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Just a short hop then Neil

Martin Down 22-04-2019

Having been out every day for the last three days I thought that I was pushing my luck by heading out today but then I reasoned that of those three trips only one was actually a proper butterflying trip. As that had been a ‘Biggy’ I kept it local and opted for Martin Down in the hope of getting a few more Greenstreak shots and maybe I’d pick up my first Dingy of the season? With this in mind I headed to the Sillens’ Lane end and quickly set off along the hedge aiming for the Tunnel and then onto the Hotspot and the Dyke. It felt quite chilly it still being early but the sun shone nicely above and it wasn’t very long before I saw my first butterfly; a Brimstone bombing along the line of the hedge and adding a visual treat to the vocal one offered by the birds singing and calling all around me. A little further on and I saw two Holly Blues, a female and then a male both of which peeled away from the hedge and took to fluttering. The male seemed to be a bit lost as he flew away from the cover of the hedge, out across the footpath and then started flying in ever decreasing circles. I crept closer and saw him come down on the deck, only it wasn’t the deck it was a pile of something not particularly nice. After this little interlude I carried on along the hedge making good time towards the ‘Tunnel’. Along the way I encountered a Specklie and for part of the way I was accompanied by another Holly Blue, two male Orange-tips and another Brimstone. Right at the edge of the tunnel a small grey blur resolved itself into a Grizzlie. My walk along the Tunnel was very slow going but I didn’t mind because it was as there were so many butterflies. At the one end a Holly Blue and Greenstreak sat on guard duty, worrying those that entered. All the way along Orange-tips, Specklies and Brimstones were constantly patrolling up and down although I encountered a few Brimstones that were down on the deck hiding in the grasses possibly not quite up to temperature? At the far end a pair spiralled upwards in what looked good for a successful courtship but the shape of the female looked wrong at times and is seemed that she was arching her abdomen back showing the rejection posture in flight? I don’t know if this was indeed the case, possibly it was just the way that she was flying but let’s just say that the dance didn’t end how the male wanted it to. After this I broke through out into the light and made my way a directly as possible towards the Hotspot skirting round the edge of the hillfort on the way. A Peacock and a couple of Brimstones were all that I added to the list on the way. At the hotspot things were very quiet though as well as the obligatory OT and Brimstone I managed to find two Grizzlies that were frequenting the areas near the chalk scrape. It had warmed up by now and the heat had brought the butterflies out so as I set off along the bottom of the Dyke they seemed to be everywhere. Again Orange-tips and Brimstones did their thing a brace of Peacocks both made me jump when they erupted from beneath my feet and I found at least 3 different Grizzlies. I was just wondering where the Dingies were when a slightly larger, browner blur announced the arrival of my first of 2019. It didn’t hang about for long, I think about 7 shots in total, before it was off veering this was and that, jinking up, down and diagonal. As I watched it go I realised that I needed to take a leaf from its book and not tarry much longer as my time was ticking away. Pleased with my ‘first’ I started back along the Dyke watching and counting all the way back to the Hotspot. When I checked my tally it showed that I’d been pretty accurate on the first count as, Peacocks aside my tally tarried. I’d also stopped almost immediately after I’d started as once again I witnessed a failed Brimstone courtship dance. Still bemused by this I cut back through the small field parallel to the path on the way back finding a Greenstreak in amongst the whites and then I also checked the first little bit of the Tunnel. Again there was a Grizzlie on the threshold and a couple of Greenstreaks and Holly Blue on guard duty. The final push back to the car added a few more Greensteaks (3) another Holly Blue (3) nd several OTs and Brimstones as well as two new species for the days tally; a non-stop Small White and a lovely fresh Small Copper. Unfortunately it had decided to take nectar on quite a flimsy bloom so was swinging wildly forwards and backwards in the faintest of breezes. Not a bad morning when all’s said and done!
Have a goodun

Wurzel

That's a proper spring selection, Wurzel - those fresh Grizzlies especially. And what would early butterflies do without the humble dandelion?

Cheers,

Dave

Cheers Dave Strange to thin that this was only about 5 weeks ago - so much has changed since then although the Grizzlies are just about hanging on

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Great Brimstones in flight shots. It is always entrancing to see a Brimstone chase.

Cheers Katrina It is great to see - I was also lucky enough to see a few 'attempted' pairings this spring

June 2019

Summer is actually here...
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Work 23-04-2019

I hadn’t seen a Small Tort for a while and I reckoned that they were possibly over for this part of the season. Because of this I changed ‘up’ my lunch time walk so now I walked along the Pits and the down the boundary hedge before chancing my arm and nipping ‘offsite’ to take the path down the hill to Sharcott Road. As I made progress I thought that I might have made the wrong choice as it was very quiet as I worked the Pits with only a distant UFW way off across the field. So it continued all down the boundary hedge. “Wrong choice” I thought only to spook a Peacock from the first bit of path on the other side of the hedge. A little further along two Small Torts erupted from some Nettle beds, one returning and stopping for a record shot. A Peacock was basking but took off after I got 2 distant record shots. It went quiet again until there was another break in the treeline where a Small tort basked and an Orange-tip spilled down the bank from its previous quartering of the field. Nearing the bottom of the path a Specklie played very hard to get. It kept landing just ahead of me and as I’d lean in for a shot it would take off and land just slightly ahead of me etc…
At the proper bottom of the path I turned round and made my way back workwards, retracing my steps. It was actually a bit like rewinding a tape cassette. This time however the Specklie was slightly less twitchy and posed with its body lined along a twig. It might have thought that it was well hidden but it had forgotten about its wings! Again there was a fly-by male Orange-tip and two Small Torts (different individuals or two of the original three?) but no Peacock. Back along the boundary hedge the whites seemed to have come out as the temperature had increased ever so slightly and there were 2 UFWs (possibly Small Whites?) and two definite female Brimstones. Then it was back into work – it’s been a while since I’ve said that…

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Bentley Wood 29-04-2018

After a weekend of very strong winds and cool dull cloud it was no great surprise to wake on Monday to blue skies and an upsurge in the temperature. After being ‘locked in’ over the weekend I decided to take advantage of the favourable conditions and do a drop in at Bentley Wood on the way home as it would only add about 10 miles to my journey. So at the end of the day I changed in the loos and set off across country cheered by the large number of whites (OTs, Brimstone, Whites) that were flying along the verges on the way but grinning ruefully at the increasing cloud. One highlight of my rally drive was the sight of 8 or more Red Kits soaring around one field near Middle Wallop. Another highlight was that the road to the car park is in a much better state than I can recall.

Once freed from the car I noted a pair of spiralling Specklies and then I legged I down to the Clearing which I had all to myself. The book had mentioned Pearls at the ‘end’ so I made my way down to the bottom part, the tussocky little field enclosed apart from two breaks in the trees. There was only the slightest breeze but here it was still and warm. A Peacock does a fly-by, Brimstone, Small White and a female Orange-tip fluttered round the Bluebells near the bench pausing long enough for some shots on occasion. On the other side the Peacock went up again and dislodged a Comma. So far it was all very typical so I wandered back to the bench to have a snack and there was a Pearl. It was joined very quickly by a second which flew in from where I don’t know and couldn’t say. One minute there was an airspace minus a Pearl the next ‘Pop’ there was an airspace occupied by a Pearl. A third appeared flying more obviously along the fence teasing and tempting me to climb over after it. This little purple patch ended with a fly-by Holly Blue and then it clouded over – still 3 Pearls ace. The cloud had dulled the butterflies as well as the vista but I reckoned I could find some more awaiting the sun so I crossed the steam and made my way to the other side of the clearing taking the other track back down to the bottom end. As I did I scanned the piles of dead Bracken on either side of the path. Yep – there was a Pearl, then a Peacock which took off spooking the Pearl so I followed it, watched it land first on the barbed wire fence and then on a sapling. The cloud settled it nicely and I was able to spend a lot of time with it although I had to adopt ‘horse pose’ remembered from many a year ago when I studied Kung-fu so as to be stable and at the same level as the butterfly. With aching thighs I bade it goodbye and set off back down the path to see if I could locate any more Pearls sitting out the cloud. It seems like I’d gotten my eye in as I managed to find a second and a third sitting still and awaiting the return of the sun. I actually looked up and could see that there was one huge cloud directly overhead and only overhead. I could make out the halos of brightness marking the edges of the clearing on the outside there was gorgeous sun bu in the confines of the clearing just cloud…So after checking in with the original roosting Pearl I made as if to leave. I’d gotten as far as the little triangle near the information board when another Pearl flew weakly before me and landed in a sapling. I wondered if it was newly emerged because it looked immaculate and also it was flying so weakly flopping down here and there. It eventually settled at the foot of the sapling, closed up and provided me with some lovely views of the underside. Close by a Specklie bombed away but I was almost as settled as the Pearl so I let it go. In my reverie; Pearl in front of me, pleasantly warm, Tree Pipits and Garden Warblers adding a musical backdrop; I’d missed the fact that was a slight break in the cloud. The light hit the Pearl and off it went. I followed and waited for it to sit, open winged and bask before moving in for some shots. Chuffed I made for home wondering if I’d seen a maximum of 7 or a minimum of 4.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

Superb photos , and a bit different from the usual on bracken shots. Very beautiful. I must investigate the horse pose!

Beautiful pictures Wurzel. I have never seen a Pearl, just Small Pearls. I am pleased that summer has arrived down there. We don't appear to have had spring here yet!!

Lovely set of Pearls, Wurzel - I would not have thought of kung fu to zap a butterfly!

Cheers Katrina I was chuffed with those shots especially as I didn't get bitten by any Ticks - mind you my inner thighs have been giving me gyp ever since

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Great Pearl shots from Bentley Wood, Wurzel, ( never been there! ).
And you're right about a little cloud, a Pearl photographers friend.

Hope you are not about to go into serious brownie point debt,
With his Majesty only about two weeks away!.

Trevor.

Terrific shots of the PBF, Wurzel - ideal conditions late in the day with a bit of cloud, and some yoga to finish things off nicely.

Cheers,

Dave

Cheers Nick On the plus side Nick when spring does arrive there will be butterflies by the bucket load, all compressed together You'll go from famine to a glut
Cheers Janet Sometimes you do need ninja speed and others a meditative zen patience pays off - I think butterflying lends itself well to Martial Arts

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Cheers Trevor If you find yourself in Wiltshire at this time of year Bentley Wood is definitely worth a visit I'm holding back a bit on the butterfly front now in preparation...although the Large blues are about to emerge...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Wurzel wrote:...although the Large blues are about to emerge... ...

Already out Wurzel, I have seen a couple of photos on social media yesterday and today.

So then, what is your style of Kung Fu...praying mantis, crane...or maybe dying fly

Cracking set of Pearls there, particularly a couple of the underside shots. Lovely stuff

Cheers,

Neil.

Cheers Dave Things turned out right in the end It was strange how the cloud just sat over the Clearing, the road way, the car park, the other bits of the wood were all bathed in sun yet the Clearing? Cloudy - odd but useful
Cheers Neil Good to know - maybe next weekend then It's funny that you should mention Crane as I started out learning 'Lucky Crane' and then later when I revisited it I learnt Shaolin with a mixture of animal styles. In between during my university days I perfected Drunken Monkey

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Bentley Wood 04-05-2019 Part 1

After my success earlier in the week at Bentley I was eager to get back and see if there were any more about plus I was about due another visit with Philzoid. Checking the weather it looked like Saturday was the best day – sunny, less windy but cool which would hopefully mean that the butterflies would fly but less frantically than usual.

I got on site before Philzoid and set about trying to find some Pearls ready to hand over on a plate as it were when he arrived. It wasn’t quiet; a Cuckoo called as did a Tawny Owl, Garden Warblers, Chiff Chaff, Blackcaps and Tree Pipits sang but I didn’t encounter any butterflies until I reached the far end of the clearing when two Pearls appeared just as the temperature ticked into the next degree C. Reasoning that they’d still be roosting I worked my way back around and crossed the bridge on my way to the Bracken lined path where I’d found them on Monday. It was almost like a rerun; Pearl, Peacock, Pearl and Pearl. The last one was in mint condish but looked more orange than usual. As I got in close enough I could see that the dark markings along the margins were missing and the flying chevrons were much reduced. At this juncture Philzoid arrived and as it clouded over intermittently we filled our boots and memory cards with a range of Pearl shots. After this with the raison d’etre met we took to wandering. The first little square clearing held a Pearl that flew and went down only to promptly disappear. There was also an Oil Beetle posing nicely on the grass stems. Further along the back path we found another Pearl and a Bentley Grizzlie which decided to play Peek-a-boo! At the top of the path some Nomada bees and a Specklie (flighty as ever) held our attention while we decided where to head next. It also gave me the opportunity to try out my new snack – Greggs Vegan Sausage Roll to which I’d added lashings of extra hot Lime Chilli Pickle. Bit of a taste sensation. Cheeks still burning and sweat prickling my brow due to my volcanic snack we made for the recently cleared area just to the right of the main clearing itself. Last year a few little sections had been cleared so by now it should be productive and so it turned out. Almost immediately we stumbled onto 2 Pearls, one ahead of the other down on the path. After a bit of interaction they departed to opposite sides of the path and one very kindly landed on a Bluebell. On our return down the path/ride that took us down into the top part of the clearing we added 2 Specklies and an Argent and Sable to the days tally. Have a goodun

Wurzel

Wurzel!!, I'm look at that a Grizzled Skipper on your finger next year maybe Goldie

I would love to be able to get down to achieve those eye-level shots. I know you complain about a few aches, but I wouldn't be able to get up again

The detail and loveliness of the pictures is even nicer when I click through to the full sized image. A shame that the diary doesn't show them a touch bigger.