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Beautiful SPBF images, Trevor, and that female Large White is amazing.

The Wall Brown behaviour is fascinating and mating Speckled Woods don't come round every day.

Hi! Trevor, great shots of the Wall's I went back to Reculver to see if I could get an opened wing shot of one and although it was a lovely day they were hiding, they'd fly quickly along the top of the wall then disappear into it, I'm nor sure why,
could it be it was too warm for them? Goldie

Thanks David. I wish that boldly marked Large White had opened up further,
a lovely specimen. The mating Specklies were my first ever.

Never mind Goldie, with the Walls. Try a cooler day or better early morning
if you can make it. They will still be quick however. They can be a nightmare!.

My two day trip to Wiltshire was a great success, hundreds of shots to sort through.
Here is one from Tilshead to be getting on with.....................

Glad it worked out Trevor Cracking shot to lead us to the next post

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Beautiful

Many thanks Wurzel & Katrina. Hope you enjoy my trip to Wiltshire as much as I did.

On Sunday morning I set off very early, with a clear blue sky all the way.
I planned a route that would take in Tilshead on the way to Cotley Hill.
Arrival at Tilshead at 7.40 am found the site bathed in warm, bright, sunshine,
and even at this hour hundreds of butterflies were already in the air, so hopes of a
relaxed session with butterflies preparing for the day were dashed.
I did however find my first Small Blue, for several years, as soon as I got out of the car.

Onward to Cotley Hill.

I decided not to spend any more time at Tilshead as Cotley Hill would be warming up too,
and my main target of the trip was the Marsh Fritillary.
On arrival at Cotley Hill I tried the path on the right just after the gate. As I emerged from
the trees I instantly found my first Large Skipper of the year. Fortunately this part of the hill
was still fairly cool, and for a short while the Marsh Fritillaries were sun bathing rather than active.
One of my first finds was a mating pair, and then several more opportunities to obtain some shots
of Marsh Frits without grass blades and shadows spoiling my images. This can be very difficult at Cotley.

By the time I arrived at my favourite spot, further up the hill, it was becoming too warm for photography,
and it was a case of grabbing quick shots or nothing!. I was impressed by the number of Small Blues
buzzing around, they are clearly having a great year there. No chance of any shots though.
One good find was a Green Hairstreak with a very bold arc of white spots, one of the best I've seen,
and better, it stayed still for a few shots.

By lunchtime with the heat and no sign of any cloud to calm things down I decided to leave, and have
a rest before an evening session at Tilshead. This turned out to be a good decision...............

Fantastic shot of the Adonis Trevor , it's like a picture post card Goldie

Good to see that Large Skipper, Trevor, amongst all the other array of Cotley variety. I often see my first one of the year down there, but I've not been in 2022, so I'm still waiting... Some good Marshie shots too, miraculously grass-free as well!

Cheers,

Dave

Thanks Goldie. I'm pleased you enjoyed the Adonis Blue.

Cheers Dave. The weather at Cotley was too good, not a cloud in the sky.
But butterflies of all species seen were doing well, even saw two male OT's.
Marshies were mostly worn, so a bit late for a visit now.

Here are the results from my evening visit to Tilshead on Sunday.
There were hundreds of Adonis and Common Blues as well as a few fresh Brown Argus,
all either roosting of preparing to. The big surprise was a solitary Marsh Fritillary,
the only one I've ever seen there. but this site often turns up a surprise or two.

The next morning was really brilliant at Tilshead, but only after the grey cloud began to break up.

On Monday morning the sky was completely overcast, dashing my hopes of returning to Tilshead early.
With the day looking like a write off I offered to walk my youngest grandson to school, but as the
morning wore on a few holes in the cloud began to appear. At about 10.30 I jumped in the car
and drove over to the site at Tilshead. On arrival many of the ' Blues ' were still in their overnight
roosting positions, while others were basking in some very photogenic positions with wings wide open.
It was great fun searching the vast area of grassland for the best opportunities, which came thick and fast.
So, below is a small selection of what was on offer, mainly pristine male and female Adonis/Common blues
and Brown Argus. What had begun as an unpromising day ended with the best shots of the two day trip.

Trevor.

Really fantastic shots Trevor Goldie

Brilliant set of reports and images from Wiltshire Trevor Great to see all the variation in those Marshies and the stunning electric blue of the Adonis contrasting with the deep chocolate of that Brown Argus - brilliant

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Yesterday Sat. 27th May was the first time this season when I failed to see the species I was looking for.
With Doug Neve in the driving seat we went to Hutchinsons Bank for the Glanville Fritillary.
We arrived at last years ' hot spot ' just after 8 hoping for roosting Glanvilles, nothing.
It was the many Small Blues that kept us occupied. As the morning wore on more and more people arrived,
and were asking if any Glanvilles had been seen. Later on someone came with the news, and an image
of one that had been seen on the ground. We went over to the spot as described, but missed it.

Some you win, some............ , but it was good to come home with shots of a fresh female Small Blue,
a male Large Skipper and a male Brown Argus.

PS. Cheers Goldie & Wurzel. Tilshead was at it's very best, a great two days.

What a great selection of blues from Tilshead, Trevor, I always like to seek out females of both Common and Adonis, and you've found and photographed some crackers there. A shame you didn't find a Glanville though - there were a couple of them there at HB last Sunday, but it doesn't sound as if there have been many (if any) others. You did find a Large Skipper, though, which I am still to come across this year...

Cheers,

Dave

Impressive sequence of images from your last few posts, Trevor. Either you've put silly amounts of effort into things or you have a new, expensive camera!!

That female Common Blue, in particular, is sublime.

Cheers Dave. I think as you discovered with Wurzel, Salisbury Plain has some magnificent areas for butterflies.
Particularly the areas owned by the M.O.D ( like Tilshead ), which are not managed and generally wildlife
is allowed to get on with it more or less undisturbed.

Thanks David. Yes I have put in some hours recently, but with the same old camera.

Sorry to hear that you missed out on the Glannies at Hutchinson's - if you're over at Tilshead this time next year you could always try for the Wiltshire ones (people are saying that they're self sustaining now?)?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

With some heavy showers forecast for today, indeed we had one early on,
I changed my plans from setting out early to catch some Blues preparing for the day,
to a search for new brood Small Tortoiseshells at Herstmonceux Castle.
Just two were seen. The first one was found in the meadow near the maze.
Unfortunately just as I had it lined up for an open wing shot several excited little
girls passed too close and sent it up.
The second ST didn't work out too well either. I first spotted it at the back of a flower
border and set the camera on full zoom, before I managed a shot the butterfly flew
much closer to me. With no time to alter the zoom I managed a rather magnified
shot which at least was in focus, then the ST took flight.
The only other butterflies seen were two very worn Peacocks.

Trevor.