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Thank you Neil and thanks for the ID help.

Hi! Katrina, I've just looked at your posts ( although it's past bed time ) and you've got a shot there that could win any competition the one with the the SSB flying , fantastic shot Goldie

Goldie M wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 10:33 pm Hi! Katrina, I've just looked at your posts ( although it's past bed time ) and you've got a shot there that could win any competition the one with the the SSB flying , fantastic shot Goldie

Thank you so much Goldie. Always a bit of luck involved in inflight photos

Luscious SSB, Katrina. Been relatively starved of them in Europe this year so far.

Today Trevor kindly gave me a lift to Shipton Bellinger to look for the Brown Hairstreaks
Only one was seen so big thanks to David Garwood for calling us over.
Also seen were many gatekeepers, meadow browns and brimstones . Also a few Peacocks, Small Skippers, 2 Marbled Whites, 1 DGF , 1 Comma , and 1 GVW

What a great photo, Katrina, and tale of the camaraderie that we sometimes experience in the butterfly community!

Cheers,

- Pete

I do love an underside where the butterfly is sitting just right so the light picks out the vein detail, gives the resulting image so much more life! If you fancied another shot at Bookham this year let me know

Great image, and I'm delighted you managed to photograph exactly what we went for.
The whole day went like a dream, including the weather ( maybe a little too hot ),
the journey both ways, and some of the lovely people we met.

Thanks Pete, I was certainly pleased to be called over otherwise it could have been a disappointing day.
Thanks Paul!
Thanks again for the day trip Trevor, it was good to see the site and meet new people and we were extraordinarily lucky with the trafffic.

That is a cracking looking Brostreak Katrina, I'm glad Shipton produced the...well I was going to say 'goods' but 'good' is probably more accurate Was that along the main hedge near the patch of Wild Carrot; I'm just wondering as that's where I've seen two so far this year?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Wurzel, was on the main hedge

Cheers Katrina When I went on Thursday I saw three males, but none in the 'usual spot' - it seems they've cottoned on that we have their play book

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Love it, Katrina.

Something to look forward to when I get home.

Thank you David

I went to Steyning for a few hours arriving around 11am. It was a bit breezy.
There are swathes of yellow flowers not sure if they are the same as at Shipton.
Sadly I didn't find any brostreaks but I did see a Clouded Yellow, and 3 or 4 Walls, 2 Commas, a Peacock, a Red Admiral , Speckled Woods. Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Common Blues, Holly Blues a Small white and 2 skippers. The first Wall seemed to race me to the bench, I also found a dragonfly (presumably predator) on the Welcome to the Brown Hairstreak Conservation area sign. It was also a pleasure to meet the gentleman doing the transect and Debbie and her husband.

Wow, Katrina, a Cloudie! Hopefully the current bout of warmer weather will bring a few more over...

Cheers,

Dave

Thanks Dave, it was good to see. I was hoping it would nectar on the yellow flowers but it just headed for the undergrowth and stayed there.

Cracking work finding the Cloudy Katrina It's not looking like it's going to be a vintage year for them this year (although I'd love to be proved wrong )

Have a goodun

Wurzel

As others have said, great work finding that Cloudie , not seen one at all this year.
That is wild parsnip at Steyning, and there looks to be more of it than other years.

Great shots as always Katrina. I love Common Darters, they're fairly ubiquitous, seem tamer in our company than their cousins and go deeper into the year.

Facially they are very interesting, like a Tex Avery cartoon character. There's definitely a bit of Droopy in there !