Steve L

[Old Wolf]

Hello Steve, I am new as well.

I am loving your photographs, so perfectly clear. I look forward to seeing many more.

Stay Hydrated.

Old Wolf.

[Steve L]

Hi

Thanks to everyone for their kind comments and info on the New Forest.

Wurzel, thanks both sites are close to where we will be staying.

Not had much time for anything this last week, having to work 5 nights due to staff training and I'll have even less time this coming week having to work 5 days. My normal week is 3 night shifts.

So butterflies have all been garden visitors, loads of Large and Small Whites, Brimstones (females only!), Large Skippers, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Gatekeeper (on Bramble patch over the fence) and Comma, which always brightens things up.

Hoping for some more species this week, with the Buddleia, Hemp Agrimony, Lavender and Purple Loosestrife all coming into flower.

Female Brimstones 3 or 4 a day, this one was finding it hot, so kept taking shade in the bramble over the fence.

A nice fresh Meadow Brown enjoying the Lavender.

.

Comma finding a sunny spot.

Large White on Hemp Agrimony.

Showing the defensive, big face flash.

Large Skipper doing elephant impression

Small White even came inside to save me going out.

[Andrew555]

Nice selection Steve, I do like a female Meadow Brown.

[Wurzel]

If only all butterflies were as accommodating as that Small White Steve our Meadow Brown is a great find, almost a double spotter

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

I like the intruder in your Meadow Brown image, Steve.

I daresay your garden plants will be receiving plenty of visitors over the next week or two.

[Steve L]

Hi All

Hope everyone had a good weekend and an enjoyable Big Butterfly Count.

I couldn't make my mind up at what time to start, so I waited until something more interesting than a White turned up.

Small Skipper arrived, so off I went, Brimstone, Comma, Small, Large and Green-veined Whites and finally a Meadow Brown.

Later in the day Gatekeeper, fleeting glimpses of Purple Hairstreak and Large Skipper.

Lots more Whites over the past week and male Brimstones have replaced the females of the previous week, also Peacock.

Small Skipper to start my BBC

This morning 2 Purple Hairstreaks came to visit the Buddleia and stayed awhile.

I tried to photograph Silver Y's feeding at night using an LED video light, given it up now!

Getting loads of Purple and Gold Moths at the moment.

I hope everyone is enjoying the sun and you all have a good week.

Cheers

Steve

[Wurzel]

Great shot of the Brimstone Steve, captured the curled proboscis really well

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Your Small Skippers are looking relatively fresh, Steve. Ours in south Wales are looking decidedly battle-weary. I'm not at all sure why this is.

[Steve L]

Hi All

Waiting in the garden for the heating engineer

I had my first, all but brief, visit from a Silver-washed Fritillary today, managed a couple of photos before it went after a Large White. It disappeared in the direction of Great Ashby District Park entrance. At least 2 Purple Hairtreaks again today, 4th day running. Again should be visible in the Oaks at the entrance to the park. My first Hummingbird Hawkmoth put in an appearance for a few minutes.

The only thing that didn't put in an appearance was the heating engineer I had waited all day for!

I'm saving this one for the heating engineer

[Old Wolf]

That is a brilliant selection of visitors you get in your garden and some great shots of them.

Your day seemed very productive even if the engineer failed to materialise

[Wurzel]

To be fair Steve I'd have been chuffed that the Engineer was a no show what with Silver-washed and Purple Hairstreak to keep me amused That shot of the Purp having a drink 'down at the water hole' is brill

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Great post, Steve...made me laugh!

Nice choice of gift for the tardy engineer, but quite honestly I wouldn't have wanted to miss those thirsty Purple Hairstreaks.

[Steve L]

Hi All

Just returned from a relaxing week away in the northern, quieter, part of the New Forest. I missed one of targets from both my butterfly and dragonfly wish lists. The Forest in general was not at its best, due to the extreme weather we are having. Most of its wildlife seems to be finding life difficult at the moment, many of the streams reduced to puddles, with no water movement and the boggy areas have dried out.

We visited Ogdens, Ashley Walk, Telegraph Hill and Pipers Wait areas in the north and Bolderwood, Hatchet Pond and Crockford Stream in the south.
Most sites had Grayling, one of my targets and Silver-studded Blue only seen in the north, but no photo .

Ogdens can be a very long walk, to long for me at the moment, so I was disappointed that I couldn't find a Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly in the bit I did manage. One target down, but I have seen it there before.
I also wanted to visit Shipton Bellinger, which is north of the New Forest, for Brown Hairstreak a species I've never photographed before. But due to 2 days of rain and wind, I just ran out of time. My other missed target.

A high point was Crockford Stream. I have been there several times, but not in recent years and I had read a negative article, that they had removed a lot of the bushes from around the stream to open it up. I needn't have worried, they have improved the area, with lots more dragonflies seen than on previous visits. Good numbers of Southern and Small Red Damselflies, plus several Golden-ringed Dragonflies.

Daily views from the grounds of our holiday cottage.

Seen most days.

Nice moth - Bordered Grey

A garden visitor from just before my holiday

Dragonfly photo will be on my Flickr page over the next few days: - https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevelane56/

Cheers

Steve Lane

[Wurzel]

Great set of Grayling shots Steve Sorry that you weren't able to get to Shipton Bellinger - mind you the Brostreaks are playing hard to get at the moment

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Nice to see a few Graylings, Steve.

They're becoming increasingly rare inland in the UK so we need to cherish them while we've still got them.

[Steve L]

Hi All

This week has seen an upturn in species visiting my Great Ashby, Stevenage garden, after a couple of weeks of Whites, with the odd Holly Blue, to watch. Several Red Admirals have come to visit the buddleia, also Comma has shown well. Hummingbird Hawkmoths have been buzzing around, one did pose well for some photos. A nice fresh male Brimstone, looking quite green on the underwing compared to earlier in the season. Also a couple of fresh Speckled Woods are gracing the Vine and Virginia Creeper.

Cheers

Steve Lane

Email_Brimstone_02_Stevenage garden_01Sept18.jpg Hiding in plain sight.

[trevor]

Great Humming Bird Hawk Moth shot. Your camera has ' frozen ' the action well.
Also catching them in one spot is difficult enough as they dart from flower to flower.

Great stuff,
Trevor.

[Old Wolf]

Hello Steve,
Sorry to hear you missed out on your targets in the New Forest. On the positive side you now have even more of a reason to return

You really get a great selection visiting your garden. I have had precious few this year.

I've got to agree with Trevor, your HBHM shots are amazing.

[peterc]

Lovely photos, Steve.

Butterflies seem to prefer the white buddleia rather than the blue and the mauve varieties which I also have in the garden.

ATB

Peter

[Wurzel]

Cracking set of images Steve Love the shot of the hiding Brimstone Steve - really shows off their (or should that be doesn't show off?) their camouflage to great effect

Have a goodun

Wurzel