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Saturday 26 July 2014

Another aberration!

A butterfly - not me, I hasten to add. I decided on an early morning stroll on the Downs, just to recce another venue. So, I parked the car at Kithurst Hill car park and wandered off west, into the access land on Springhead Hill. A gentle stroll took me as far as Amberley Mount but butterflies were hardly numerous. I noted Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Small Skipper and a very fast flying dark Clouded Yellow.

A bit disappointing, I just expected to find more. On the return journey I came across a magnificent stand of thistles which were attracting a host of the larger species mentioned. A fresh Brimstone posed and I obliged.



What to do next? In the end I returned home via my favourite butterfly haunt - Houghton Forest. As I drove into the field beyond the car park at Whiteways, a pale butterfly caught my eye, I abandoned the car, grabbed the camera and gave chase, much to the amusement of the Bikers assembled at the cafĂ©. Finally the butterfly came to rest on the same bush where, some two weeks previously, we recorded Gatekeeper ab. excessa. I managed several open wing shots but no underwings were recorded. Also, I had the distinct impression that there were two pale specimens present, but of course, I could only follow one. Early information received suggests another albino form of the Gatekeeper. I have posted it on BC Sussex and would dearly like some input from our experts. It has a passing resemblance to the Cockayne collection  Gatekeeper, Pyronia tithonus britanniae ab. albinotica but the orange colour is more intense. 



I managed to record some of the butterflies that I have been ignoring of late, nice to see the second brood Common Blues emerging and for once the Whites look good.







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