chaz Posted July 11, 2016 Share Posted July 11, 2016 More fresh silver-washed fritillaries in Upper Barn Copse yesterday, including this one which shows the silver wash very nicely. Disappointingly I saw no white admirals. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted July 12, 2016 Share Posted July 12, 2016 Just reviewing the snaps I took on my last trip out and discovered this... A female meadow brown "on the pull"! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tim Hall Posted July 23, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 23, 2016 (edited) Purple Hairstreaks and High Brown Frits, I'm envious. Did you take any photos? Not this time, hairstreaks too high, frits too fast! Have in previous years. Since then, Small and Essex skippers at the Purple Hairstreak site, a White Admiral and Silver Washed frits in east Gwent (Slade woodlands). This AM, a few Grayling, loads of Marbled Whites, Gatekeeper at the disused Blaenserchan colliery (north of Pontypool) which is a cracking site for wildlife, Redpoll, Redstart, Bullfinch and Green Woodpeckers very obvious as well. 38 sp so far. Only local additions likely are Wall Brown (Kenfig NNR or certain hilltops) or White letter hairstreak, which allegedly breed at several sites along the Taff just N of Cardiff, but I've spent ages looking without success in previous years, though I did find some in Monmouthshire a few years ago. https://www.facebook.com/tim.hall.146/media_set?set=a.842648269172756.1073741983.100002827718071&type=3&pnref=story Edited July 23, 2016 by Tim Hall 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 Just got my laptop back from the menders (clogged fan causing very slow performance and overheating shut-downs) so here are some snaps taken in the very warm weather last week. speckled wood silver-washed fritillary comma marbled white small heath ringlet small tortoiseshell green veined white silver-washed fritillary Chaz 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted July 26, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 26, 2016 WOnderful Chaz Cant manage any decent butterfly shots but this moth obliged But not sure what it is - can anyone oblige please? Phil 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 WOnderful Chaz Cant manage any decent butterfly shots but this moth obliged Garden tiger.jpg But not sure what it is - can anyone oblige please? Phil It's a magpie Phil, Abraxas grossulariata. Common but very beautiful. Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 (edited) More snaps later, in the meantime I will say that all that last batch were taken with the Nikon 300mm F4 and TC 1.4 combo' that I am getting to like more and more. The lack of genuine 1:1 repro' factor did seem a weakness (compared with my 105mm macro) but the effective focal length of 420mm means far less disturbance of the subject. I just have to accept that most, if not all, shots will need a greater degree of cropping. Another aspect is that a real close up is likely to produce a "field-guide shot", whereas a snap that makes more of the environment around the insect is likely to have more appeal. Does that make sense? Chaz Edited July 26, 2016 by chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 A few more snaps... gatekeeper Essex skipper six-spot burnet chalkhill blue - newly hatched and quite beautiful There were a few newly hatched chalkhill blues on Magdalen Hill Down on my last visit, all looking so very special that I thought I would share the best shots here. Chaz 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted July 27, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 27, 2016 Thanks Chaz - those Chalk Hill Blues are very special for sure Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tim Hall Posted July 27, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 27, 2016 A few more snaps... gatekeeper Essex skipper six-spot burnet chalkhill blue - newly hatched and quite beautiful There were a few newly hatched chalkhill blues on Magdalen Hill Down on my last visit, all looking so very special that I thought I would share the best shots here. Chaz We have friends who live in Chandler's Ford, near the Chalkhill site. Had cracking views of them on our way down a few years ago, Stocksbridge Down is also v good. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeOxon Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 (edited) What a surprise - finding all these butterflies here It seems that I'm not the only one with other interests than railways - see http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=7459&start=9999 Mike http://home.btconnect.com/mike.flemming/butterfl.htm Edited August 3, 2016 by MikeOxon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 A couple of recent trips out have confirmed my feeling that butterfly numbers are down this year - the weather has not been kind - with some species difficult to find. However here are a few snaps from the last few days, the first three taken on Portland... Wall - I found a few of these on Portland, but they are timid and very active, a close approach proving impossible. Jersey tiger Painted Lady another painted lady, this time on Martin Down. The name seems so appropriate when you see their underwing. Peacocks on hemp agrimony. At one point I counted 4 peacocks and 6 red admirals on this one plant. large white on scabious And lastly, what might be my best ever snap of a gatekeeper... Gatekeepers are one of the few species whose numbers don't seem to have suffered this year. Chaz 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted August 8, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 8, 2016 Yes that gatekeeper shot is stunning - and possibly large whites as numerous as ever Chaz? There has been a lot of wild flower seeding of public spaces around here which has certainly attracted them Kind regards Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 Yes that gatekeeper shot is stunning - and possibly large whites as numerous as ever Chaz? Phil Thanks Phil - gatekeepers are one of my favourites! Yes, I think you are right about large whites, plenty of green-veined about as well but I have yet to see a small copper this year and the dark-green fritillaries seem very thin on the ground. Chaz 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted August 8, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 8, 2016 Mine too.... always used to confuse them with meadow browns, but sorted now Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jbqfc Posted August 8, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 8, 2016 a comma comma by john brace, on Flickr a peacock peacock by john brace, on Flickr 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted August 8, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 8, 2016 Smashing .... thanks for sharing John Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Co-tr-Paul Posted August 18, 2016 Share Posted August 18, 2016 Concur with above comments. The garden Buddlea has so far at any one time has only had a maximum of 5 Red Admirals, with 1 each of Peacock, Painted Lady and Tortoiseshell. Last years Torts alone were regularly in high teens. Still, a few weeks of the season left yet. Couple of shots on Flicker stream. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 (edited) Now that colder weather has come and the butterflies are a distant memory I thought I would rummage through my picture archive for a few reminders of summer - starting with a chalkhill blue. More later, if you want (?). Chaz Edited November 3, 2016 by chaz 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tim Hall Posted November 3, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 3, 2016 Now that colder weather has come and the butterflies are a distant memory I thought I would rummage through my picture archive for a few reminders of summer - starting with a chalkhill blue. More later, if you want (?). Chaz Still a few Red Ads out in Forest of Dean and near Newport last weekend, also one in Cardiff yesterday. Doubt I'll see any more as temperature dropping now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted November 3, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 3, 2016 Chaz these are wonderful ... always good to see more please Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tim Hall Posted November 3, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 3, 2016 Dark green fritillary, Ewenny Down near Bridgend, 3rd July 16 39 sp this year. Didn't travel further than Rodborough Common, Stroud, so ok, but nothing more. MAY have had the only Welsh record of White Ad (Slade Woods near Magor, 19th July) this year. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted November 3, 2016 Share Posted November 3, 2016 ... Doubt I'll see any more as temperature dropping now. The burst of warmth on Tuesday flushed out a Peacock. But the chance of now picking out any butterfly against the blizzard of constantly falling leaves since really minimal. Ho for spring 2017. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tim Hall Posted November 4, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 4, 2016 The burst of warmth on Tuesday flushed out a Peacock. But the chance of now picking out any butterfly against the blizzard of constantly falling leaves since really minimal. Ho for spring 2017. I was wrong, Peacock in Cardiff this PM. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tim Hall Posted November 5, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 5, 2016 Marsh fritillary, Aberbargoed Grasslands, 2nd June 16 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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