Page 28 of 40
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 9:25 pm
by bugboy
Nice close ups of that male Brown Hairstreak. I was there on Monday as well and got some decent results, not sure how we missed bumping into each other...
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 10:04 pm
by Wurzel
Great close up view Paul
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
The lack of numbers be due to a contracted emergence as I saw 6 males at Shipton a week and a half ago and today 2 males and a very fresh female - so hopefully they'll be around for some time - it just makes finding them hard work/fun!
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 11:08 am
by bugboy
I think you may have bumped into Roselyn at Shipton. She said she spoke to some guy who was after female brown hairstreaks but had very limited time on Monday.
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2016 9:05 pm
by Paul Harfield
Hi David, Wurzel & Bugboy thanks for your comments
bugboy wrote:I think you may have bumped into Roselyn at Shipton. She said she spoke to some guy who was after female brown hairstreaks but had very limited time on Monday.
Yes that would be me
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 10:11 pm
by Paul Harfield
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 10:19 pm
by Jamie Burston
Stunning shot of the backlit Small Copper!
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 10:44 pm
by Katrina
I agree, lovely warm colours.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2016 8:20 pm
by Wurzel
Great Small Copper Paul
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
And I'm especially envious of your Helice a form I've yet to catch up with
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2016 9:07 pm
by bugboy
Yup, there's been a few
Helice spotted in recent weeks, still never seen one myself though so here's a
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
for that one! The Red Admiral underside is also rather stunning as well!
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2016 9:23 pm
by David M
Well done on the
helice. I'm still waiting to see this form in the UK.
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2016 2:17 pm
by Paul Harfield
Hi Jamie, Katrina, Wurzel, Bugboy and David Thanks for the comments
Wednesday 31.8.2016 & Thursday 1.9.2016 More Clouded Yellows at Haslar
After failing to capture a decent photo of the Clouded Yellows on Monday I decided to return for another try. Almost as soon as I left the house on Wednesday the sky clouded over and by the time I arrived at Haslar it was breezy and cool. After a little searching a Clouded Yellow did appear flying briskly back and forth, but it soon disappeared. The conditions were now such that any butterfly action was unlikely. There was certainly no sign of the
helice or any other Clouded Yellows
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
. One consolation though was a single Brown Argus (only my 2nd of the year
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
), a couple of Small Coppers and a Green Veined White.
I jumped at the opportunity to go back the following day, particularly as the weather looked pretty good. I think I arrived at just the right time. No sign of the
helice, but after a few minutes and a quick look round a lovely female Clouded Yellow showed herself. Fluttering from flower to flower in a relaxed enough state for me to get plenty of shots. This appeared to be the only clouded yellow here today and I spent the next hour following her around. I even had time to try for an open winged shot but I soon gave up on that idea
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_confused.gif)
. I just took the occasional break for some Small Copper action.
![P1110074.JPG (899.22 KiB) Viewed 928 times The best open wing shot I could manage after many attempts!](./files/thumb_11661_48fe171888b5eb9275252555a632425e)
- The best open wing shot I could manage after many attempts!
Once I had pursued this Clouded Yellow enough I turned to leave just as a male flew up from the ground which I had not previously seen. Unfortunately it flew straight into a spiders web
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
. The plump female Garden spider was lightning quick in despatching this insect and gift wrapping it to enjoy later. The whole process was completed in a couple of minutes. This was not the way I had hoped to get my open winged shot.
![P1110132.JPG (966.72 KiB) Viewed 928 times The fatal bite! Still flapping at this point. Not really the open winged shot I was looking for](./files/thumb_11661_c5dbacf148c2667c9d85713db01dce21)
- The fatal bite! Still flapping at this point. Not really the open winged shot I was looking for
![P1110158.JPG (978.99 KiB) Viewed 928 times She seemed to be looking at me rather smugly at this point!](./files/thumb_11661_9173080d670009d03dea7ffa8795d142)
- She seemed to be looking at me rather smugly at this point!
![P1110162.JPG (725.78 KiB) Viewed 928 times Job done!](./files/thumb_11661_37ebf08c005243d7502548e986b1646f)
- Job done!
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2016 2:41 pm
by Pauline
Some interesting shots there Paul. A couple of years ago I was in a similar situation with a female Brown Hairstreak egg-laying. I managed to get a sequence similar to yours but I received some criticism I seem to recall for not 'rescuing' the butterfly - but as you are aware it happens in a flash and it is often too late to react unfortunately:
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2016 5:52 pm
by bugboy
Fantastic Cloudie images, including the ones of the unfortunate spider meal. Every now and again its good to be reminded its not all sweetness and light in the natural world and we are merely (and should remain) observers to it's goings on.
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2016 9:18 pm
by Paul Harfield
Pauline wrote:Some interesting shots there Paul. A couple of years ago I was in a similar situation with a female Brown Hairstreak egg-laying. I managed to get a sequence similar to yours but I received some criticism I seem to recall for not 'rescuing' the butterfly - but as you are aware it happens in a flash and it is often too late to react unfortunately:
I know what you mean Pauline. This is the second time I have experienced this scenario. The last time a couple of years ago at Noar Hill, also with a Clouded Yellow curiously. On that occasion whilst I wrestled with my conscience (dithered is probably more apt
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_confused.gif)
) the butterfly managed to free itself
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
. On this most recent occasion the spider was so quick I did not have time to intervene.
Bugboy, I would like to think that if I had the opportunity I would still choose to leave things to nature. However, if I had not been there would the butterfly still have flown into the web
![Question :?:](./images/smilies/icon_question.gif)
that disturbs my conscience even more
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2016 9:01 pm
by Wurzel
A cracking, if gruesome series of shots Paul
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
It is a hard thing to reason - but it seemed in this case the decision was made for you - you're right the Spider does look smug but also beautifully marked
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2016 10:28 pm
by Paul Harfield
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2016 6:37 am
by Katrina
That first photo is lovely, well captured!
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 9:29 pm
by Paul Harfield
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2016 10:37 pm
by Paul Harfield
Sunday 18.9.2016 Southwick
Not so many butterflies at Southwick this weekend, but just enough to keep me sane
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_confused.gif)
Small Coppers continue to put on a good show in small numbers and a single Clouded Yellow brought a smile to my face
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
. There were plenty of Speckled Woods along the lane, lots of Small Whites and a couple of Red Admirals.
![P1110493.JPG (929.93 KiB) Viewed 805 times Small Copper](./files/thumb_11661_645faa0a78ec37a420469489fb2b8707)
- Small Copper
![P1110518.JPG (987.62 KiB) Viewed 805 times Female Small Copper](./files/thumb_11661_7ff17108d37e6cba6887bbe907c831d8)
- Female Small Copper
![P1110515.JPG (1016.2 KiB) Viewed 805 times Male Clouded Yellow. A different one to last week](./files/thumb_11661_431e0073ffe9cf72aa56338148627dff)
- Male Clouded Yellow. A different one to last week
Early on a Small Copper had disturbed something small from a Fleabane flower. I lost sight of this small fluttery thing and had assumed it was a small moth of some description. Later on I re encountered this individual and managed to keep it in view whereupon it became apparent that it was actually a very small butterfly. My initial thought was that it was a very late Small Blue. It eventually settled and revealed itself as a tiny Brown Argus
![Surprised :o](./images/smilies/icon_surprised.gif)
Smaller in fact than a Small Blue and also showing some unusual underwing spots. The abnormally small size would seem to be called ab.
lilliputana. I was unable to get a shot with some size reference in it so my photos do not demonstrate how incredibly tiny this butterfly was.
![P1110530.JPG (998.96 KiB) Viewed 805 times Tiny male Brown Argus ab lilliputana](./files/thumb_11661_fc7e1cb9c6d7d3aeefe416fc45dd565a)
- Tiny male Brown Argus ab lilliputana
![P1110534.JPG (903.2 KiB) Viewed 805 times Nothing for reference here but this butterfly was tiny and also has unusual underwing spots.](./files/thumb_11661_61a582ec6c70e9e347583bc66de69415)
- Nothing for reference here but this butterfly was tiny and also has unusual underwing spots.
Re: jackz432r
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 9:28 pm
by Wurzel
Cracking aberrants Paul in amongst the Cloudies, you're having a great run at the moment
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
- long may it continue
Have a goodun
Wurzel