Re: Bugboys mission
Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 9:18 pm
Thanks guys
it was the first time I've ever had a Clouded Yellow that wasn't ridiculously flighty!
20th September, South Downs Way.
Another beautiful day beckoned and with my search to tick off Clouded Yellows for the year I had already planned a trip to the south coast before yesterday’s Cloudy experience. With no reason to change my plans I set off for a day at the seaside: Eastbourne and Beachy head, somewhere where I’m reasonably familiar with now. Checking UKB on my phone to kill a bit of time on the train I read Neil Hulmes entry about the LTB and noted his location was not very far from my destination. I couldn’t help but get just a teeny bit excited at the prospect of stumbling across a LTB on my wanderings
.
I arrived at Eastbourne a little before lunch and enjoyed a pleasant walk along the seafront, keeping one eye out for anything small and blueish. Small Whites were literally everywhere, with the odd Large thrown in for a bit of variety.
The first non-white butterfly I saw when I got to the Downs was a lovely deep rich yellow Colour. Unlike yesterdays female however, this male didn’t hang about for long and after a quick drink on some Travellers Joy he was off. A little further on two Cloudies shot past in an aerial tussel (I managed two yellow blurs with my camera) before they separated and one settled for a quick basking session allowing me my third and, as it turned out, final Cloudy picture of the day. Small Whites were still everywhere and easily outnumbered all other species combined with many readily settling to allow pictures. There were still a few blues buzzing around in the more sheltered paths. Being rather faded and with LTB still in mind, I followed every single one like a bloodhound until I could be certain of it’s ID. All were of the Common variety. There were several fresh Small Heaths including this fine specimen And loads of these micro moths, not sure what they are
Approaching Beachy Head a Peacock zoomed by and landed on a patch of bare earth, the first one that I’ve seen settled for quite sometime.
Nearby a couple of Wheatear were calling and looking out over the Channel, no doubt contemplating their oncoming trip to Africa.
On the return route I took the higher path where I’d found my Walls in the spring, ‘Wall Brown Alley’! The ever present Small Whites flitting here and there were joined by the occasional faded Speckled Wood but my attention was drawn to a flash of copper glinting in the sun. A little worn around the edge but still stunning.
But it paled when it settled near a fresh female
I followed this second one around for a bit, the weaker late summer sun really doing justice to the autumnal colours.
Carrying on on my travels I found a placid female Large white
Whilst following a few more potential LTB around something larger landed behind me, another summer visitor and one that has been decidedly scarce this year. I can count the number of Painted Ladies I’ve seen this year on one hand so I was very happy when this one decided to concentrate on feeding in front of me.
The Blues were all still Commons.
So nothing with a hint of a tail for bugboy today, but you can’t really complain on a sunny day when the scenery looks this good!
Saying goodbye as I left the downs were a small family of Stonechat
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
20th September, South Downs Way.
Another beautiful day beckoned and with my search to tick off Clouded Yellows for the year I had already planned a trip to the south coast before yesterday’s Cloudy experience. With no reason to change my plans I set off for a day at the seaside: Eastbourne and Beachy head, somewhere where I’m reasonably familiar with now. Checking UKB on my phone to kill a bit of time on the train I read Neil Hulmes entry about the LTB and noted his location was not very far from my destination. I couldn’t help but get just a teeny bit excited at the prospect of stumbling across a LTB on my wanderings
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
I arrived at Eastbourne a little before lunch and enjoyed a pleasant walk along the seafront, keeping one eye out for anything small and blueish. Small Whites were literally everywhere, with the odd Large thrown in for a bit of variety.
The first non-white butterfly I saw when I got to the Downs was a lovely deep rich yellow Colour. Unlike yesterdays female however, this male didn’t hang about for long and after a quick drink on some Travellers Joy he was off. A little further on two Cloudies shot past in an aerial tussel (I managed two yellow blurs with my camera) before they separated and one settled for a quick basking session allowing me my third and, as it turned out, final Cloudy picture of the day. Small Whites were still everywhere and easily outnumbered all other species combined with many readily settling to allow pictures. There were still a few blues buzzing around in the more sheltered paths. Being rather faded and with LTB still in mind, I followed every single one like a bloodhound until I could be certain of it’s ID. All were of the Common variety. There were several fresh Small Heaths including this fine specimen And loads of these micro moths, not sure what they are
![Question :?:](./images/smilies/icon_question.gif)