Hoggers

[nomad]

Nice find and images of a Small Copper aberration.

[Paul Harfield]

They clearly thrive at Dungeness, David. I will easily count 70+ on a walk at the height of the season, there must be hundreds. I don't know if a formal count is ever made but I wonder if there are any other locations that support such a larger population of Small Coppers.

Hi Hoggers

Just admiring your Small Coppers again. Those aberrations are superb

' 70+ on a walk' I was pleased to see just one on my local patch this afternoon, but it did have blue spots

[Pauline]

A magnificent selection of Small Coppers Hoggers and your abs are stunning I have only seen 4 SC all season

[Hoggers]

Hi guys, many thanks for your comments. Finding a radiata was a real thrill

I think if I found one of the silvery-white forms it would be too much and I'd drop down dead with shock!

Best wishes,

Hoggers.

[William]

I think if I found one of the silvery-white forms it would be too much and I'd drop down dead with shock!

One of my local Small Copper colonies sees similar numbers of butterflies, and I found a pale form approaching ab. Culprinus - it could happen - superb photos of radiata!

BWs,

William

[Wurzel]

That is a cracking aberrant find Hoggers - mind you with so many Small Coppers there it was bound to turn up sooner rather than later - I reckon a schmidti won't be far behind Finger crossed for you...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Maximus]

Great SC's Hoggers

[Hoggers]

Last sunday at Dungeness I saw only one Small Heath but today they seemed to be everywhere

I also noticed that there's been an increase in the number of Brown Argus

All of which were having to do battle with the resident Tough Guys

I saw more than thirty

Ever ready for a brawl

However this one, which I believe is a female, was behaving in a far more decorous manner

I saw a Hummingbird Hawk Moth at rest

and at play

Two Painted Ladies

And two Red Admirals with good numbers of Common Blues.

A Clouded Yellow flew by

While I stood talking to the Observatory Warden ( who told me he's seen two schmidtis in the past!! Grrr!!) a pair of Ravens went "Kronk Kronking" overhead and then a birdwatcher flew in with news of a Red Backed Shrike which set feathers flying.

Letting them flap away to see the Shrike I sat down by a clump of Ragwort and watched the Small Coppers

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Hoggers, just catching up with you diary, loving all the Small Coppers and congratulations on the radiata. I saw one of these at Aston Rowant a couple of years back but your photos are much better than I managed.

Well done,

Neil.

[Hoggers]

Thanks Neil but I think you're being too modest as I've been ogling your radiata in the species specific section for many months ( and that knock- out blue badger too! )

If I take a nice photo it's down to the camera, all I know about photography is how to press the button!

I'm trying to pack my diary with little, feisty, bright Small Coppers to cheer me up through the Winter!

[Hoggers]

I got to Dungeness around 10 this morning. Although it was comfortably warm there wasn't much sun about.

First up I saw a couple of Painted Ladies and then as I walked further a Red Admiral, a Small Tortoiseshell and Large and Small Whites, Small Heaths and Common Blues.

But it wasn't long before I found my first Small Copper

Sitting quietly waiting for the sun

Eventually a shift in the cloud let though some sunshine and the Small Coppers came out to play

For a change, today I ventured out into "The Desert" which isn't quiet as forbidding as it sounds but it's rough pebble terrain with brambles and gorse. There I came across Small Coppers

Although far more widely spread

My total for today was 37

[kevling]

Hoggers,

Great shots of the Small Coppers. Some recent posts suggest numbers are down this year, it looks as though they have all set up camp at Dungeness. I have just returned from Yorkshire, where they were one of the most numerous species I saw. Let's hope they are still holding up, as they are a stunning butterfly.

Regards Kev

[Hoggers]

Cheers Kev, I think you're right: Neil had success with them in Cornwall, you in Yorkshire and me at Dungeness, while most other contributors to UK Butterflies have commented on the low numbers they've seen this year.

It's a situation that's worth us keeping our eyes on next year.

All the best,

Hoggers

[Allan.W.]

Hi Hoggers,
Just thought I,d let you know how I got on at Dungeness today ,well it was pretty windy! plenty of sun ,and in the more sheltered areas plenty of Small Coppers
I suppose I saw 30+ .I found that the "Hotspot" today seemed to be around the moat ,feeding on the plentiful ragwort, also good numbers of Brown Argus, Small Heath
Common Blue, and even two Meadow brown, as you know I fluked a "Radiata" (second Copper seen on leaving the car) ,and somehow the luck has stayed with me, on looking through the Coppers by the moat ,one caught my eye,I managed to follow it and see it settle,i couldn,t believe it! the two forewings are standard Copper ,but the full left hand hindwing is "Schmidtii" with the right hindwing normal,i managed one slightly blurred shot ,and spent the next hour trying to re find it ,no joy ,soon as I can figure out how to get pictures up ,I,ll post this odd one ,and the "Radiata". " Best wishes to all Allan.W.

[Hoggers]

Hi Allan, good to hear from you again (I hope you received my reply to you message last week?)

I returned to Dungeness today. It was sunny, warm but very blowy. I couldn't find either the radiata or your "Quarter Schmidtii"( !!) but I did chance upon something rather curious

What do you make of this one?

Left side with wings closed

Right side with wings closed

From the shape of the abdomen I'd guess it was a female?

But except for the washed-out colouring of the front right wing it has the vivid strong copper colouring of a male.

That pale forewing looked very white at certain angles and during flight

It settled on a pebble for awhile and you can see the contrast

Another Small Copper Curiosity!

Plenty of other Small Coppers about, many battered but some still in good nick

And a nice member of the SCBBC

I also saw several amorous scenes

Female running along in front fluttering her wings and the male quickly toddling after her.

Promise for the future!

[dave brown]

Hello Hoggers,
Passed you today looking intently downwards along the Power Station boundary fence. We must have checked the same areas as we also failed to find radiata Nice to see good numbers of Small Copper and Small Heath still at Dungeness. A Clouded Yellow was near the Old Lighthouse where you parked.

Dave

[Goldie M]

Hi! Hoggers, Love your Small Copper photo's, so many SC as well, they've finished round here now , your Pic's are great Goldie .

[Allan.W.]

Hi,Hoggers,
I did get your reply,thanks I,m still getting to grips with the do,s and don,ts of the forum,where to post what and how to go about it ,but with help from Vince Massimo,I managed to put a couple of Radiata shots and the other oddity that I found yesterday, they are on the September sightings page.Well done with the oddity you found today,very unusual! As a matter of interest were you anywhere near the moat,I found it the hotspot yesterday ,was thinking about going back today,but the wind and cloud put me off,well done again for todays beauty!
Regards Allan W

[Hoggers]

Hi Dave, sorry to have missed you (and the Clouded Yellow!) Next time toot your hooter at me! I think I was trying to follow a pair of Small Coppers involved in a high speed chase.

Thanks Goldie - I'm trying to stock up on Small Copper photos to help get me through the winter!

Cheers Allan, yes I found good numbers in the Observatory moat ( I walk the full circuit ) and today's oddity was there ( I found my radiata there too, a couple of weeks ago).

The moat is great in Spring when all the Blackthorn is in flower and there are Small Coppers everywhere, but there are plenty out in the Desert too.

Best Wishes,

Hoggers.

[Wurzel]

Fantastic Coppers again Hoggers Others have commented on the lower numbers of this species this year but I reckon it's because you're not playing fair and sharing them Interesting variation in the pale winged Copper - could that be pathological rather than genetic?

Have a goodun

Wurzel