Gary.N

[Wurzel]

Fantastic Brown Argus and those Small Pearls are pretty lush especially the last one, beautiful markings I'm intrigued about the Coppers , you left us hanging again

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Gary.N]

Wurzel. I will get to the Copper's, but keep expectations low. I just saw more Copper abs an I had the right to see in one summer.

5th August 2017

It was a quick trip around Abbot's, has the forecast for that day was for it to cast over. Which it did. I wanted to see if I could find more Small Pearls and also they were likely to be the freshed Butterflies I could find. I was wrong about the second part. I found a stunning Common Blue Female. Just hatched , a nice Comma, some Pearls and finally a Wall Brown.

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6th August 2017

Another transect day, but got a few nice photos.

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[Wurzel]

More great shot Gary, the colours on the SPBF in particular are really stand out Still looking forward to the Coppers (who wouldn't?) but with expectations damped down slightly

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Gary.N]

Back to it, after a week break due to my monitor going wrong. It late so I will be a quick post.

12th August 2017
A quick trip to Abbot's to count Pearls.

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13th August 2017
Transect today. But after the transect I stay on the Heath to see if I could find some Silver Spotted Skipper's. I found a really nice female that had just hatched. I even had her on my finger at one point.

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[Wurzel]

Cracking Silver-spots Gary and even one on your hand

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Nice to see a summer Brimstone, Gary. Well done. Those Silver Spotted Skippers are a joy to behold too.

[Gary.N]

Thanks David. Thanks Wurzel. I always see alot of Brimstone's, but it's alway hard to catch them on anything but purple flowers and the Heath is always good for skippers.

20th August 2017

It wasn't a good weather weekend and I had thing to do. But I got a trip to Abbot's in. SPBF's were still flying around. I also got some photos of some rescued Purple Streak eggs from fallen oak branches.

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Eggs are still going well.

[Gary.N]

Coppers

I love these little devil's. This year I have seen more than my share of Abs. All of them were on them were around the Friston Forest area. I have looked for years for Copper abs and found none. Then these all at once.

The first one I have posted a picture of at the start of the year but the underside. Did know about it until I looked at it again. Ab.oblitera

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These 2 were taken a week apart, but both were on my transect. I try both times to find them again after I had finished them didn't. They are both Ab.Radiata

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On the walk up to the Heath I also found this one, with very dark forewings.

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It look abit like Ab.brunnescens or Ab.antiultraeleus. But not sure what ab it is.

The next 2 were taken 10 feet from one another.
The first is another Ab.Radiata but the orange was almost gone which would have been Ab.obsoleta. It doesn't stop the the forewings are almost Ab.extensa. So can anyone tell me which one it is?

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The second and my last ab is almost another Ab.oblitera.

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[Butterflysaurus rex]

Hi Gary, the long hours you put in on your transect have seriously paid off! Looks like you've had a great year, you have taken loads of terrific photos and with only a couple of days a week to do all this in! I've only ever seen about 3 Small Copper ab's so to find as many as you have during this year is amazing. I look forward to seeing what else you've got up your sleeve in the posts to come.

[Wurzel]

That second one is radiata and caeruleopunctata I know you asked to lower the expectations Gary but you needn't have - these are first class finds It seems though that abs are like buses

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Beautiful array of unusual Coppers there, Gary, especially that fourth one, which is exceptionally dark.

[Gary.N]

Thanks James,

It has been a great year. I may not of seen the Purple Emporers, Wood Whites, Dukes and the like. But the heath alway seens to come up with the goods. It is one of those magical places once you learn it's secrets. Then there are those days when you think oh no another transect, another 10 mile walk, but once started you never know what you will find. Half the time it cloud because of the heaths micro-climate and you sit there waiting for clear blue skies what is alway half a mile off. And then you find a gem. Wouldn't have it any other way. Then there is the Pearls. A once in a life time opportunity. Yes a great year, with more to post.

Glad you liked the Abs Wurzel.

I think i'll have too correct that I haven't seen a Copper ab before this year if you included Caeruleopunctata. It is a common one where I walk, about 25% of Copper are Caeruleopunctata. So I find it hard to call it an Ab and not just natural variation.

David,

That dark Copper was a beauty. I got just 5 shots before it disappeared never to be found by me again.

[Gary.N]

August Bank Holiday weekend.

A very good weekend for me.

26th August 2017

A transect day with some good news on the walk up there. The car park which I normally walk from was full up, so I had to go to the Gallop's. That when I was my first Adonis for over 18 months on the Gallops. I thought they were gone for good. But there wasn't just one. There were many of them. Had to drag myself away just to do my transect.

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Watch out mate spider alert.

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27th August 2017

I had to go back a find some more Adonis. It was worth it. I found a partial ab.krodeli and I got an adonis egg.

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[millerd]

That's an amazing selection of Small Copper abs you found, Gary. Some are stunning. I've never got beyond the blue-spotted ones, which as you say are so common as to be within normal variation. The Adonis are very nice too - always good to find something where you weren't expecting it.

Dave

[Gary.N]

28th August 2017 Bank Holiday Cont.

I thought I would try an old site that once had Adonis on it. I hadn't see one there for about 3 years and I found some.

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It was at about this point that I was walking back to the car when I got a phone call from James. I had a really nice Tortoiseshell in front of me at the time. James told me about the QoS at Newhaven. So I forgive him about the Tortoiseshell. So my weekend went from great to a fantastic weekend. Thanks to James.

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[Wurzel]

Some fantastic QoS shots Gary, I'd almost gotten over my envy as well Some great Adonis variations as well - I particularly like the second down from three posts back with the "!" on the fore wing

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Allan.W.]

Hello Gary,
That's a great selection of Coppers there Gary,the two Radiatas in particular,reckon all of your IDS; are spot on ,and as you say the second one is almost (but not quite !) Obsoleta ,and again as you intimated the other I would call AB; Radiata/ Extensa . Some other great images there !
Regards Allan.W.

[David M]

I never tire of seeing photos of those UK Queens, Gary! What a sequence!

[millerd]

Nice to see the Queens looking fresher than when I caught up with them a few days later. A lovely set of shots.

Dave

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Great QOS sequence Gary! I’m pleased you made it over to enjoy the spectacle. Excellent reports and images from your transect too. I hope to join you up there next year.

Best wishes

James