Katrina

[Katrina]

Thanks Goldie and thanks to Neil too. Added bonus photo

[trevor]

Brilliant stuff, Katrina. Knepp is a different proposition to Steyning,
with many males coming down to nectar. ( never seen a male at Steyning ).
With the Brown Hairstreak putting in so many appearances at Knepp,
it's possibly more addictive.

PS. Just seen your female......... Stunning.

[bugboy]

Wonderful Hairstreaks Katrina, the weather's not allowed me an open wing shot this year yet

[Katrina]

Thanks Trevor, Knepp is certainly on a different scale than Steyning.
Thanks Bugboy, I really liked your Brown Hairstreak on Hogweed with the dark background shot too.

[essexbuzzard]

Wow, absolutely stunning hairstreak pictures, Katrina. Looks like Knepp will be going on my list of places to visit!

[Wurzel]

Absolutely beautiful shots Katrina - the contrast between the bright bodies and the white body is cracking

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

You hit the jackpot when you bump into Neil Hulme, Katrina!

So glad you got a good audience with this precious species. Even better that you did so when the weather wasn't your friend!

[Katrina]

Thanks essexbuzzard - Knepp is certainly worth a visit - much bigger than any other site I go to (still get lost a bit).
Thanks Wurzel and David, very lucky allround.

[Katrina]

With bad weather forecast I decided my only chance was to get out early. I went to Chantry Hill and found flying Meadow Browns and roosting Blues and one roosting Small Heath. I needn't have got up so early as they were all still roosting when I left at 8am.
It seems trickier than you would think identifying them. Can anyone tell me if the photo below is a female Chalkhill or Adonis Blue?

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Katrina

I only ever see Adonis at Chantry as solo wanderers, once every couple of years. Based on this, and timing, you can be almost certain that this is a female Chalk Hill Blue.

BWs, Neil

[Katrina]

Thanks Neil

[kevling]

Katrina,

You know when you live 3 hours away from Knepp and everyone keeps posting great photos of Brown Hairstreaks....grrr

Seriously though, enjoying your sequence of photos. The bonus photo on 31/7 is simply stunning. The colours are so bold and vivid.

Regards Kev

[Wurzel]

I'd also go with Chalkhill and a beautifully marked one at that, cracking photo

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Katrina]

Thanks Kev, if it makes you feel better I know the frustration of seeing people get great photos when you're at work and then it raining when you are off!
Thanks Wurzel, I have decided I can't tell the difference by closed wing appearance, it looked to me just like a photo in the Chalkhill and Adonis photo albums!

[Katrina]

I wasn't planning on going back to Knepp but my sister decided she wanted to see Brown Hairstreaks having never seen them. We saw some but they weren't coming down for us. Also seen were Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Small Coppers, Small Heaths,Large Whites, Speckled Woods, Purple Hairstreaks, Small Tortoiseshells ,Red Admirals, Common Blues a single Peacock and a single Small Skipper.

[Wurzel]

That's a cracking shot of the Small Tort Katrina, great composition

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Katrina]

While I was at Knepp on Sunday I was sitting on the grass looking up at a tree with a few Purple Hairstreaks when I noticed one 30cm from me in the grass. I watched it for a while and noticed it had half a wing missing and half an antenna. I wondered if it couldn't fly and tried to put in back on the oak. It happily walked onto my thumb but was having none of going back onto an oak ( I tried several oaks several times) and it stayed on my thumb for 20 mins until flying back into the grass. I have seen White-Letter Hairstreaks in the grass before . I don't know why it preferred to be there or if it just couldn't fly back into the oak.

[Wurzel]

That is one hell of a shot to have I've only experienced that once before but as I was in the middle of Splash Towers at Legoland and surrounded by children I couldn't get my camera out

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Katrina]

Thank you Wurzel! I couldn't decide if it was a little tragic with the state of the hairstreak but I enjoyed the experience anyway.

[Katrina]

This afternoon / evening I went to Chantry Hill. It was a pleasure to meet Garry outside of a work party. I saw Meadow Browns, Small Heaths, Chalk Hill Blues , Brown Argus , one Red Admiral and about 14 Silver-spotted Skippers. They seem to be having a good year. I then briefly stopped at Anchor Bottom for about 30 mins but only found a few butterflies