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Retrospective Diary Pt 6: September 2013

Winding Down

This is the last entry of my retrospective diary - 2013.

After the glorious months of July and August things we're still going strong but there was a definite feeling that things were beginning to wind down. Fresh butterflies were becoming less numerous and I tried to make the most of September as much as I could.

As it turned out I could not manage as many Butterflying trips as I would have liked but I still had some memorable times.

Even though Commas are around for the whole season I still feel they are synonymous with the end of the "Butterfly year" going into Autumn. As the Brimstones start to nectar up for the winter they become much more approachable for photography. Many of them are in great condition and I just love taking pictures of them, they are one of my favourites. Adonis Blues did rather well with their second brood and we're so active in the heat of the day that I didn't manage any great photos this year. These were the best I could manage, they really gave me the run around and I missed out on the really fresh ones this time. Meadow Browns had a great year and there were still a lot of fresh looking examples around. I still saw a few Painted Ladies around in great condition but numbers were dropping. Speckled Woods had a very strong end to the year and seemed to be everywhere. To finish off I have reserved this spot for the Small Copper. I was so pleased to see Small Coppers doing well after a quite a few dismal years where they seemed to be on a very steep decline. They continued right into October and I saw one only a few days ago.
I hope that they will be able to sustain this recovery and do even better next year. This year has been one of the best I can remember, I didn't manage to achieve all of my personal goals and see everything I wanted to see but that doesn't really matter. Some spring Butterflies struggled this year and I can only hope that if they get a good spring they will be able join their summer counterparts from this year that (in some cases) made a great resurgence.

Lastly I would like to extend HUGE thanks and best wishes to Sussex Kipper, Badgerbob, Downland Boy, Philzoid and everyone else that I met out there this year. Hope to see you all again next year sometime.

And thank you to everyone on UK Butterflies, you've made a new member feel very welcome, your photos, reports and diary entries are inspirational.

Best

B,saurus Rex

P.S During my winter hibernation I might post a few photos from years gone by

Hey James. Good to see you and Claire during the LTB season. Thanks for trying to get me to the mating pair, just sorry I wasn't quick enough!! Maybe next year!!!! Will try to help you get your W.L.Hairstreak. Bob.

badgerbob wrote:Hey James. Good to see you and Claire during the LTB season. Thanks for trying to get me to the mating pair, just sorry I wasn't quick enough!! Maybe next year!!!! Will try to help you get your W.L.Hairstreak. Bob.

Thank you Bob, it was great fun wasn't it, with a fair amount of effort (and frustration) thrown in for good measure. It was such a shame that the mating pair of LTB's didn't stay horny for just a little while longer, you missed it by a whisker. You can blame that pesky male interloper in my threesome photo for splitting them up, he really was a determined little so and so!

With your help I hope I will get my first proper sight of a W.L.H next year, as you know I've only ever seen them high up in the trees!

I'm really looking froward to it

All the best

James

Great reports and photos Rex I'm gutted that your retrospective is over but looking forward to your previous delights

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Good to meet you and Claire this summer. Only 5 months before we can start chasing Large Tortoiseshells ... but don't let her know that.
BWs, Neil

Wurzel wrote:Great reports and photos Rex I'm gutted that your retrospective is over but looking forward to your previous delights

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thank you Wurzel I've enjoyed doing it. I'm really enjoying your diary, your photos and writings are first rate, I hope you've got a few more instalments left. I would have continued my diary into October if I hadn't spent the entire time searching high and low for Long-tailed Blues......... it was well worth it

Best wishes,

B'saurus

Sussex Kipper wrote:Good to meet you and Claire this summer. Only 5 months before we can start chasing Large Tortoiseshells ... but don't let her know that.
BWs, Neil

And it was great meeting you again this year Neil. Only 5 months eh, I think I'll surprise her with that one she'll be absolutely delighted

We hope to see you again next year.

All the best,

James

Having completed my retrospective diary for this year I decided it might be nice to post a few of my favourite photos from the past few years to help tide me over the winter.
My mind has already turned to thoughts of spring so I decided to start off with a few springtime Butterflies.

First up is the Orange Tip, I sure hope that next spring is a bumper one for these little beauties.

May 19/04/2011 May 21/04/2011 May 22/04/2012 B'saurus

Lovely shots Rex especially the last one - that type of shot us one my wish list along with a mating pair Here's hoping for next year

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Wurzel wrote:Lovely shots Rex especially the last one - that type of shot us one my wish list along with a mating pair Here's hoping for next year

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thank you for the kind comment Wurzel I was really pleased with the lighting on the last one, that orange really glows. I hope that both of us manage to get a photo of a mating pair next spring, I've not seen that yet. I've seen males trying it on but so far they've all been rejected.

BW's

B'saurus

Those Orange Tips really make you want to wish away the next four months or so... Lovely pictures I've generally encountered mating pairs late afternoon, but I don't know if this is coincidence or a definitely favoured time of day.

Dave

millerd wrote:Those Orange Tips really make you want to wish away the next four months or so... Lovely pictures I've generally encountered mating pairs late afternoon, but I don't know if this is coincidence or a definitely favoured time of day.

Dave

Thanks for the 'tip' (no pun intended ) Millerd, I will make a note of that and see what I can find during the afternoons next spring. If we have a good year for Orange Tips my chances of seeing a mating pair should improve.... with any luck.

As you can see from my photos I seem to have most of my luck with Orange Tips during May here in Sussex.

BW's

B'saurus

I'm with Millerd, B'Saurus: seeing those beautiful photos makes me want to hibernate until May!

Best wishes

Hoggers

Hoggers wrote:I'm with Millerd, B'Saurus: seeing those beautiful photos makes me want to hibernate until May!

Best wishes

Hoggers

I know how you feel Hoggers, the winter seems to go on and on while the summers always fly by.

Lovely Orange Tip photos Rex, I agree that spring can't come quick enough The only mating pair I have seen was in late afternoon!

Mike

Maximus wrote:Lovely Orange Tip photos Rex, I agree that spring can't come quick enough The only mating pair I have seen was in late afternoon!

Mike

Thanks Mike I agree, I will keep a look out during the afternoons, thank you for the tip

Well here I am again dreaming of the spring and what it might bring. Hopefully some good numbers of these little beauties will fall within reach of my lens.

Taken in May 2011 Again in May 2011 Taken in May 2012 B'saurus

Hi Rex,

Lovely photos.

I think that when you go looking for mating Orange-tips you will have to make a day of it. As the only pair i have found copulating was at 9.45 in the morning, so you had better pack some lunch.

All the best, Nick.

hideandseek wrote:Hi Rex,

Lovely photos.

I think that when you go looking for mating Orange-tips you will have to make a day of it. As the only pair i have found copulating was at 9.45 in the morning, so you had better pack some lunch.

All the best, Nick.

Thanks Nick Knowing me I will be out there all day 'if I get half a chance' so I might as well start looking in the AM as well. Did you get a photo of them in cop Nick? I reckon that if I do ever see it I won't have my camera with ~ me such is life.

I got a photo Rex, as shown below. It was taken five years ago, i think my second year of photographing butterflies. All the best, Nick.