Skippers...

A post on Skippers...? Bit random I know but whilst I upload Brown Shrike photos (yes, you heard correctly, BROWN SKRIKE PHOTOS!!!!!!!). Here are some shots I've taken this year on skippers, skippers and more skippers. Plus two rare skippers at the end!

Large Skipper...

A Lulworth Skipper, taken on a Dorset headland. It's last stronghold in the UK...

An Essex Skipper...

And the two gems of the butterfly world, Dingy and Grizzled Skipper... both in serious decline and very rare.

Grizzled Skipper...

I don't know 'bout you but I'm all skippered out... think I'm gonna' go and sit down in front of the X-Factor in a minute and swear at those two Irish twins... nah you guys are cool, just a tiny bit out of time!

Some Recent Moths...
As you can see the blog has been full of recent posts... not, so here is a quick update on my recent moth trapping activity in the garden.
I was very pleased to see this Cypress Carpet drop into the garden a couple of weeks ago. A very recent addition to the British list, we can thank our non-native plants for bringing this species to Britain and allowing the species' caterpillar edible footplants...

A Brindled Green Dryobotodes eremita... (with classy camouflage)

The very attractive Light Emerald Campaea margaritata and my finger...

Below is one of my favourite moths, the Centre-barred Sallow Atethmia centrago, never thought I'd find one in my small Surrey garden!

Last but not least, the very wierd and well named Snout Moth Hypena proboscidalis... note the snout like thingy on its head!

Right, thats it for now. It shouldn't be too long before I post again and I've currently got a few posts on the go at the moment (that will obviously get disrupted by coursework!!), so stick around.
Have a good weekend,

Landscapes from the Archive

Just been watching Darren Brown as he tried to control the nation. I didn't get stuck to my seat so decided to post these shots. I took them from a holiday in Wales several years ago of the view out of the B+B. Beautiful isn't it?

Anyone glued to their T.V. screen?

Secret Life of Wasps...

We've all killed them when they've landed on our beer glass or attacked our sandwiches, but the other evening I witnessed wasp behaviour that should be treasured, . A group of 5 or 6 wasps were peacefully drinking with other, out of the garden bird bath. These normally aggressive insects would take it in turns to land on the rim of the bath and take tiny wasp sips before departing to a nearby leaf to dry themselves in the evening sun, I grabbed the macro lens and started shooting. It was actually quite cute to watch and you would never guess that the next day these black and yellow beasts will be carrying out their next attack on the human kind!

New Forest Pics...


Right... I doubt anyone reads this space anymore... but just in case anyone does, here are the New Forest shots I promised.

Spotted Flycatcher...

The track...

A very well camouflaged Mipit...

And now for all the butterflies...
A beautiful Small Copper caught my eye...

My favourite butterfly by far... the Painted Lady posed a side-shot for my camera...

A Speckled Wood...

A Gatekeeper (a bit worn)...

Graylings are brilliant characters to work with, but are very sensitive to any movement. It seems that the Grayling is camoufaged on almost everything it lands on! Including this piece of cow shite...

Finishing off with a few Common Blues...

Right, now I've got the New Forest post off my back I'm finally up to date with posts. I think I'll do a post on wasps next...............

New Forest Butters...

Right... I'm lagging quite a bit here with posts and probably will be for sometime, due to Year 11... the GCSEs year! Here is a slightly brief summary of the New Forest trip I know you have all been dying for...

Day 1- After a Pub lunch, we hired some bikes and set off exploring the New Forest. Its a great way to get close to nature and I was rewarded with a Spotted Flycatcher high in a tree.

Day 2- Look a walk somewhere in the forest. Literally 100s of butterflies of many species including Brown Argus, Small Copper, Common Blue, Painted Lady, Small Skipper and Grayling.

Day 3- Went down to the nearby harbour to look for some waders before heading off for home. Managed to find a few Turnstone, Curlew and Redshank out on the saltmarsh.

PHOTOS WILL COME SOON... I know the post looks horrible without some piccies to go with it. Eugghhh.

Dorset and a Rare Butterfly...

Yep. I've finally gone through all the photos from a recent 3 day holiday in Dorset. Luckily, the weather was brilliant and allowed lots of trips to this mostly untouched coastline.

Most of the first day was spend on the beach at Sandbanks. I have to admit, even though I am not a fan of busy beaches... the swimming there is magical; the temperature can only be a few degrees less than that of the Mediterranean. But it wasn't all sun and sand. There were birds too (both feathered and non-feathered). A few juvenile Common Terns were sitting it out in the midday heat...

The gulls were showing us the drabber side to their plumage...

On Day 2, we took a trip to the beautiful and untouched Dancing Ledge, a few miles from Lulworth. Due to its coastal hillside habitat, I was hoping to find Britain's rarest breeding butterfly... the Lulworth Skipper.

Whilst I waited for the Skipper, there was plenty to watch. A Kestrel hovered high over the hilltops, and Common and Chalkhill Blues were fluttering about the grass.

Finally, the Skipper decided to show. After spending 20 minutes watching 15 Lulworths darting about the chalk hillside, we started the journey down to Dancing Ledge.

At the bottom were two Rock Pipits eagerly awaiting their pictures to be taken... not!
The 'arrggh a photographer, better hide' pose, or as I prefer 'arse end shot'...

The 'head down walking away' pose...

On the way back up the to the car park, a Magpie Moth played dead in a spiders web, only realising it was going to work on a Spider a little too late (I'm sure it really appreciated me rescuing it).

On the final day, the plan was to spend a couple of hours at RSPB Arne looking for Dartford Warblers, and then to return to Sandbanks to for a hour, before rejoining the M3 bound for home.

It soon became apparent that RSPB Arne is a gem in the middle of nowhere. The views are spectacular and the site boasted a very large variety of wildlife. The reserve is also home to the Dartford Warbler, a species I have always wanted to see. However, through long, hard searching (about 5 minutes to be precise!), none turned up. Instead, Stonechat showed on the tops of heather, and every so often, would dip down and pick up a fly...

... and Little Egrets were along the estury, as where Avocets, Grey and Golden Plovers and Curlews.

But it wasn't just birds. Sika Deer were roaming the outskirts of the many fields and meadows. It would be very unwise to go closer to these deer for a 'better' shot as (even though imported into Britain) are totally wild and can pack a punch. I have to admit, when a young male ran across the field towards us, I was totally shiteing myself!

Various insects that we encoutered around the reserve included Small Tortoishell.

... lots of Common Darters...

... and some aboslutely massive Red Wood Ants. The same species used in that scene from the crappest and newest Indiana Jones movie!

Well, thats it from our trip to the Dorset coast. If you have been bothered to read this extremely long and boring post (which I don't blame you if you haven't) then you would agree with me when I say... Dorset is cool! Next up... we're in the New Forest!

So I leave you with this shot of Poole Harbour in all its beauty...