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Hi Wurzel,

Cracking reports and photos

Loving your 'Little Gnome Orchid', one of those things that once seen, cannot be unseen

Thinking about it, some butterfly common names have changed over the years, your Hedge browns/Gatekeepers being an obvious example, I wonder.....

Cheers,

Neil F.

As always, I'm thoroughly enjoying your diary, Wurzel, but I agree - the little gnome, in his dungarees or baby-grow, is just brilliant!

Guy

Cheers Nick, Neil and Guy for the kind comments Little Gnome Orchid it'll be from now on . If other Orchids are as ridiculous looking as this I might have to get into them just for laughs!

Field near work

Last Friday I went out for a break at lunchtime and after a disappointing time at Vera Jones I checked out another place a bit nearer. In fact it’s just over the road from work and is just a bit of waste ground. Waste ground to some, to me butterfly haven. The grasses have gone crazy in the last couple of weeks and are now almost at my chest height, some of them are so tall they almost obscure the path behind a straw screen.
First up was a Marbled White looking incongruous flying over tarmac! Then I reached the site itself and waded my way along the path. Large Thistles poked up from amongst the grasses and there were three Small Torts feeding amid the baking sun. Further along I started seeing small golden blobs amongst Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns and Ringlets. A few were Large Skipper but most were smaller Smessex and in good numbers. I set about trying to get close enough and found the best way was to walk along the path and then stop every now and again and they’d come to me almost. After finding my first Essex Skippers at Larkhill I was after some shots of the males so that I could see the smaller, finer straight androconi but I was happier with the shots below to be honest. I cut across the field breaking through onto the path that runs along the margin. Here there were Brambles along sides and the butterflies present were mainly more Ringlets and Meadow Browns but I couldn’t stay too long due to the huge Horseflies. Not quite as big as those at Bentley but still enough to cause a massive bite. Once back on the site proper I wandered the paths watching the antics of the Skippers. One would be nicely settled before another would buzz it. There would be a golden blur spiralling upwards as they both took off and had a bit of a “discussion” before separating and bombing off in different directions with their jinking flight. I tried following it and most f my time was wondering if they’d ever land. Then when they did the process would repeat itself again. It was a cracking little drama to watch. Eventually I found a nice front on Small Skipper nicely showing the “indicator lights” and then had to head back stopping briefly for a pair of Ringlet in cop. I seem to be doing alright for “cop” shots this year I had to stay to do some bouncing for the year 11 Leavers Prom so to kill an hour of so I popped back. Others went to the pub but I prefer to drink when I know I don’t have to drive for at least another 8 hours. It was still as hot if not hotter and everything was turbo charged so in the end I found a good patch and watched and enjoyed. There were battles, buzzing, hassling, exploding from the grasses etc etc. One Smessex was posing problems as it seemed to have a chubby abdomen (female?) but also small straight sex brands (male Essex?) with hook tips, not drum stick shaped antennae (Small?). In end I went with female small – as sex brands weren’t they were just veins after all. I also found gliding H.Comma at the bottom of the hill which eventually stopped gliding along the trees here but again I couldn’t stay long as the Horseflies were loving the dappled shade just as much as the Comma! I started to make my way back through the ever increasing number of Skipper skirmishes when I reached the path where the turf is lower and there I found something different – a worn Small Copper. I think this is my fourth or fifth this year but this is only the second site I’ve seen them at! Judging by the wear this individual showed it must have been here a while so was obviously hiding from me. Again time ran out so I had to head back and get into my monkey suit, adopt an impassive face and stand stock still barring the entrance. I was going to make a stop off on the way home but it was getting dark and it was still baking.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Nice photos Wurzel, especially the Essex Skippers.

All the best

Mike

Cheers Mike

Bentley Wood

Hearing reports and reading posts about Purple Emperors made me realise that the silly season is upon us and so I headed over to Bentley Wood with the girls in tow and a tin of Polish fish paste tucked in my man bag. We started off in the Eastern Clearing hoping to find some Dark Green Fritillaries which would save me a trip later in the week. As it was a single White Admiral glided around without stopping in that frustrating way that they do when we arrived in the clearing proper. It was joined very briefly by a Silver Washed which bombed past amongst the numerous Ringlets, Meadow Browns and Marbled Whites.
We then walked through the woodland path to the track stopping on the way for my first 2 gatekeepers of the year. My obsession has started again and I couldn’t help noticing that the first one had 6 white spots on the under wing, which I think is a new one for my collection. The other was multiocellata (if that is the correct term) with a diamond marking on the fore under wing just below the “eye”. A great start to my Gatekeeper variation records for 2013! After a brief stop back at the car we then took main track down to the crossroads bumping into the same chap from my Small Pearl visit. As we walked long the baking track there seemed to be surprisingly few butterflies about – the odd Ringlet, Large Skipper or Meadow Brown but not the usual large numbers of Frits gliding over the fern tops, silvery Purple Hairstreaks flying around the tops of the Oaks and definitely no sign of His Nibbs despite seeing 3 and an Empress along this stretch last year. Is it too hot for butterflies – it was still just after 8am but already the temps were in the high 20’s?
At the crossroads we took the left hand track (opposite direction to the White-letters) and to left of the path I found a large clump of bramble just off the path hidden behind a screen of Ferns. In here there was another SWF and a WA and this one allowed closer views. It always seems odd to me that when at rest WAs are black with white markings yet when they are gliding and flying they appear almost white/silver. Distractions over we continued along the path then bent round to the right towards Donkey Copse. The girls set up camp and at the junction they took great delight in laying down some fish paste. I’m not sure now that it was the right stuff as the women in the Polish deli didn’t speak great English and I have only 3 Polish phrases, none of which work outside of a pub! While we waited the girls read their books and drained all the life out of my iPod and I settled for a few Silver-washed Fritillary shots. As we were watching a WA He finally appeared, His Nibbs. It was as if he’d just materialised. After a few glides by He went again but those few circuits around the wood were a joy to behold. Big and very fast, powerful and much more stocky than a WA in flight and the wings looked broader too. He returned and landed briefly on a tree so I got a distant shot, I watched as he opened his wings and blue shone through, ace. Unfortunately one of our number was too keen and He was spooked. He shot off not to be seen by me again. The girls decamped and we worked our way further round adding more Skipper, Meadow Browns and the occasional Silver Washed to the days tally along with a “wave” moth. At one point I watched a small silvery butterfly fly across from one Oak to another, the wings looked almost square – a definite Purple Hairstreak. There were a few more SWF’s bombing along but we didn’t have any more joy with Purple Emperor despite checking the same area later in the afternoon. So hot, tired and sticky from sweat and sun cream we wandered back to the car park, stopping occasionally en route for a few more Silver-washed. Once in the car park I tried leaving the doors to my car open in the vain hope that it might encourage any Purps to come down and have a try. As well as a brief fly-by WA and a few Silver-washed a H.Comma also put in an appearance. After a brie Just as we were leaving we bumped into Rob H he’d had a grounded individual on the first track we’d been on (groan) but by then we’d been out of the house for almost 7 hours so I did the decent thing and took the girls. Well after a quick stop off at Figsbury to check out where the site actually is (Skippers, Small Tort and Red Admiral all in the car park). I have to confess that during the day it was amazing but on reflection I’m slightly disappointed after last year’s fantastic party atmosphere and sightings aplenty included grounded individuals. Perhaps they’ve all been invited to Fermyn? Still seeing His Nibbs was still an honour and a privilege...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Think you could be right,Wurzel-there were 20 or more on the ground at Fermyn yesterday! What a splendid sight they were. But any sight of his royal purpleness is a memorable encounter-nevermind the quantity,it's all about the quality!

Evening Wurzel - I can certainly empathise with you re PE. It does seem a bit like hard work this year to get a close up view but when it eventually happens, doesn't it make it all the more satisfying. Not quite the same when you're tripping over them

Cheers Essex - if only I could upload my memories to do my post

Cheers Pauline - I don't know about satisfaction I'm quite prepared to enjoy them less and be tripping over them

Have a goodun

Wurzel

You're right of course Wurzel - it's just that I'm a deep shade of green seeing all these magnificent photos returning from Fermyn Perhaps one day ...........

Cheers Pauline - I reckon Fermyn is definitely on my wish list of places to visit

Martin Down – an evening visit

I had been ogling the fantastic shots of Dark Green Fritillaries that have been littering the site for a week or more and last Tuesday I rushed over to Martin Down once the girls were ready for bed to try and get some of my own. My visits in the last couple of years have seen plenty of action in the car park but that wasn’t the case on this evening. In fact I was slightly worried because despite the immense heat there didn’t seem to be much about. I headed to my usual hotspot, through the car park and the little cut through to the dip that rises up to Borkerley and as I broke through the Hawthorns a fantastic sight presented itself to me. There were butterflies everywhere; Meadow Browns, Marbled Whites and Ringlets in amongst a multitude of Smessex Skippers and more importantly from my point of view, almost as many DGFs! I’d heard tell that there were hundreds of them here and that seemed about right.
On the drive to the reserve I wondered what I’d see and ran through in my head the type of shots I’d like to get in order of priority...

1. Anything DGF! – essentially for the yearly tally/list. 2. Underwing – I’ve only had limited success as they are always so active. The best I’ve had was from a pair in cop but a “gooseberry” kept getting into shot or with sun behind so appearing “Stained Glass”. So to get one of those field guide, classic shots would be great. 3. Topside showing off all their ginger loveliness. 4. Close-ups. I like to try and get a few close ups of all the species I encounter if possible, and Dark Greens offer a bit of a challenge as they can be so active but challenges aren’t supposed to be easy to achieve. 5. Stained glass – to go in my collection. 6.Habitat. It’s good to try and get some shots that tell the story and place the butterfly in context, something different from the usual, something that offers perhaps a little insight into the life of the butterfly. Sometimes I worry that when I’m selecting shots I miss out some that represents the butterfly as a living organism merely because they’re not sharp enough, or there’s a shadow or perhaps part of the wing is out of focus etc. Anyway I like to think that this shot kinda placed it in context – nowhere near a Padfield but the intention was there. Despite everything going exactly to my plan for DGFs I didn’t have everything I was hoping for as I was hoping to get some slightly better shots of WA and SWF in the cooler temps of evening over in Kitts Wood. The cooler temperatures didn’t really happen so even though I saw both species they weren’t hanging around even at 8pm. So I just enjoyed the wander and the glorious evening light. As I was winding my way homewards something caught my eye – a communal roost of Smessex Skippers. Try as I might I could only get 5 of the 8 or so in one shot and the way they were arranged made a fantastic curve shape amongst the grasses. A fantastic evening and well worth the wait. My only concern now is that the heatwave has brought the butterflies on strong and now they’ll burn out before we get a proper chance to enjoy them?
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi Wurzel,

Some cracking shots there, especially DGF underside Tick 2 and the communal Smessex Skippers

Cheers,

Neil F.

Cheers Neil

Small Trip to town

On Friday I had to pop into town to get some necessaries and as it was still as hot as it was at midday I packed my camera into my man bag and set off. At this time of year my camera goes pretty much everywhere with me, wrapped up in a wooly hat to stop any minor bumps and scratches, because you never know what you might see. In fact I didn’t take it to town on Wednesday and missed shots of some second brood Holly Blues . So now wherever I go the Nikon goes too.
The evening was no exception. As I strolled along the river I saw a likely looking Buddleia on the opposite bank. There was a walk way right up to it if I hoped over a small gate so this I did and gently approached the bush. Straight away I found a Small Tortoiseshell taking nectar and then it was joined by a White. I turned my attention back to the Small Tortoiseshell which was so intent on feeding I managed to get some close-up shots. Still I had some food to get so after this couple of minutes of break I climbed back over the gate and back into the noisy, busy real world. It’s these small moments of meditation that make all the difference .

Have a goodun

Wurzel

All lovely photos Wurzel, especially the Dark Green Fritillaries.

Cheers

Mike

Cheers Mike for your kind comments

Another week at Larkhill

From the 10th until the 16th I made a few stops at Larkhill in the mornings with the occasional one in the afternoon. I also tried Woodhenge once or twice but there are road works and traffic lights that would eat away at my 5 minutes in place on the main road there. Also I had to interview an applicant on one of the days and I don’t think it would have made too good an impression turning up with grass seeds sticking out over my shoes and suit. Over the week I saw a wide array of species and found that each time I stopped I’d find something new and something which made the stop worthwhile.

10-07
At the start of my visits there were plenty of the Browns around but the Skippers had started to steal the show. Not the small, fast and showy Smessex but the old timers. The Large Skippers made their mark by hanging in there and bullying their smaller cousins. Some were holding territories and awaiting possibly their first or possibly another chance of mating. They were often to be found sitting Green Hairstreak like on the end of Hawthorn branches and then they would fly out and investigate when other butterflies appeared.
The one that really stole the show was an aged Grizzlie the first one I’ve ever encountered in July which is indicative of the lateness of the season. He didn’t look like he was going to be of this world much longer but looks can be deceiving as after I’d taken a few shots a Ringlet chanced to pass and he was off hassling it like a miniature incandescent ball of rage. 11-07
The following day it was relatively quiet and I found things to be quite jittery so I spent my time watching Marbled Whites mainly. They would fly in the morning light and would appear all kinds of shades from silvery through to a soft lemony colour (probably the females) and sometimes I thought they also picked up or reflected the hue from their surroundings. One was very settled and even allowed me to straighten its wings slightly so I could get them in focus. I just lightly pushed the wings towards me and he obliged by shifting ever so slightly so all the wing was in focus. 12-07
After some success at getting dew covered butterflies I had another go but this time on Ringlets. It was harder to get as close as they seemed to prefer roosting in the middle of the shrubbery or low to the ground unlike their more amenable cousins the Marbled Whites which would climb tot eh top and sit on the flower heads posing nicely. So the Ringlets were a struggle and when I write my “The Real Nature of Butterflies” book Ringlets are going down as “flightly, skittish and just generally awkward, bit of a prima donna”. 15-07
The number of browns was increasing by the day it seemed so it would have been churlish to have ignored them anymore. Mind you I wish I had as I had a frustrating 4 minutes trying to stalk them for a shot. A male would be sitting on the Hawthorn basking wings stretched out and I’d be within a metre when out of the grass in front of me 2 or 3 more would erupt spooking not just the butterfly I was stalking but everything else around and I would be back to square one. It’s got to that time of year where the novelty has worn off and they’re becoming pains again now! However to cheer me up I found my first Larkhill Gatekeeper of 2013. 16-07
The final visit I made in this series I realised that I’d been missing out on the skippers as they would buzz off almost as soon as I pulled up in the car park. So I went looking for Essex Skippers and wasn’t disappointed. These really are great little critters and once you’ve got your eye in to the more obvious differences – sex brand, ink pads and antennae shape some other differences start to present themselves. For instance I reckon that Essex have more rounded faces than Small and to my eye look more like Teddy Bears (though I see Gnomes in Orchids ) and the wings margins look a different shade. I’ve visited Larkhill over a few more mornings this last week but that will be the final series until possibly September as I break up for the summer on Wednesday – just as the weather breaks -typical!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Lovely pictures of the teddy bears, Wurzel! Just wait till the Silver-spotted lot are out - they are even more cuddly-looking in my opinion.

Dave

Great read as usual Wurzel. I totally agree with you about the Ringlets being awkward, forever messing the photographer about, little bu.....

Judging by your diary i`m sure your book will be a great success and, an excellent read.

All the best, Nick.

More great reports and photos Wurzel, always an entertaining read

That sounds like a great idea for a book, definitely one to look forward to

Cheers,

Neil F.

Cheers Dave, Nick and Neil for your kind comments The book is one of three I'm planning to write. One is going to be about butterflies on poo and the other is a photo book of butterflies in cop as I've now got shots of four Fritillaries, 3 Blues, 3 Browns and Hairstreaks all caught "at it"

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hmmm. Coffee table books or ones for the smallest room? ... One sounds eminently suitable for the latter

Dave

Cheers Dave I reckon one is definitely for reading while cogitating

Bentley Wood Part 2

Last Sunday I arranged to meet Philzoid at Bentley Wood in the hope of some further Purple Emperor action. As I live a hell of a lot closer than Philzoid I arrived first and knowing how busy it can get I took up two spaces in the car park and then went to join the crowd in the car park. All the usual suspects put in an appearance with a White Admiral and Silver Washed Fritillary treating us to fly-bys until His Nibbs arrived on the scene and overshadowed them both. He did a few passes over head, rested for a bit high up, did a few more passes and then disappeared. A Purple Hairstreak and a few Whites tried in vain to fill the gap he’d left and then Philzoid and his girls arrived so we set off to Donkey Copse. A short way along the main track it has a dip and on the left is a large patch of Bramble. I’ve seen all manner of species here and it’s a regular hot spot for me and just as I was saying this to Philzoid something landed on the path but it was a White Admiral. Slightly further on it was joined by a Red Admiral which actually settled for long enough to become my first photographed this year. This little area again proved to draw in the butterflies with another Red and then White Admiral, Silver Washed, Large Skippers and Ringlets all taking nectar from the Brambles as well as a Small White. We stopped here for a while wondering if His Nibbs would join the fray here as He had done the previous year but after a short while we decided to press on. Slightly further on Philzoid and I were wandering along alternately scanning the track ahead and the tree line when we got called back by the girls as they’d “found one”. Unfortunately it was a dead one if you can call it that as all that remained was a hind wing and the two fore wings. I took a few shots just in case all the while hoping that this wouldn’t be the closest shots I’d get.
At the cross roads we checked the puddles out but they’d almost completely dried up and so we took a left and started down the track towards Donkey Copse. All the way along Silver Washed and White Admirals tried to tempt us off the path. Whites flew by as well as various members of the Browns – a single Marbled White, Meadow Browns and Ringlets a plenty as well as a cracking little Gatekeeper or three. Remembering the aberrant Ringlets reported recently I took a closer look at some of them and came across one which reduced eyes and also a paler band in form the margin. Also here were Purple Hairstreaks flitting around the Oaks but staying out of lens range unfortunately. Another patch of Bramble near to the corner at the end of the path was host to a fresh looking Peacock. How come they look more reddish and less purple at this time of year? Just around the corner we bumped into the same bloke from last year and he was all baited up...
Have a goodun

Wurzel