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male Chalkhill Blue, Lysandra coridon |
I returned to KIthurst Hill early on Sunday and again
enjoyed the prolific Chalkhill Blues shimmering among the flowers and grasses.
In addition there was a Green-veined White, Large Skippers, Marbled Whites,
mating Meadow Browns, a Red Admiral and very tatty Small Copper.
I then completed my weekly transect at Mill Hill and was
struck by the low numbers of Chalkhills compared to Kithurst. Transect count:
Chalkhill Blue: male 24, female 2; Gatekeeper 2, Large White 4, Marbled White
1, Meadow Brown 15, Peacock 2, Red Admiral 2, Small Heath 4, Small White 1.
There were Cinnabar larvae on ragwort.
Finally I went to Southwater Woods and saw a Purple Emperor
and Purple Hairstreak at the top of the Trout Lane master oak. A Holly Blue
drifted across. There was plenty of White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary.
Kithurst Hill:
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male Chalkhill Blue, Lysandra coridon |
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male Chalkhill Blue, Lysandra coridon |
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male Chalkhill Blue, Lysandra coridon |
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male Green-veined White, Pieris napi |
.jpg) |
The meadow looking south |
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Large Skipper, Ochlodes faunus |
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Marbled White, Melanargia galathea |
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Marbled White, Melanargia galathea |
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female Meadow Brown, Maniola jurtina |
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Meadow Browns mating, Maniola jurtina |
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Red Admiral, Vanessa atalant |
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Red Poppies, Papaver rhoeas |
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Silver Y moth, Autographa gamma |
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tatty Small Copper, Lycaena phlaeas |
Mill Hill:
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Cinnabar caterpillar, Tyria jacobaeae |
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Gatekeeper, Pyronia tithonus |
.jpg) |
view towards Shoreham and the sea |
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Mullein, Verbascum thapsus |
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Peacock, Inachis io |
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Peacock and female Small White, Pieris rapae |
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female Small White, Pieris rapae |
Southwater Woods:
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Comma, Polygonia c-album |
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Purple Emperor, Apatura iris |
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Silver-washed Fritillary, Argynnis paphia |
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White Admiral, Limenitis camilla |
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White Admiral, Limenitis camilla |
Kithurst Hill is looking fantastic at the moment and your photographs capture it beautifully. I paticularly like the first Chalkhill Blue photo. I think that bringing the background into the picture, rather than 'blurring' it out, helps to make it special.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes,
Paul
Thanks Paul, your Small Blue spot was a great find.
ReplyDelete