Down House bird survey today , but on the way , a quick stop on the Common at the Ash tree , revealed 5 Purple Hairstreaks , all up high and some already moving off into surrounding Oaks .
A freshly emerged female Marbled White did show off well the golden leading edge to her forewing . The survey at Down House was done in very warm , humid conditions , and it wasn't a
surprise that only 15 species were recorded . The best of the bunch was this Yellowhammer which wouldn't let me get any closer . Once again , it was butterflies that filled the gap , 12 species being recorded during the visit . But it was a Silver Y moth that was first to the camera , usually a very timid soul , diving into vegetation at any opportunity , this one forgot about all that and 
posed on the flowers of Sage in the walled garden . As soon as I got into the large meadow , I 
started recording Small Coppers , all looking very fresh , and all 8 probable males as they were already scrapping amongst themselves . Not so many Skippers as at other sites , just 4 recorded , 
but I thought these two Small specimens , male below , were going to get it together , but they didn't . On the lsat survey , I recorded a pristine Dark Green Fritillary , and today I recorded one 
too , possibly the same specimen , but definitely not so pristine now . The big numbers of course were Meadow Brown (163) and Ringlet (61) , but Marbled Whites were disapointing , with just 13 being recorded . It could well do with the meadows being cut far too early in my opinion last year . On the way around , three Violet Helleborines were found in the Sandwalk Wood , one a very robust plant , and a few flowers of interest found were ,
Marjoram/Origanum vulgare , another Labiate , is just flowering ,
Feverfew/Tanacetum parthenium , a member of the Daisy family ,
Corn Marigold/Chrysanthemum segetum , another Daisy 
and a shot of a single flower of Wild Basil/Clinopodium vulgare , another Labiate .
A freshly emerged female Marbled White did show off well the golden leading edge to her forewing . The survey at Down House was done in very warm , humid conditions , and it wasn't a surprise that only 15 species were recorded . The best of the bunch was this Yellowhammer which wouldn't let me get any closer . Once again , it was butterflies that filled the gap , 12 species being recorded during the visit . But it was a Silver Y moth that was first to the camera , usually a very timid soul , diving into vegetation at any opportunity , this one forgot about all that and posed on the flowers of Sage in the walled garden . As soon as I got into the large meadow , I started recording Small Coppers , all looking very fresh , and all 8 probable males as they were already scrapping amongst themselves . Not so many Skippers as at other sites , just 4 recorded , but I thought these two Small specimens , male below , were going to get it together , but they didn't . On the lsat survey , I recorded a pristine Dark Green Fritillary , and today I recorded one too , possibly the same specimen , but definitely not so pristine now . The big numbers of course were Meadow Brown (163) and Ringlet (61) , but Marbled Whites were disapointing , with just 13 being recorded . It could well do with the meadows being cut far too early in my opinion last year . On the way around , three Violet Helleborines were found in the Sandwalk Wood , one a very robust plant , and a few flowers of interest found were ,Marjoram/Origanum vulgare , another Labiate , is just flowering ,Feverfew/Tanacetum parthenium , a member of the Daisy family ,Corn Marigold/Chrysanthemum segetum , another Daisy and a shot of a single flower of Wild Basil/Clinopodium vulgare , another Labiate .And finally , one for the detectives . I found this pair getting it together in the large meadow .
were recorded , along with a single Marbled White , the first recorded on the site this year , still warming up amongst the grass . A single , very fresh , second brood Holly Blue was also recorded , but quickly disappeared over a high fence .
numbers of Odonata , but several of the bays had male Emperors patrolling their territories . Black-tailed Skimmer numbers seemed lower as was any mating activity , with most males 
perched over their patch , waiting to drive off intruders . Around the banks , Purple 
Loosestrife/Lythrum salicaria is starting to flower , which will boost nectar sources now that the masses of Ox-eye Daisies have gone over . As will Wild Carrot/Daucus carota , one of the many 
umbellifers found around the lake , and a magnet for many of the smaller insects . I meant to mention on yesterday's post that I found my first Gatekeeper whilst searching for the Black 
Hairstreak , and today three more were recorded , all males , identified by the dark sex brand on the top of the forewing . In the quietest corner of the lake , I found one of three female 
Emperors , two of which were ovipositing , secreting their eggs singly into vegetation around the shallow , warm edges . She was very mobile depositing her eggs over a large area , whilst I stood 
quietly watching her . Eventually she chose a spot directly in front of me , giving a good view of the dark dorsal marking running the length of her abdomen , the only dragonflies to be so marked . Still lots of newly emerged Common Darters amongst the vegetation , but only small numbers of Common Blue , Azure and Blue-tailed Damselflies were recorded . The lady of the house came down for a chat and invited me to go up to the stables where the Swallows are nesting if I wanted to before leaving , which I duly did . On the way up the drive , two juvenile Jays were on the verge and I slowed to get a shot , even though I still had the 100mm. lens on the camera . I tried to get close but every time I crept forward 5 metres , they flew back 6 metres , 
and one flew off . This was the best I got of the one that remained . Arriving at the stables , I set up the tripod at the stable door , but there wasn't much action at the nest , which has been used 
for at least the last 4 years . Eventually , two little heads peeped over the edge to see what was going on . A few times adults did come to the nest , but not with food in their bills , even though 
the youngsters were begging . On other occasions , the adult would just hover in front of the 
nest , then perch and watch the actions of the youngsters . Then different tactics , as the adult 
landed next to the nest , calling constantly . That too was followed by perching some way away 
and watching again . Those two youngsters looked ready to fledge to me , and I think that the adults were trying to encourage the pair out of the nest and into the wide world outside . As I packed up to go home for lunch , the two youngsters were still entrenched in the nest , still begging for food . I don't think that they will still be there tomorrow though .
shots of Red Kites , cruising effortlessly over the open fields . We found the site and nervously , as neither of us had ever seen the species in real life , started to search the large areas of Blackthorn and Bramble , paying particular attention to those that were already swathed in the warm sunshine . With many large , mature trees on the site , as the sun rose in the sky , different patches came into the sunlight , as others went back into shade . A deer was seen at distance down a track as we arrived , and during the first couple of hours , at least two were heard 'barking' for long periods . It didn't click till later , that the 'barking' was probably Muntjac Deer , as they are well known for doing so and also found records of their sighting in the visitor's book on site . We were finding plenty of butterflies , but not the target species , and although by the book we should be in the middle of their short flight time , like all other species this year , they probably emerged early . This was also confirmed in the visitor's book with a 28th. May entry of 'first Black Hairstreak seen' . From the open glades we still had occasional views of Red Kites 
and the book once again informed us that they had in fact nested on the site this year . Three hours of searching still hadn't produced the required result , but it also gave more time to 
practice Volucella pellucens in flight shots , and when they weren't around , the odd spider 
managed to make it to the camera . Like everywhere else this year , Large Skippers showed really
good numbers , here three posed in line astern . Yet another Red Kite flew over the site , this 
time looking a bit tattier than the others . Searching hard and trying not to let our lack of success get us down , after about three hours Keith uttered the words 'I've got a Hairstreak' . I don't know how 'Eagle Eye' saw it as it was well back in a large Bramble patch and above head height , but I'm really glad that he did . Then came the soul searching , is it definitely a Black , as the White-letter Hairstreak is very similar . Frustratingly , it seemed to prefer the Bramble flower on the far side of the plants , being out of sight for much of the time . Every now and again , it gave a full side-on
view , and sometimes that view was in full sunlight . It was then that we started to believe that we had found our target species . Because of the distance , it was difficult to see the orange and black makings on the back of the hindwing , carrying on and fading out on the back of the 
forewing , but the inner row of black spots on the hindwing was the clincher , it was the only one we saw , but it was the species that we set out to see , well spotted 'Eagle Eye' , a first for both of us . Whilst we were photographing it , a couple from Hampshire , who had just arrived on site to see the Black Hairstreak , reached where we were standing , and saw their target species within 10 minutes of arriving . We made our way back to the car for a well earned sandwich and drink 
wood as it was close by . On a track through farmland , yet another Red Kite encounter . Just 
before reaching the other wood , a young Fox decided to play 'chicken' down the lane in front of 
the car , which went on for a couple of hundred metres , before it decided to dive off to the side .
spotting a female Purple Emperor which flew overhead and settled in a Willow . Plenty of White Admirals and a couple of White-letter Hairstreaks were also seen , but things got steadily quieter . With a long trip home , we decided to call it a day , with a total of 18 butterfly species seen , including 3 Hairstreak species , 5 raptor species , including Hobby and probable Goshawk .
first , it was just a single PH , but , down on the Bracken , it posed for me . then , looking around , I spotted two more . They had dropped down from the Oaks that were still in the shade , to warm
up on the Bracken that was already in the full sun . The first was an almost pristine male , which , after opening and closing it's wings , finally posed to reveal his full glory . A couple of 
minutes later , a pristine female descended from the Oaks , and not to be outdone , showed her stunning topwing . It was already o835 , so , a quick exit to the car , and yet another late meet up to go shopping .
sunlight , although I may sound biased , did look smarter than those seen recently . As I left the three to their scrapping , and about to head up to Burnt Gorse , a Roe buck wandered 
nonchalantly from the woodland on the opposite side , before seeing me , and making off at warp
factor into the distance . I still had the macro lens on the camera , so couldn't manage anything better . The glade where most of the Honeysuckle is to be found was surprisingly quiet , but one 
probable female White Admiral did put in an appearance for the camera . Walking back through the woodland , I was able to do a bit of broadcasting , not on the radio , but making sure that next
year's Bluebells will be as good as this year's , dislodging the now ripe seeds from the open seed heads as I walked along .
to be my first female Silver-washed Fritillary sighting of the year . This is the only British butterfly to lay it's eggs on the trunks of trees , albeit that the foodplant , in this case Violets , are found around the bottom of the tree . On hatching , the caterpillar will make it's way down the 
trunk to the Violets . When she moved off , I found the egg that she had just laid . The female 
was resting nearby , identified by the much more sombre overall colour , and the lack of the four
dark markings across the forewing , sported by the testosterone charged males .
