Small Copper

My wife has a saying - "What's for you won't pass you by" - normally quoted when I am ranting because I've missed something.. When we were up on Windover Hill the other day I sort of missed the opportunity to get some nice shots of a Small Copper, perhaps I should have been a bit keener. However, today the forecast for the morning was good so I went hotfoot to my local patch.

Last week when I visited, the Hemp Agrimony was just coming into bloom and I expected that one week on it would be just right for nectaring butterflies. When I arrived the place was buzzing - Red Admirals, Silver-washed Fritillaries, Peacocks, Commas and all the smaller butterflies were everywhere. Best of all fresh Small Coppers were about, I counted ten on the patch, which is something of a record, but when I got home I noticed that one specimen "Nick" was putting himself about a bit and had been photographed several times. Still, whatever the number, it is more than I have seen here before and they haven't passed me by.

"Nick" - a small portion of the port forewing missing.....



..... the loss of which is more than compensated by the stunning iridescence - both green and red.



I think the wiggling of the hind wings means "not today - thankyou"

 

Some fresh Peacocks too, which posed for some excellent records, the  Silver-washed Frits are looking a bit worn though. The Brown Argus was a pleasant surprise for the patch.

 

All in all a cracking couple of hours - glad I went.

Selsey Bill

I  arrived at Selsey Bill car park a tad after 0600, surprised by two things, the number of cars already parked and the fact the weather was not quite as forecast, the promised south easterly was still stuck firmly in the north east. Having set up my scope and chair amongst a host of birders I sat and waited for the action to commence, and I waited and waited, after four hours I cut my losses and departed for a walk round Church Norton. However, I wasn't totally unrewarded as Little Tern, Yellow Wagtail and, oddly enough, Whimbrel gave me year ticks. The Whimbrel were "lolloping"  along the beach when Owen Mitchell worked his magic and called them into range for a camera shot. Thanks Owen, with a bit more effort we could have had them down sun and a bit less altitude.

 Several Great Northern Divers were offshore and gave splendid views in the clear early morning light. Additionally, sightings of a dolphin and seal made up for the lack of Skuas. Commic and Sandwich Terns were feeding close to the shore line, and an incoming Hobby rounded off the watch.

At Church Norton things were pretty quiet, still plenty of  Whitethroats about but precious little else. I ambled round to the hide but found nothing so carried on up the path along the west side disturbing a pair of Shelducks  which were getting very friendly.

 

 

 

Plenty of butterflies about and I noted Peacock, Orange Tip and Speckled Wood. The gorse bushes are in full bloom, in the heat of the morning sun the scent was an overpowering smell of coconut. As always, amongst the sea of yellow, a male Linnet posed perfectly. The extensive reedbed was alive with Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers and vociferous Cetti's

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Broom doesn't look too bad either.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the local Crows were desperately trying to find the Dunnock's nest in the garden. However, just minutes later, the Crow was performing aerobatics to drive away a Herring Gull from its own nest. A case of the biter bit!