www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Love the colour you've brought out in those Common Blues Wurzel, stunning! Goldie

That’s a good selection from the Dordogne, pour le matin, Wurzel

We didn’t see Meadow Fritillary and that’s a very fresh looking Glanville Pearly Heaths have nice underside markings which you’ve captured well.

Your Laverstock male Common Blues show off that shade of blue that I think is the equal of Adonis, especially when fresh

Cheers Ernie I only saw my irst second brood Dingy two years ago, 2017 didn't throw any up but then this year I saw a smattering, must have been the heat
Cheers Bugboy I think the Meadow Brown was being a little Englander and bemoaning "these foreigners coming over here and stealing our jobs!" SO much to do but the next French post is the making of...
Cheers Goldie I got real lucky with both the light and the timing
Cheers Mike There's a bit more to come from France Though for the more travelled butterfliers I expect they'll be considered common fare

Shipton Bellinger 04-08-2018

Another day and another trip to Shipton Bellinger to see if a few more female Brostreaks had finally emerged. I took the girls with me as they like Shipton and I can accrue a few extra Brownie points this way. The only down side is that K is now old enough to sit in the front and so has taken charge of the music. Actually I needn’t have worried she picked a cracking selection with Donovan, The Cure, The Beatles and my all-time favourite Queen song; “It’s Late”. The highlight though was windows down, volume up ‘Two Minutes to Midnight’; you know that you’ve succeeded as a parent when your children can sing along to Iron Maiden.

We went in the back way and parked in the shadows of the wood and the girls set up camp here whilst I strode out into the sun, eyes peeled for any jinking little orange jobs. Something immediately caught my eye with the aforementioned jinking flight but it appeared more grey/brown than orange. Luckily it landed on a small piece of Blackthorn and as I moved closer in I could make out white lines on the wings so I knew it was a Hairstreak but which one. Even closer and it became a Purple Hairstreak. Shipton throws a curve ball again! I looked along the hedge and the treeline and I could make out only one or two Oaks anywhere near the vicinity so where this errant traveller had hailed from I couldn’t say. Still a Purple Hairstreak as first species for the day can’t bad. Well actually a Specklie and Hedge Brown were the first but this is a better narrative and I didn’t get any shots of them…Another couple of enthusiast arrived and I put them onto the Purp and while they were getting their shots I spent a little time with a Holly Blue. When I returned to the Purp it had moved to an even better position; not at an angle, not partially obscured by the leaves and perfectly lit. Few other sets of people arrived and we all stood around looking at the Hedge and trying to second guess how the Brostreaks would behave. Would they play by the rules and start coming down at around 11am or as it was getting warm would they come down earlier and then disappear when they got too hot? Even worse would they not come down at all? Who could say but it’s a far way away from what I’m used to, I used to be able to set my watch by the arrival of the Brostreaks down low. I poured a coffee and it started going cold and as usual things started to happen. There were orange things blurring by possibly Vapourers or possibly Brostreaks I didn’t know. Then Jonathon (?) who’d I’d met on my second Shipton visit arrived with his wife (I’m sorry but I am hopeless as remembering names) who was anxious to get a Brostreak as having already seen a Clouded Yellow was going for 50 species in a year. As luck would have it while we’re talking I spy a little shark fin…male Brostreak and it opens up ever so briefly! It does a runner further back into the hedge as I call the others over and then we settle back for a bit more Hedge watching. We start creeping along the length of the Hedge and back again all the time eyes straining and checking every leaf, every Thistle head, every Blackberry just hoping to catch a glimpse of something orange. Small Meadow Browns and Hedge Browns do their annoying impressions and Holly Blue, which are all over the Hedge, try and distract us as much as possible. Even a Brown Argus tries muscle in by hopping up onto a Bramble desperately seeking some attention. Eventually I spy a male but again it’s gone up high before the others can get onto it. I try further along the hedge and get onto another male and then an even closer one down nice and low on a stunted Bramble. While I’ve got this one the others have located one as well so we do a swap though I think I got the bum deal as mine was much more pristine . It was also showing the preference behaviour I’d seen on my last two visits. If it got spooked by a Meadow Brown it wold go up higher into the hedge but then about 5 minutes later it would return to the same Bramble flower. It did this several times before Jonathon and his wife returned and then carried on in a similar fashion for a while. I mentioned that I’d seen a Wall here the last time and that was on their ‘50’ list so we ever so slowly started towards the track that ran parallel up the hill to the various little clearings. On the way we sighted a fifth male and a possible fly-by female along with a Red Admiral and two girls who insisted on surreptitiously placing burrs on their dads back! As we reached the top of the hill and the first clearing the girls disappeared off to set up camp number 2 and a Wall appeared on cue to go on the ‘50’ list. It seemed like a bigger marmalade version of a Meadow Brown but as it momentarily stopped and closed its wings I was able to confirm it’s ID. Mind you it’s constantly patrolling behaviour was probably enough to make the ID.
We three carried on slowly working through the various small clearings hoping to catch the Wall at rest but also adding a further two male Brostreaks and a third on the other side of the hedge on our return. The girls called “Wurzel” so I knew that my time was almost up and when I got back to their camp I said my goodbyes, wished them well with the Wall and the having gone a few steps on the other side of the scrub called them back as the Wall was down on the deck. It was just playing silly buggers though and was off again. Leaving for real this time we left them chasing the Wall and headed back down the hill adding Peacock and Comma to the days tally. After their patience and reasonable behaviour (I’m still finding burrs now!) later in the afternoon I took the girls to a quiet stretch of the river so I could cool down and they could really run amok! What a cracking day! But where are the females??

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Very nice set of Brown Hairstreaks and a delightful Holly Blue. And such a happy story. Always a pleasure to read your diary and life stories.

Great read as usual Wurzel, I'm sure we'll see some females from your next visit

Some great shots of those male Brown Hairstreaks, Wurzel. Finding an inland Wall is an achievement too.

Dave

Cheers Peter for your very kind comment
Cheers Bugboy Maybe in the next or maybe the one after that...
Cheers Dave I was most chuffed with the open wing shots as they were at a premium this year what with the heat

Broughton Down 06-08-2018

It was going to be hot so I went as early as I could and arrived at 9:15, not exceedingly early but there’s a lot to do in the mornings at the moments despite it being the holiday 11+ Test to do, breakfast, washing up, beds to make etc.) Once there I cut up through the wood ignoring the Specklies that tried to distract me every few paces as I was after more Silver Spots. As I broke through into the sun from the shade of the Beech trees I realised that I was the only one there and so just made my way along the track relishing the peace and tranquillity. There was a Silver Spot almost as soon as my feet hit the main trackway across the hill and then another and another and again almost ad infinitum. They were all over the place and seemed to prefer the longer scrub on the left hand side at the top of the hill to the usual tussocks with the thin scrapes where I normally found them. I carried on through gate and checked out the Hemp Agriony and the little field by the Hump and they were even flying here (which is a first) in amongst the various whites and Small Heaths. Up to this point I’d seen all males; smaller and more worn, their upper sides showing hairs loss on the abdomen and scutum. Their margins were a little frayed and they’d gone from a lovely lime colour to looking a bit grey on the underside. In amongst these mid-life crises and geriatrics a beautiful fresh female flew into view. I could tell she was a female even before I got a proper look as she was noticeably larger than all of the Silver Spots I’d seen she so far and when I did get in close enough I was able to confirm. I carried on strolling along the same trackway eventual ending up at the triangular field at the back of the reserve having first slipped down and scrambled up the steep gully which bisects this part from the main reserve. Once here I carry on working my way all the way down and then back up the field stopping only occasionally to marvel at another little gem of a butterfly including some deliciously fresh 2nd brood Adonis. I hear a ‘wet yer lips’ announcing that somewhere in an adjacent field there’s at least one Quail. I reached the end of the track, the tip of the triangle and I realised that I’d just been ambling along and looking but not taking any photos! So on return I set to actually getting some photos. First up was a really small Common Blue female, she was tiny, even smaller than a Brown Argus. Next to catch my eye as a dusky Common Blue. It was a fantastic looking butterfly the margins were brown not white, the ground colour was a glistening slate blue and it had hardly any orange lunules. “Onwards and upwards” as Eric Robson would say and indeed so it was with a blinding male Adonis Blue and then the Chalkhills show up. As I’m flitting between Adonis and Chalkhill, hoping to catch at least one with its wings open, which in the heat was never going to be likely, something tiny hove into view. It was pretty active at first so I didn’t see it settle and the dark blue, almost browny blue through me at first before finally it came to rest. It was a Small Blue and not a species that I’ve encountered here before. I checked around the scrapes before the gully and here there were more Chalkhills and Adonis scattered in amongst the Silver Spots. Pleased with the little sojourn into an area which is usually a bit quiet I started back to the main part of the reserve, the Down itself. As I worked my way back I paused at the little hillock adding Small Heath and in the large patch of Hemp Agrimony a devine Painted Lady. I also noticed a Small Heath which kept flicking its wings open every now and again but try as I might I just couldn’t capture it with its wings open. Instead I had 40 or so blurred shots of something orang on a fuzzy pinky background. I turned my attentions back to the Painted Lady but there was also a multitude of Whites and Blues taking advantage of the nectar here as well as a Silver Spot. Back on side of the Down I wind through the animal trails to the more open side of the down. It looks a bit like a green motorway and here there were even more Silver Spots. And I mean MORE. To be honest I don’t think I’ve ever seen as many as this! I sat down and poured a coffee and did my best to count them. It was virtually impossible as they zipped around maniacally, veering off in a suicidal fashion and disappearing from view. There were so many off them and they even came to me while I sipped coffee and vainly tried to count, taunting me it felt like! I persevered with trying to count reaching the highest tally of 26 but sometimes I’d only get to five before I’d get confused by their antics. As I drained my coffee I set about to a bit more wandering and stooping and took a few more shots before finally needing a break from the sun and the heat and so I turned by feet homewards. The Specklies put on a good show on the way back but it was also great to walk in the cool shade under the Beeches. What a brilliant morning, I don’t think that there are any more pleasurable impossible tasks than trying to count active and numerous Silver Spots!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

That's a great haul, Wurzel, especially on a hot day.
Great Silver Spots, and Small Blue.
Tilshead is good for Small Blues in the Spring, well worth a look.

Trevor.

Hi! Wurzel, you seem to have got in those two posts what I've missed this year what a great time you've had with your girls as well lovely shots of the SPS, love the one on the flower Goldie

Wurzel - Great encounter you had with all those SS Skips. I am happy to see a couple of them on any trip out and you got at least 26 while having a cuppa!

I know what you mean about counting butterflies when there are so many. I find its a good idea to get them to form an orderly queue and then point at each one with a stick as I count.

Cheers Trevor That was the first time I'd seen a Small Blue there I'll have to try to get to Tilshead next year, the calendar is rapidly filling up
Cheers Goldie I've been training the Padawans for a while now but they're still a way away from becoming Knights Mind you they've become fantastically accurate Bur throwers
Cheers Ernie Pouring a coffee is one of my standard butterflying manoeuvres, I've not tried getting them to line up but I'll give it a whirl next year

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I thought that I'd be early for once

October 2018

The butterflies are started to become thin on the ground but there's still some out there
Have a goodun

Wurzel

What a brilliant trip to Broughton Down you had, Wurzel and that's a great count of Silver-spotted Skippers. I find SSS a difficult one to count without 'double' counting as they're a very mobile little butterfly and can cover quite some distance if disturbed

We used to visit Broughton quite regularly at one time, the walk up never got any easier

Mike

Broughton Down sounds amazing, Wurzel - a really wide array of species. There can't be many spots with Small Blues and Silver-spots co-inhabiting the hillsides. I appreciate the difficulty in estimating SSS numbers, having tried up at Aston Rowant once or twice. I end up counting what I see along the line of my walk, even if that means a bit of double-counting, as I reckon it's made up for by the ones you miss sniggering behind your back as you move along...

Cheers,

Dave

Cheers Mike Broughton is a cracking site The thing I'm finding most annoying about the walk up is that having almost reached the top there will be a car parked - how the hell did they get up there?
Cheers Dave It's a brilliant site and perfect for late summer as it's smaller and more manageable than nearby Stockbridge Down

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I've just worked out where it is - just a couple of miles or so as the Purple Emperor flies from Bentley Wood. Quite doable from here...

Dave

Love that Calendar Wurzel, Goldie

Cheers Dave It is pretty close to Bentley and could well be a stop-off on the way home from visiting there. I've not been there in Spring but it's a definite 'summer must'. Alan Thornbury has a site guide on his website which I found pretty useful the time I went there
Cheers Goldie Only another couple to go and then I better start making the next one

Mottisfont 07-08-2018

As it was a nice day and we owed a childminding day to my sister in-law we roped in my mum so we could transport both our girls and my nieces to Mottisfont. The house was exhibiting the artwork of Judith Kerr, she of ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’ fame .

We started off with a picnic on the lawn and after this and the obligatory post lunch walk back to the car laden with blankets, bottles and empty flasks and lunchboxes I was able to grab a quick look at the strip of Lavender that demarcates the main lawn and the terrace. There were two Common Blues, 3 Meadow Browns and loads of Whites although a Cloudy wasn’t, alas, among them unlike on one previous memorable occasion.
After this we wandered up to the Walled Garden and I was able to slope off for a little wander. A Comma fed on the Buddleia in the exact middle so it was unreachable either from the grass or the path. In the second section two Common Blues were around. One was pristine and so was sitting aloof high up and far away on a Rose so only a record shot was possible. The second was tatty and much more down to earth. A Red Admiral went over and there were non-stop Whites in both parts of the garden and these led to a strangely autumnal feel despite the heat. So to escape said mentioned heat we went into the exhibition. The final activities of the day were supposed to involve the muddy climbing area – okay and then the stream damming bit – but this was closed. So instead we sat while the girls rampaged. Well I say ‘we sat’ but I didn’t as I‘d seen a Holly Blue which evaded me but 2 Commas which I was able to get onto once they’d stopped having a bundle. One had been peacefully resting on a leaf when the other came marauding by. A little later I caught up with the second piratical Comma as it was down on the deck. Seeing these two again made it feel autumnal. Whites continued to flutter about and a Meadow Brown sat down for dinner on a picnic table. Too soon it was time to go and a tumbling menage a trois of Specklies waved us off as we left. Have a goodun

Wurzel

Stunning Spotted Fritillary and Pearly Heath from France Wurzel. Love the frog too!
And a great selection from your other visits. Very nice Blues, Painted Lady and SSS's.

Can't believe you are in August already...still soon be more of France...Seriously, I have begun to appreciate the 'slow dance' diary approach myself. Life is so much nicer at a steadier pace. Thank you for helping me to see it.