millerd

[Paul Harfield]

Hi Dave
Just catching up. I have to agree with others comments, your recent reports and pics are superb I cant single out a specific favourite, but Silver Studded Blues are always a joy

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Dave,

Looks like you had better weather than we did yesterday, rained all day again for the second Saturday on the trot.

Great shots of the Black Hairstreaks, better than I managed at Bernwood I nearly went to Whitecross Green the other day but lingered so long at Bernwood I ran out of time.

I would go for Narrow-bordered Five-spot for your Burnet moth as the middle pair of spots are well defined whereas in the Five-spot Burnet they tend to merge together although that is not a reliable distinguishing feature.
The Small White moth looks like a Spindle Ermine.

Cheers,

Neil

[Willrow]

Another set of great images to go with your interesting report Dave your micro-moth appears to be the Thistle Ermine...nice ain't they!

Oops! sorry Neil I didn't notice your Spindle Ermine suggestion, notice the two rows of black dots and the lack of an upturned slightly feathered wing-tip on Dave's image - Spindle doesn't have two rows of dots, only the one, and it does have an upturned slightly feathered wing-tip...hope I've explained clearly...but I doubt it

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"

[Neil Freeman]

Oops, that will teach me to dive in before I looked properly Bill is right. In my defence I only said it 'looked' like a Spindle Ermine , its just that looking at it again it looks more like a Thistle Ermine

Cheers,

Neil

[millerd]

Thank you Jack, Neil and Bill - very kind. And thank you for the moth ID - I am building up a collection of assorted moths taken rather haphazardly over the years. I don't think I've ever been close enough to a moth like that Ermine to get a picture before.

21st June: An hour or so this morning at Box Hill without a memory card in the camera - how daft! Marbled Whites were out on Burford Spur, plus Meadow Browns and at least four Dark Green Fritillaries. Just to annoy me I suspect, one landed right in front of me. Later in the day I was near the Hell Fire caves (West Wycombe), where more Marbled Whites were about.

22nd June: After work I thought I'd nip down to Box Hill again, this time with camera fully primed. At four o'clock, I steamed onto the M25, and stopped. The signs didn't say "queue" or even "delays". No, they said "J15 - J9 SEVERE DELAYS". Having joined at J14 and intending to drive to J9, you can imagine my annoyance. Plan B was invoked, involving coming off the motorway again and going instead to Dawney's Hill near Woking. It still took an hour and by the time I got there the bright sunshine was threatened by cloud. However, there were at least a dozen brave Silver-studded Blues battling the stiff breeze, and careful examination of the gorse and heather revealed quite a few more roosting. It's too early for Grayling, but a large female Meadow Brown did a passable impersonation, flying haphazardly into the air and then dropping down suddenly to disappear amongst the ground litter.

I'll have to try Box Hill again later in the week!

Dave

[Pauline]

Morning Dave, that M25 is a nightmare. On 14 July 2003 (the hottest day of that year) I was stuck on it for 7 hours!!!!! trying to get a sick bird to the vet - sadly died as a result . You have taken some smashing shots recently, especially those Meadow Browns . I take my hat off to you and others who have managed to get such great shots of BH . I have only tried once (and failed miserably) so I appreciate what a tricky little butterfly they can be.

[millerd]

Thank you for your kind comments about my photos, Pauline, and the sympathy on the matter of the M25. I do object to sitting in a queue almost within sight of my house... I'm glad others appreciate the Meadow Brown. it is common, much overlooked, but quite tricky to get photos when they are newly out, when the colours can be subtle and rich. The pile of discarded images outnumbered the ones you see by a factor of several dozen!

23rd June: one of those brief late after-work forays this evening. After six, and I managed to see three Red Admirals (all together in the same area), a Painted Lady, two Commas, two unidentified Whites, lots of Meadow Browns, a few Small Heaths and a few Common Blues.

The Comma photographed was neither of those seen a few days ago, though it was flying in the same spot.

There was also one elderly Brown Argus.

I haven't seen one of these for a some time - I wonder where it was hiding.

Earlier, I had seen a Painted Lady flying through Two Rivers car park in the middle of Staines.

Dave

[Maximus]

Nice shots from Whitecross Green Dave, I know just how tricky those Black Hairstreaks are!

[Wurzel]

Lovely Silver-studs and Red Admirals Dave I need to get down to Slop Bog methinks...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Willrow]

Hi Dave, I've always found Red Admiral a bit difficult to get a good image of, havn't got a clue why, I'm rarely satisfied with the end result...judging by your fine images of the species you don't have any difficulty

BW's

Bill

"When in doubt - venture out"

[millerd]

Thanks for your appreciative comments, Maximus, Wurzel and Bill.

I think the answer to the Red Admiral question, Bill, is... lots of practice. I have no shortage of this species locally and you get to know their habits - where they perch and so on. They are a fascinating study, almost a poor man's Purple Emperor.

24th June (part one): Sunshine - and a day off as well. I set off for Box Hill again , and despite an "incident" and a wide load on the M25, I was there in under 40 minutes. I went straight out onto Burford Spur, and was greeted almost immediately by a Dark Green Fritillary.

And then another. And then two more - in fact there were probably a dozen altogether, though it's difficult to be sure because they do commute over the trees at the bottom to the zig-zag slopes (I saw one from the car in this area on my way back). They are still largely new, and are a lovely sight careering across the hill, or pottering around close to the ground hopefully looking for females.

Also out in good numbers as always were the Marbled Whites - quite a contrast to the bright orange of the fritillaries. They were also largely new, and were occupying every knapweed flower, as well as nectaring on the privet bushes.

Other species around: Meadow Browns were ubiquitous, including this female with very scalloped hindwings.

There were lots of Large Skippers, a Speckled Wood or two, a few Small Heaths, a couple of Brimstones, a Common Blue and (in a repeat of my same visit last year) a female Small Blue.

Now to Denbies...

Dave

[bugboy]

Nice report from Box Hill Dave. We must have passed each other, I was there today as well. I would estimate 20 DGF from my wanderings. It was certainly a great day there today

[millerd]

June 24th (part two): From Box Hill, it's just a short drive to Denbies Hillside. As I set off across Steers Field, I soon encountered a single Dark Green Fritillary. This individual was taking far more rests than its neighbours across the Mole Valley, but was just as new, if not newer.

Continuing down to the gate onto the hillside proper via the path along the hedge on the western side of Steers Field, there were good numbers of Large Skippers, plus the first Small Skippers I have seen this year. There was another first too - a couple of sparring Meadow Browns resolved themselves into a Meadow Brown and a Ringlet.

I saw just the one of the latter, but I'm sure more will follow soon. Down on the slopes, there were more Skippers, more Meadow Browns, lots of Small Heaths, one Brimstone and quite a few Marbled Whites. The last of these species became less numerous as I walked westwards across the hillside. I tracked down to the bottom, where there was a bit of shelter, and came upon a single blue butterfly. It was a male Adonis, and in surprisingly good condition for so late on in the first brood.

Chalkhills will be appearing at any time (but not today). As I returned along the top path, a series of Small Tortoiseshells settled ahead of me, and then behind me as I passed.

Home now - but one detour first...

Dave

[millerd]

June 24th (part three): There was still time to take a detour off the M25 and have another look at Fairmile Common. As others have said, you cannot see too many Silver-studded Blues. There were probably more around than ten days ago, but annoying high cloud had diluted the sunshine, and for the most part the butterflies were roosting. However, some were flying under the warm overcast.

There were noticeably more females around today, and butterflies were to be found in all corners of the site.

Some were still fresh, so this spot is definitely still worth a visit soon with some bright sunshine bathing it.

As I returned to the car, I came upon a basking Small Tortoiseshell, soaking up what warmth it could.

Now it really was time to return home!

Dave

[trevor]

HI Dave,
You certainly had a busy day, just how i like them !. Some magnificent images too. Is there anything
finer than fresh DGF ?. Considering where you live you have some amazing sites to visit, even if some
involve the M25 ! .

Happy hunting,
TREVOR.

[Wurzel]

Whoa - I wish I could have had a day like that Those DGFs are lush plus I still need to get me some Silver-studs!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

It was a great day, Buggy and Trevor. I'm amazed I didn't bump into you, Buggy, as I covered much of the same ground as you during the early afternoon. I was lucky with the DGF photos, considering how energetic they were (which I am not!).

Go for those Blues, Wurzel! I'm a bit lucky with SSB sites not too far away and en route to other places... I'm looking forward to you catching up on your expeditions in the long dark evenings before Christmas - very welcome!

June 25th: Back to work today, but I engineered a break at lunchtime to pop into the nearby Country Park at Bedfont Lakes. Not a great deal was flying, mostly just a few Meadow Browns, Small Heaths and Large Skippers. However, there was an addition - along the path by the railway at least a dozen Small Skippers were now out.

As I made my way back to the entrance, a rather large white butterfly flopped down nearby. This turned out to be a fresh male Large White - possibly the largest one I've ever seen.

Home by five, so a local walk was in order too. Not a lot new here today: a couple of squabbling Red Admirals high over one of the paths, a couple of Speckled Woods in the shady bits of woodland, another (more reasonably proportioned) male Large White, a vibrant new hutchinsoni Comma.

There were more Large Skippers around now, including the first females...

...and once again hundreds of Meadow Browns. One of these seen away from the meadow area may well have been a Ringlet, but I didn't get close enough. Small Heaths were frequent, and in all states of freshness - they are continuous here throughout the season.

I watched one or two nectaring, flicking their wings open tantalisingly as I've seen them do before. I saw several Small Tortoiseshells today, mostly very fresh, but one which was much more worn was hovering in and out of a nettle patch. Finally, as at Bedfont, I found a couple of Small Skippers - the first here this year.

Goodness - what a lot of orange butterflies!

Dave

[bugboy]

Nice Pics there Dave. I finished early today and sneaked of for an hour or so on my local patch, I got Large, Small and my first Essex Skippers

[Wurzel]

Lovely shots Dave The second from last shot of the Small Skipper shows the most obvious sex brand I think I've ever seen!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Yes, Wurzel, no doubting the identity of that one!

No Essex here yet, Buggy - it can't be long now, though...

27th June: Limited opportunities today, so a quick walk locally only produced a few Meadow Browns, Small Whites and Speckled Woods, plus a rapidly passing Small Tortoiseshell and a likewise Red Admiral.

I also spotted a Comma nectaring on a large bank of brambles and managed a shot of the characteristic hutchinsoni underside.

Later on, I managed half an hour on the north side of Aston Rowant. There were numerous Small Tortoiseshells along both the top path and the one along the bottom hedge - as is common here.

Meadow Browns and Marbled Whites were widespread across the whole hillside.

There were also a few Small Heaths and good numbers of fresh Small Skippers appearing. Of the "old guard" I found a couple of Brown Argus, a Common Blue, and a worn male Adonis Blue, distinguishable by the intensity of what remained of its blue scaling. It looked dark blue in flight.

Finally, a visit to Beaconsfield Motorway Services on the M40 for a bit of refreshment produced a couple of Large Skippers by the very pleasant lake area, which has not been "sanitised" as many of these places are, leaving wild flowers to grow quite widely.

One Large Skipper demonstrated the phenomenal length of its proboscis.

In other years, I have seen Purple Hairstreaks in the oak trees here (but not today - a tad early perhaps).

Dave