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Re: Hoggers
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 3:23 pm
by Hoggers
My Uncle Roy is visiting from Canada for a couple of weeks. He keeps talking about Monarch butterflies so I said we've got something rather more exciting over here and arranged to meet up with him, Brother Hoggles and Dad at Dungeness this morning.
The sun was out and so were the Coppers
Only a few of the Blackthorns are in flower at the moment but those that were had attracted the butterflies
I do so enjoy seeing them in amongst the flowers
How well they blend in with the surroundings though
We saw 15 Small Coppers in total
Three had just the tiniest touches of blue to the hind wings
I didn't find any today that had clear blue badges
These two chaps were uncomfortable neighbours
They provided us with a great deal of entertainment as they battled against one another
They were having a right barney
We also saw Small Tortoiseshells, Peacocks, a Small White and a Green-veined White.
It was a great day out with the Small Coppers
Which we rounded off with a visit to The Britannia!
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 9:28 pm
by Goldie M
Lovely Coppers Hoggers, can't wait to see them Goldie
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 2:58 pm
by Hoggers
Hi Goldie I hope the Coppers come out for you soon.
I just had time to grab my camera to snap my first Orange Tip of the year as it visited my garden this morning
What a treat to have one in the garden again
I've got a lot of Garlic Mustard just coming in to flower so hopefully the Orange Tips will keep on coming
I also saw my first Speckled Wood of the year, again in the garden but he wouldn't stop for a photo!
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 3:18 pm
by Hoggers
Today has been dull and drizzly but Spring is very much in the air: I heard my first Cuckoo!
Our Blue Tits have returned and yesterday evening as the female settled down for the night I had a glimpse of what looked like a clutch of 8 eggs.
A Blackbird has built itself a nest in the garden but in a very exposed situation and just a couple of feet above the ground. Yesterday while the female was away I saw that there are 2 eggs.
We'll keep an eye on it.
It was very warm and bright yesterday afternoon and for a time there were no less than 4 Holly Blues in the garden
two Small Whites and a passing Orange Tip.
The sun has showed some very dramatic prominences over the last few days. Here's an image I took on 23rd April
Yesterday I could see that the forest-like proms had changed shape
Here's a view of the full disc showing sun spots, filaments and prominences
And a close up of a spotty region
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 8:32 pm
by Wurzel
Great couple of reports Hoggers
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Did Uncle Roy think that Small Coppers rivalled Monarchs?
Have a goodun
Wurzel
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 8:42 am
by Goldie M
Lovely Shots of the OT and HB Hoggers Goldie
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Sat May 02, 2015 3:43 pm
by Hoggers
Hi Wurzel, the Small Coppers won him over in no time at all and now they're his Number One butterfly!
(And quite right too)
Hi Goldie thanks for your comments. I hope the weather is better for butterflies where you are than it is down here today!
No chance of seeing any today as it's so cool and dull so I went up to the woods to see the Bluebells before they're over for another year
A treat for the eye and for the nose as well
The air was sweet with their perfume
Blackcaps and Nightingales were singing
Some Speckled Woods would have been nice but all in all we had a good walk
Sadly, the Holiday forecast doesn't look up to much but maybe the sun will get through if even for a little time and get the butterflies out before we all have to go back to work.
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Sat May 02, 2015 5:00 pm
by David M
Lovely images, Hoggers.
One of the finest treats the British countryside can offer.
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Mon May 04, 2015 2:57 pm
by Hoggers
A Small White flew past me as I walked the dogs at 7 this morning.
I thought "That's a good sign!"
By 9 I was down at Dungeness on a Small Copper Hunt: and there were plenty to keep me occupied!
I kept a careful note as I went along, doing my best to avoid double counting
And also tried to record the Blue Badge Holders amongst them
One of which was this lovely chap with a pale forewing ( a variation I come across now and again)
Out in "The Desert" I came across 4 Grizzled Skippers
and also 2 Large Whites and my first Red Admiral of the season.
There were plenty more Coppers too!
Enjoying the sunshine
When I got home I added up my Small Copper Tally for the day : 99 !!
If I'd known when I was there that I needed only one more to reach a hundred I'm sure I could have found it!
8 of these had blue badges (at least to some extent, some having just a tiny amount of blue while others wore full regalia)
A cracking day out!
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 10:54 am
by Hoggers
When I set out on my walk this morning it was blowing a gale and looked ready to pour hard so I decided not to take my camera with me. But by the time I'd reached the fields the clouds had broken and it became warm quickly. It was then that I saw a little butterfly battling against the wind before crash landing into the long grass. I couldn't guess what it might be so I went over to have a look and saw to my delight that it was a Green Hairstreak. I had no idea they were present in this area. When it moved to a bush I took a quick snap with my mobile phone
Looking further I saw a GH flitting about but whether it was the same one I'd seen earlier I could not say.
On a calmer day I will go back and make a good search (and I'll take my camera!)
The Small Copper I found at Dungeness yesterday
reminded me of another I found there last September
(And about a week afterwards I found this one but I'm not sure whether it was the same butterfly that had sustained some injury in the meantime, or a different individual
)
It's a small sample size but I wonder if the fact that all have pale
right forewings indicates a genetic cause rather than accident or pathology?
I will be keeping my eyes open for Small Coppers showing this kind of variation and if anyone out there is lucky enough to find one I'd be delighted to hear from them.
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 2:00 pm
by kevling
Hoggers,
Liked the photos of the Small Coppers (saw my first of the year at the weekend). Great photos too of the bluebells.
Regards Kev
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 2:36 pm
by Hoggers
Hi Kev, I wish I could add "Scratch and Sniff" photos of the bluebells, the scent was gorgeous!
I was very happy to find a female Orange Tip in my garden this afternoon
It was hanging on for dear life in the gale to the Garlic Mustard that I've planted especially for it
And a Green-veined White was sheltering near-by
I also saw a Peacock, a Large White and a Holly Blue in the garden.
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 6:56 pm
by Goldie M
Fantastic photos Hoggers , all of them, I love the Small Coppers I've not seen them here yet, pity I can't get down to Kent now for the Grizzled Skippers, not got them yetGoldie
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 7:13 pm
by Neil Freeman
Fantastic Small Coppers Hoggers, they are not out yet around my patch so until they are I will just have to feast my eyes on yours
Good find with the Green Hairstreak, an often overlooked and under recorded species.
Cheers,
Neil
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 8:33 pm
by David M
Hoggers wrote:I wish I could add "Scratch and Sniff" photos of the bluebells, the scent was gorgeous!
This, believe it or not, was on Radio 2's Simon Mayo show this afternoon....how intoxicating the scent of a bluebell wood can be.
They broke it down into various components. Those I can remember were Lemon Grass, Mango, Ginger and Lychee.
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Fri May 08, 2015 9:23 pm
by Allan.W.
Hi ,Hoggers,
Great Small Copper shots as usual, you may want to take a look at the incredible shot taken in the Dungeness bird obs garden ,on the recent sitings page.(Dunge bird obs website)
Regards Allan.W.
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Sat May 09, 2015 5:07 pm
by Hoggers
Hello, thank you for all your comments (and yes, Allan I had seen the marvellous photo of the flowers smothered in Dungeness Small Coppers! Wonderful!)
I spent a couple of hours there this afternoon. It was warm and sunny but blowing a gale. So windy that the Coppers were mostly keeping their heads down so I had to work harder to find them
I counted 34 today
Including a couple of fully qualified Blue Badge Holders
Some already quite bashed about
Had it not been so blowy I've no doubt I would have seen many more, but that just gives me a reason to go back
Not that I need a reason!
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Sun May 10, 2015 12:59 pm
by Hoggers
A few days ago I came across Green Hairstreaks on a patch of land where I've walked for years. I'd no idea they were there. That day was very windy and I decided to go back when it was a bit calmer in the hope of establishing how many butterflies are living there.
This is how the area looks
The kind of terrain that Shakespeare described as "Bosky".
When I got closer to the bushes I immediately found a Green Hairstreak
Over the next hour I counted 9 individuals
Some were leaning against the sun
Others were chasing each other in furious little dog-fights or just watching the world go by
This one imitated a Praying Mantis
It's very satisfying to have found a healthy colony of this delightful little butterfly right on my doorstep but a bit embarrassing to admit that I've probably been walking right past them for years!
Is it my imagination or is he smiling at me?
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Sun May 10, 2015 4:45 pm
by Goldie M
What a lucky find for you Hoggers, I've been to the same place for Hair Streaks now for three years so from now on you should be seeing them every year, lovely photos as well Goldie
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Re: Hoggers
Posted: Sat May 16, 2015 2:39 pm
by Hoggers
I will certainly be keeping an eye on the Green Hairstreaks, Goldie. What a stroke of luck having them so close to home!
I went to Dungeness this morning. Rather cloudy at first but the sun came out and so did the Small Coppers
I had three new species for me this year too: Small Heath
Brown Argus
And Common Blue
There were several Grizzled Skippers in the trapping area and one in the moat
I saw 77 Small Coppers on my walk
Looking lovely in amongst the flowers
Or perched on a pebble