PhilBWright

PhilBJohnson · Post by **PhilBJohnson** » Sat Mar 18, 2017 9:18 am

Thanks Wursel & Dave,
From 2015 at Bookham Common, Surrey, I have just put together this video showing a bit more about the Red Admirals aggressive?

, inquisitive?

territorial behaviour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1VPfUT5qwI

PhilBJohnson · Post by **PhilBJohnson** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 10:07 pm

21st March 2017 8c
Melissa and I visited Southrey Wood in Lincolnshire. A beautiful sunny day, loads of Wood Anemone in flower. A part of the wood is managed by Butterfly Conservation . Here is a link to my video diary:

https://youtu.be/7bTyppxWn1s

: Southrey Wood, Lincolnshire

PhilBJohnson · Post by **PhilBJohnson** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 9:04 pm

23rd March 2017 - Cool Breeze, 11c but Sunny in Lincolnshire.
Today Melissa and I visited a local orchard in Lincoln. I have been wanting to photo some Spring butterflies nectaring on blossom. Four different species of overwintering butterfly were seen in a sheltered location (no Red Admiral, I've not seen one since end of October 2016).
Please enjoy this video link from today presented by Melissa

https://youtu.be/jVKbTW3ZbbA

: Small Tortoiseshell on Fruit Tree Blossom

Wurzel · Post by **Wurzel** » Thu Mar 23, 2017 10:37 pm

A great Small Tort shot there Phil

Frequenting an Orchard sounds like a great idea, I suppose though it depends on how tall the trees are...either that or take a step-ladder with you

Have a goodun

Wurzel

PhilBJohnson · Post by **PhilBJohnson** » Fri Mar 24, 2017 11:05 pm

Thanks Wurzel,
We made the most of the sunny weather today. Bees were buzzing around full blossom, no butterflies on many tress, then 3 appeared at once on one small sprig sticking out from a boundary hedge. Two Commas went spiralling upwards into the sky, only one returning back to the blossom landing near to "scruffy" (a solitary damaged wings Peacock that I had seen yesterday possibly beaten up by storm Doris earlier this year !

: 24th March

https://youtu.be/BLYBcQ--b7s -Here is a link of a brimstone in slow motion and stills with wings open during takeoff taken on March 23rd & 24th 2017.

Kind Regards

PhilBJohnson · Post by **PhilBJohnson** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 10:11 pm

We visited Stapleford Wood near Newark recently. It has a car park and many wide surfaced tracks. For Lincolnshire woodland which I have visited, that is quite unusual!
However, much of it is a 1950s Pine plantation after many broadleaf trees were felled previously and native woodland species suffered as a result. In many Lincolnshire woods there is a long term plan to remove the Pine as they are harvested and make way for broadleaf native trees as were previously there. I must return in 300 years time to see the results

On the Forestry Commission map board we have a Painted Lady Butterfly which most of us know are migratory and can turn up almost anywhere and they do depending on wind direction etc. Perhaps a few get blown into the Wood!

: Painted Lady

David M · Post by **David M** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 10:15 pm

It's a bit of a con to advertise Painted Ladies as a species to be found on a site in the UK.

As you say, this butterfly can turn up almost anywhere in any given year.

PhilBJohnson · Post by **PhilBJohnson** » Tue Mar 28, 2017 12:33 am

This is my most recent butterfly video recorded on 24th & 25th March. I hope that the quality and content has improved. It might have done a little bit, because my wife is presenting it

https://youtu.be/xvDR1rHoJqg

Kind Regards

PhilBJohnson · Post by **PhilBJohnson** » Thu Mar 30, 2017 9:08 pm

30th March 2017
"A good (mid) day in the Orchard"
The notice board states that the Orchard glades are a magnet for butterflies in the Spring and has become one for me too!

Kind Regards

David M · Post by **David M** » Thu Mar 30, 2017 9:40 pm

Some lovely specimens in those images, Phil. Interesting to see the Tortoiseshells on the blossom. That's the only one of the vanessid adult overwinterers I've never seen doing that...Commas, Peacocks and Red Admirals are all regulars but, certainly near me, Small Tortoiseshells generally nectar near the ground.

bugboy · Post by **bugboy** » Thu Mar 30, 2017 10:16 pm

David M wrote:Some lovely specimens in those images, Phil. Interesting to see the Tortoiseshells on the blossom. That's the only one of the vanessid adult overwinterers I've never seen doing that...Commas, Peacocks and Red Admirals are all regulars but, certainly near me, Small Tortoiseshells generally nectar near the ground.

I regularly see Small Torts on Blackthorn blossom.

David M · Post by **David M** » Thu Mar 30, 2017 10:43 pm

bugboy wrote:I regularly see Small Torts on Blackthorn blossom.

Don't have much of that round here, Bugboy, sadly.

PhilBJohnson · Post by **PhilBJohnson** » Fri Mar 31, 2017 7:36 am

Thanks guys for your contributions.
There is a very strong scent radiating out from the Orchard at the moment attracting the overwintering butterflies in (even I can smell it

) When I first saw a Peacock, i only saw one and it was the same single Peacock I saw the next day. a week later, all change, many more Peacocks have arrived from a wider area having flown a longer distance in the warmth.
In August I think the nectaring habits of these butterflies are slightly different as they need to build up reserves for the winter (often on buddleia). I have noticed most activity from Small Tortoiseshells nectaring on blossom when they first arrive for the day or when the sun starts to warm, then after that, in the afternoon they appear more interested in courtship & sparring, landing on or near nettles. But because of the close proximity of the nettles and fruit trees in this Orchard, nectaring can happen almost anytime between sparring sessions.
As Peacocks, Commas & Small Tortoiseshells are generally a bit scruffy after sparring near nettles, I think some of these blossom shots make up for some lost beauty even if the photos are taken slightly further away:

: 31st March

At the moment, I would like to inspire others to pursue the challenge of recording the beautiful flight actions of butterflies in slow motion. Here is the flap,flap, glide actions of the Comma and Peacock recorded on my mobile phone (240 frames a second, played back eight X slower):
https://youtu.be/D7FLuvpEjJs
The right guys with the right kit could really make an amazing video of our Uk species as never seen before. At the moment we have snippets. The Orange Tip Butterfly is shown superbly here in slow motion:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... ty-shannon
Available on BBC iplayer if you have a TV licence
Several species always land with their wings closed so I guess showing the beauty of butterflies like this in flight will be another nail in the coffin for collectors who pin them,
Kind Regards

PhilBJohnson · Post by **PhilBJohnson** » Sat Apr 01, 2017 9:29 am

bugboy wrote:
David M wrote:Some lovely specimens in those images, Phil. Interesting to see the Tortoiseshells on the blossom. That's the only one of the vanessid adult overwinterers I've never seen doing that...Commas, Peacocks and Red Admirals are all regulars but, certainly near me, Small Tortoiseshells generally nectar near the ground.
I regularly see Small Torts on Blackthorn blossom.

: March Small Tortoiseshells

I am not a fruit tree expert but I guess this is Apple Blossom.
On this occasion, one butterfly was nectaring (guessing again, it's the female) and the other open wings butterfly was following her closely (guessing again, it's the male).
This next picture might shed more light on the sexes, judging by the shape of the abdomen:

: Nectaring & Courting?

I was really fortunate on this occasion to get close enough with my mobile phone without climbing trees and that the butterflies were in good condition considering they had overwintered.

David M · Post by **David M** » Sat Apr 01, 2017 11:04 pm

PhilBWright wrote:I was really fortunate on this occasion to get close enough with my mobile phone without climbing trees and that the butterflies were in good condition considering they had overwintered.

If you've managed to take those images with a mobile then you have done very well indeed, Phil.

PhilBJohnson · Post by **PhilBJohnson** » Fri Apr 07, 2017 8:23 pm

Hi David,
I often use my mobile phone but also go armed with my Canon Camera with optical zoom lens if my legs are not fast enough catching up with butterflies & for other reasons including tree top pictures (well practiced with the Purple Emperors at Bookham previously):D.
6th April
Melissa & I are still enjoying the Fruit Tree blossoms in the Orchard which can make a really nice picture composition at this special time of year. I am looking forward to seeing Holly Blues, Speckled Woods & Orange Tip butterflies soon. These 3 species are quite numerous in Lincolnshire but we run behind the warmer south of the UK. 20c forecast and almost full sun for the weekend !

Video diary link to "Lincoln's Secret Orchard: 6th April:
https://youtu.be/NzfhSO54F4I

Kind Regards

PhilBJohnson · Post by **PhilBJohnson** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 10:20 pm

8th April-Recently made Peacock video clip.
I found a new Peacock Lekking Territory on the Lincoln Cliff where given the right conditions I should be able to obtain some improved video footage. I was absolutely delighted by the butterfly landing on me and using my arm as a perch which I have never experienced before with this species.
They are hard to film in action as it all happens so quickly and at distance. I saw several Brimstone encounters and duels of up to 4 Peacocks at a time, conflicts with Comma and a bumble bee! A fun afternoon watching butterfly behaviour:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlKd1VuWJCs

: These are video images turned into JPEG Pictures

: Peacock in Flight

Kind Regards

PhilBJohnson · Post by **PhilBJohnson** » Wed Apr 12, 2017 8:51 am

11th April - Cross O Cliff Orchard
A few nettle stings in the Orchard yesterday. I started off a little upset as I failed to pair my new monopod successfully with bluetooth connection to my mobile phone.
Melissa and I sat in a glade full of those plants I can never remember the name of.-Oh yes "forget-me-nots"

.
We waited for some butterflies to fly past and then at about 2:30pm the sky started to clear and Speckled Wood butterflies that were absent a few days ago before the weekend, emerged and started duelling over a period of approx. 45 minutes.
The new monopod (or selfie stick) for my mobile phone just means that I don't always have to get quite as close to a butterfly to take a close picture. This is helpful when considering my big scary shadow

It also means I can bring the mobile phone camera a bit closer when the butterfly is out of reach or stinging nettles are too close for comfort. I have also considered a homemade extension to standard monopod. - You can just imagine

I think my best work with my phone & camera is done when I know I am not being watched by others. It just helps me concentrate on what I am trying to achieve.
The Orchard being overlooked just means I won't visit as often as I would like.
This little guy was very interesting though:

I will expand when I have some more time,
Kind Regards

Wurzel · Post by **Wurzel** » Wed Apr 12, 2017 5:18 pm

Looking forward to the 'expansion' Phil, as David said a great set of shots with a mobile, my iPod ones don't even come close to those

The video stills are great too - happiness when the Peacock lands and then sad face when it leaves

Have a goodun

Wurzel

PhilBJohnson · Post by **PhilBJohnson** » Mon Apr 17, 2017 9:24 am

Thanks Wurzel, I have several slow motion clips of that butterfly duelling with another.
Sunday April 16th
Two more Speckled Woods Duelling.
From my understanding, the male Speckled Wood perches waiting for a female to pass by or patrols. When another male is encountered, fights over territory take place, when a female is encountered, she is pursued and when two females encounter each other, I am not quitesure what normally happens? From these video still images (screen shots), I wonder if an expert can tell by looking if these two are definitely two male butterflies (as I suspect) or other? Are some of these images clear enough to tell?
If someone could let me know, it might help my understanding and presentation, thanks: