Hoggers

[Padfield]

Lovely butterflies Hoggers - and a brilliant all-blue female common blue in your last set - but lovely pictures of your dog in the bluebell woods too (several posts ago)! He looks very serious and obedient, looking to you for his next instruction. I have to say, those pictures made me smile.

Guy

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Hoggers,

Really jealous of all your Small Coppers . They are just getting started around my patch but I would never see them in the numbers that you do, five or six in one spot is a good count for me.

Cheers,

Neil

[Hoggers]

Hello Guy, thanks for your comments. He's one of the most patient dogs I've ever known but when I'm stalking (and inevitably flushing!) a butterfly I sometimes look up and see him gazing at me as if to say "Come On!! Let's Go!!"

Mind you, let loose in a meadow he's great at getting the butterflies up as he whizzes about trashing that tail of his.

Hi Neil, thanks for your comment. Dungeness is simply amazing for Small Coppers. It has just their kind of arid terrain, there's Sorrel everywhere and of course it is a protected nature reserve. I don't know if there's anywhere in the country that can beat it!
I've been doing my best to provide accurate counts of what I see but I cover only a small part of the estate on any one walk so I guess there are many more there.

Today I returned to my newly discovered Green Hairstreak colony

My aim was to get as accurate count as I possibly could

Conditions were good, it was warm, sunny and with only a light breeze

I had the chance to watch them engage in ferocious little dog-fights after which they'd return to their watching posts

Over about 1 1/2 hours I counted 17

I also saw 2 Peacocks, a Large White and a male Orange Tip.

The area was also patrolled by this female Broad-bodied Chaser

I hope she wasn't eating my Green Hairstreaks!

[Goldie M]

Lovely Hair Streaks Hoggers, I wish I could visit there right now out of this cold wind Goldie

[Hoggers]

Small Copper numbers have fallen at Dungeness and those remaining are showing signs of having lived hard but active lives

Life's tough down there and it's not only the elements that they have to contend with

Quite what finished this one off I do not know

I wasn't sure whether this one was worn or had been paler to begin with

On my walk this morning I saw only 29 Small Coppers but by no means all were on their uppers

And I was treated to some ferocious little battles

While the Small Coppers fade away for now Brown Argus,Small Heaths and Common Blues grow stronger

I also saw my first Painted Lady

Another good day with the Small Coppers

[Hoggers]

The weather here is dull and drizzly. No earthquakes here last night!

I spent the morning digging a "Hedgehog Tunnel" at the top of the garden so now they can easily get in from the field and out again.The trend for high solid fences rather than hedgerows between gardens is thought to be having a harmful effect on Hedgehog numbers as they can't move about freely to forage. Thus "The Tunnel"!

On my walk with the dogs I came across what I think is a Drake Mackerel

Such a handsome insect

We went up to the woods but the Bluebells are now over. I found this photograph on my camera taken a fortnight ago which I'll post as a final memory of how wonderful they were

With no chance of a butterfly today I thought I'd give an update on my Blue Tits

They've done really well this year

Past two years all they've managed to raise was one or two but this time you can see there are six very healthy looking chicks almost ready to venture out into the world

I do hope this weather improves for the rest of the Bank Holiday!

[Hoggers]

After yesterday's miserable weather,a single male Orange Tip fluttering about in my garden this morning seemed like a good omen for a butterfly trip further afield.

First cloud quickly evaporated and by the time I'd reached Dungeness we had glorious warm sunshine with very little wind.

The estate is now a blaze of colour as much of the Valerian and Sea Kale is in flower with Viper's Bugloss joining in too. There's also some Ragwort and that's where I saw my first Small Copper

But their numbers are now very modest. The first brood must be all but over. Common Blues, Small Heaths and Brown Argus have come to the fore

I also saw Large and Small Whites and this faded Painted Lady

Although I'm eagerly awaiting the second brood of Coppers I have no intention of ignoring those of the pioneering first brood

I saw only 16 today but they kept me entertained. I sat down to have my lunch and watch a pair of neighbouring males. Over the course of around 15 minutes I saw them engage in 8 furious dog fights, some of which lasted near on a 30 - 45 seconds a time

So there was plenty to see

[trevor]

It would seem that every time you go out your tripping over Small Coppers , yet so far this year
i have only seen one !. The habitat at Dungeness must be just perfect for them.

Keep 'em coming,
TREVOR.

[Goldie M]

I love the Small Coppers on the white flowers Hoggers, it sets them off beautifully and yes I finally found some also the young chicks look great, keep us informed on their progress will you. Goldie

[Hoggers]

All 7 Blue Tit chicks left the box this morning and are now dotted around the garden being fussed over by the parents. This is the third year in a row that we've had Blue Tits nesting with us and up til now the best they've managed is to raise 2 chicks so conditions must have been just right for them.

I've been confined to barracks today but I spotted my second Red Admiral of the year in my garden Jungle

Two Small Whites

A tired looking Holly Blue made a fleeting visit

And I had a brief glimpse of a Speckled Wood.

[Goldie M]

Hi! Hoggers we don't seem to get Red Admiral's here until August/Sept they must work their way here slowly
Glad the young chicks are out and about, we've got young Starlings and young Black Birds in our Garden, the starling young still expecting Mum to feed them Goldie

[Willrow]

Lots of enjoyable images Hoggers, your certainly getting a good range of species

Regards,

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"

[Hoggers]

Today we had lashings of sunshine, not of rain(!), so I took your advice Bill and set off to find a few local butterflies that I haven't managed to catch up with so far this season.

First, Kingsdown near Deal and the Small Blue

I've seen 50+ at this site but today found only 8

I've left it rather late

This magnificent Red Admiral dwarfed the Small Blues

Hopefully he's on his way up to you Goldie!

Then to Samphire Ho where I got a nice surprise when the first butterfly I saw turned out to be a Clouded Yellow

He led me a merry dance

But when he took a quick break I got close enough for a snap

Second on my list: Wall

Almost as elusive as the Clouded Yellow but I managed to get close to one for a second or two!

Last target for the day was the Adonis Blue

Some were worn and battered

But such a gorgeous butterfly!

A successful day out

[trevor]

HI Hoggers,
You had a similar day to me today, with a wonderful selection of species to be seen.
I almost felt as though i was in Hoggersland today as i at last found some Small Coppers,
at most locations visited they have been notable by their absence.
Excellent images in your diary.

Best wishes,
TREVOR.

[kevling]

Enjoying your recent photos Hoggers. Your cup runneth over at the moment with some cracking species.

Regards Kev

[Wurzel]

Cracking report Hoggers, great to see you got all your targets, great shots especially the final Small Blue

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Hoggers]

Thanks for your kind comments, they are much appreciated.

I live in central Ashford (Kent) and whilst out with the dogs this morning I was buzzed by a Painted Lady. Time : 07.15 !

"Good sign" I thought.

By 10am I was at Dungeness : more Painted Ladies in amongst the gorgeous flowers

I saw 8 there during the course of my walk

There were Hummingbird Hawk Moths, quite a lot of them!

I saw 6

Bearing in mind I also saw 2 Red Admirals it looks like there's some migration going on.

I was on the look out for Small Coppers as I wondered if any of the first generation were still around. Throughout my whole walk I managed to find just the one

So I think it's reasonable to conclude that the first brood are over now.

Looking at my records for this year I can plot the progress of this first brood at Dungeness:

8th April - None

18th April - 8

21st April - 15

4th May - 99

9th May - 33 (but on a very windy day )

16th May - 77

22nd May - 29

24th May - 16

6th June - 1

Roll on the second brood!

But while I'm waiting for them there's plenty to see. Small Heaths

Brown Argus

Common Blues

Which included a smashing blue female

In fact, I haven't seen a brown female so far this year

I was delighted to find her.

But for me today was about another lady, the Painted Lady and the beautiful flowers of Dungeness

[Hoggers]

East Blean Woods for me this bright, warm, sunny Sunday morning.

Plant the Cow Wheat

And they will come

Difficult to say how many I saw during my visit

But easily 20 +

Often I'd focus on one

and another would drop in

One of the things I most like about Heath Fritillaries is the way they'll break a flight with a graceful glide. Such an attractive butterfly

And I was glad to see at least 6 other butterfly enthusiasts who were there to enjoy the fritillaries too. I think everyone went away very happy indeed.

[Wurzel]

Heaths are my main target species this year - but the Kent sightings page isn't that forthcoming so I read your post with mixed emotions - I was glad that I got confirmation that they're out , obvious envy for your great shots of a species I'd love to see , and growing anticipaion about next Sunday

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Hoggers]

Hi Wurzel, I've got everything crossed for you for next Sunday! If the weather is kind you will have no trouble finding plenty of them

Best wishes

Hoggers