Those Dukes, their courtiers and courtesans

Tired old dukes and painted ladies

A hot summer's afternoon spent on Butser Hill found some tired old dukes still battling their territories, with fresh painted ladies in from the continent to brighten the spirits.

A supporting cast of hairstreaks, skippers, blues, heaths, woods and whites; and a handful of day-flying moths completed the interest.

Unseasonal Greetings from Halnaker Windmill

I was pleasantly surprised today, to share the summit of Halnaker Hill with this unseasonal migrant species.

The butterfly was using the south facing aspects of the WWII searchlight placement and the unimproved chalk grassland to bask in the mid-day sun.

A hasty phone shot secured the record.

Vanessa cardui

On / Off transect Comp 1 & 2 Portsdown Hill

I have just completed, what may well be my last butterfly transect of this year on Portsdown Hill. My circumstances have changed and I have taken up full time employment in West Sussex - this will considerably compromise my flexibility to head to the hill in good conditions to carry out the transect.

I have learnt a lot undertaking the transect, it has honed my butterfly identification skills, introduced me to new species - and stimulated a greater understanding of butterfly ecology, their food plants and flight times. It has also extended this interest to day-flying moths - and no doubt in the near future I will be turning to the dark side as well.

In conjunction with volunteering with Portsdown Hill Conservation Volunteers, undertaking the transect has made me take a much closer and critical appreciation of chalk grassland; helped develop a wider vocabulary of botanical ID skills; and let's be honest - turned what was an aside to birdwatching into a passion in its own right.

This afternoon I was chuffed to add clouded yellow (Colius croceus) in at # 26 of the total spp. recorded on transect across Compartment 1 & 2, so far this year. A single (perhaps 2?) clouded yellow zooming along the bottom path, giving me no opportunity for photographs.

Post transect I went off piste .. and managed to catch a quick record shot a painted lady (Vanessa cardui) - bringing my compartment total to 27.