year along with the other migrants.

Dave

Cheers Dave From the looks of things they've shot through and all ended up in Wales

Well I've been itching to start sorting though my holiday shots and this evening I finally succumbed so here is part 1, although I don't know when I'll get round to part 2...

The Dordogne 2018

After a couple of previous family holidays abroad this year we went closer to home than the Czech Republic and much less urban/more rural than Lisbon. So this summer it was off to France to the Dordogne about a 40 minute drive from Bergerac. The place we were staying at featured on the Canopy and Stars website, a place called Terre et Toi at Elvensong. Elvensong was a earth and straw house with a fantastic circular sky window, outside kitchen, private hammock and wood fired hot tub. Down a small woodland path there was the swing seat from where you could look out over the lake and watch the children clamber from the jetty into the boat. Elvensong was a very appropriate name for in our bliss it felt like we’d been transported by Iluvatar himself to Valinor.

Day 1 – The arrival 14-08

It wasn’t too long a drive from Bordeaux airport to Terre et Toi although it did feel like it. The roads whilst brilliantly surfaced and smooth got smaller and smaller, the white lines disappeared and we were forced to play Chicken a few times . The scenery at the same time just got better and better and we drove through some stunning looking habitat. I saw Frits flying along the verges but apart from the obvious, massive Silver-washed I could only guess at what they were. There were also copious amounts of small white butterflies, which I would later find out were Wood Whites, but we weren’t stopping and I had to keep my eyes on the road. On out arrival I swore that I saw a South White Admiral but again I was busy watching the road and trying not to knock down any of our hosts dogs that came running out to greet us. Once we’d parked up Sara showed us around the main house and then took us up through the woodland path to Elvensong. I had to go back to the car to collect our food so I first unpacked my camera natch, and headed back. There were many, many Hedgies and Meadow Browns fluttering about trying to catch my glance and a Specklie landed momentarily on the path. Slightly further down a tiny bit of ‘meadow’ held all sorts and I spent a good five minutes or so here with a Sooty Copper, Broad Bordered Bee Hawk Moth, faded Common Blue , a few aged Skippers and lots of the small looking whites that I’d seen on the journey which turned out to be Wood Whites. A Frit dropped in as well and at the time I thought it was a Heath though now I’m thinking possibly Meadow Frit due to the 'white band'? On the way back the Specklie was a bit more approachable. After a bit of settling in I headed back to the car for all the water bottle I’d left previously . I spent a bit longer this time in the little Meadow and found the worn Skippers, DIngies though and not the hoped for Mallows. I tried for a few Wood Whites which were fluttering around in place of Small and Green-veined Whites it seemed. The moth this time was a Hummingbird Hawk Moth. And again there were Blues, Sooty Copper as well as a few Brown Argus. Round near the car the land sloped down through an open woodland to a pond and which unfortunately wasn’t part of where we were staying but just on the edge of our part I saw more Sooty’s, a normal Copper as well as a Weavers Fritillary. The next trip out turned into a slightly longer sojourn this time round the house and from there onto the field. There was the Sooty on the way as well as a Jersey Tiger moth up near the house. Along the banks on the road side there were loads of Browns including some odd looking Gatekeepers but there were no more Frits. On into the field which didn’t look too promising until the sun came out and then things really kicked off with a gorgeous female Sooty starting the ball rolling. When she opened up she was even more peachy catching the sun and glistening a rainbow of colours. I’ve seen this species before but nowhere near as fresh looking as this. Things started appearing there weren’t just Meadow Browns; a Grizzlie, Common Blues and Dingies and over near the fence to the road there were four or five Sooty Coppers. A crazy tiny blue caught my eye. I took a grab shot which was terrible but it was enough to confirm my only definite lifer of the day, a Short-tailed Blue. I started to make my way towards it but it was spooked by a Common Blue and if flew over the hedge and over the road. I started back along the road, heading homewards when I saw a/the STB fluttering in the alleyways among the Poplars. I nipped though the hedge and followed it. Just as it settled another blue flew in; “Damn it!” I thought. Only the blue was a larger male and with not even a please or thank you it swung it’s abdomen round and locked on. This meant I was able to get some proper shots. After the evening meal I popped out again. This time though I headed left at the bottom of the path and worked my way round the lake from the other side. There were butterflies all over the place as I think they were starting to settle down to roost for the night and so seemed to be congregating together. And so back to Elvensong to sit on the veranda and drink cheap beer (39 cents) and remember all that went on. What a cracking afternoon a great haul for basically unpacking and having a couple of strolls round the site.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Wonderful stuff, Wurzel - and as you say, without really trying! If there is a standout butterfly, I think it has to be that female Copper with its amazing sheen...

Dave

Sounds like a great start to your holiday Wurzel, can't wait for the next episode Goldie

Lovely stuff, and why I enjoy France so much. Just as you start looking at something and make a step forward then your eye gets drawn by something else. And they are all good..

Lovely Sooty Copper and Short-tailed Blue shots. Looking forward to the unfolding story...

A brilliant start to your Dordogne trip, Wurzel, the Female Sooty Copper is stunning as is the Weaver's Fritillary underside

Mike

Hi Wurzel, I haven't yet succumbed to continental butterflying but if I do it will be because of butterflies such as Sooty Coppers...beautiful

Cheers,

Neil.

Cheers Dave She was a beaut, the best one I saw all week Mind you there were one or two other nice things
Cheers Goldie There was just the warm up I went out properly the next day Mind out it'll be a while til I get round to sorting out the next set of photos
Cheers Peter It was possibly the most relaxed butterflying I've ever done and was just as you describe it
Cheers Mike I most chuffed with the Short-tailed Blue as it was not only a lifer but could also go in the 'butterflies in cop collection' a cracking twofer
Cheers Neil Foreign butterflying is a brilliant experience Neil you see so much and the butterflies are in such greater numbers it's intoxicating . The only drawback is having to come back to much reduced fare

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Fantastic start to the holiday. If that's what you saw inbetween unpacking I can't wait to see what you found when you did some proper butterflying!

Loving your holiday pics, Wurzel.

I went there once but it was before I got into butterflies. Fantastic shots of the ones you found.

What a session you had with that Sooty Copper !. Great shots.
Whenever I visit France, in similar habitat to that in the UK,
I can never comprehend that half of the species found could
never naturalise over here. Such a shame.
And yes, it's amazing how many single Wood Whites can be seen
over there, where as they are in a concentrated area in Chiddingfold forest.

Looking forward to more,
Trevor.

Cheers Bugboy Most, if not all, of my butterflying was done within walking distance of where we were staying but I still managed 47-48 species in a week
Cheers Ernie I had a similar experience in that I went to Poland on a birding holiday and there were Fritillaries all around us - but I was a birder so they were just orange butterflies that happen to be called Fritillaries
Cheers Trevor What feels so strange is when you're walking in an area which to all intents and purposes could be the UK but the butterfly species that you find are all different I've got another 7 posts to sort from The Dordogne but if I'm going to stand a chance of catching up with my PD before next season I need to do a bit more work on that so it may be back to Blighty...for a while

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Garston Stop-off 20-07-2018

I don’t know where to begin explain how and why I was able to make this the shortest of stop-offs at Garston Wood. I was basically on my way home from a funeral and having held myself together throughout that and the wake and the journey home with my parents I needed a moment to get my head together before I got home to my family.

I pulled into the car park, collected my camera and wandered up the main track. A SWF landed on the deck I leant in to get a few shots and realised that the camera battery was dead! At first I was annoyed at myself but then a wry smile passed over my face and a chuckle emerged from my throat as I imagined the person’s whose funeral I’d attended laughing and saying “nice one Bert”. Loaded up with a fully functional battery I retraced my steps but the SWF was gone so I kept on walking further up the hill scanning the brambles and tall thistles that lined the path. Another female SWF landed nearby and as I was getting a few shots a male dove in and hassled her. He didn’t get anywhere despite his smoothest selection of chat-up lines and at one point he sat dejectedly on the same leaf as the object of his affection possibly trying to hypnotise her into submission. That didn’t work either and so he buggered off. When I spied another couple going through the courtship dance a few moments later I wondered if he was trying again – so fickle these butterflies that are trying to meet their biological imperatives! These shenanigans helped boost my mood and the moments when I was focusing on focusing I was away; on Brownsea Island, camping on the Purbeck, sitting in the works van, standing watching a Ring-necked Duck at Poole Park, having a beer in the Haymoor on my 18th etc. all places I’d been and all things I’d done with Bill; nos da, ow cothman Bill.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

A great way to get your head together in such sad circumstances, Wurzel.

Mike