This time last year the Purple Emperor had been seen frequently since the middle of June, this year there had not been any reliable sightings. Today the air was still, and would be very hot later in the day, not ideal conditions but much better than most of June. We headed down the main path, in the shade at first, but as we came out into the open the sun was reaching the edges of the track, and brown butterflies were weaving their way through the grass. A closer look though revealed these to be the year's first Ringlets. Finally we managed to find one that had stopped on the bracken.
They look so different with wings open.
It was still very early and we walked the track to a turn where last year I had my encounter with a very smart Purple Emperor. We were resigned to walking up and down, and set off back towards the car park. By now Large Skippers had joined the brown butterflies, another first for the year.
And a single Silver washed Fritillary zipped past us, winding in and out of the trees before finally settling on some bramble . and then turning to face the sun so that it was back lit from where we were standing.
But then slowly turned to make the most of the conditions.
A little further along at a patch of bracken in full sunshine there was a very pale Speckled Wood.
As we made our way back to the car park we found a single White Admiral that stayed high in the branches of an Oak tree, and every so often we would get a view of a Purple Hairstreak. Both refused to settle of show in an area conducive to photography!/
Walking around the car park Ian found a Painted Lady sunning on bramble in the open.
There has been quite an influx of these lovely butterflies this year, but this was the first I had personally come across.
We left the car park once again, and re-traced our steps back down the path. In the sunshine Meadow Browns were everywhere.
While they are a very common butterfly in Hampshire they do provide some wonderful photographic opportunities, contrasting with the lovely green backgrounds.
We also found this Black-tailed Skimmer.
The Large Skippers were also now about in good numbers and providing the opportunity for some lovely backgrounds.
By now the Silver Washed Fritillaries were zipping past, and not stopping, and one or two White Admiral remained high up in the trees, winding through the branches.
As we walked up the hill I noticed a Beautiful Demoiselle flying around in the sunshine above the bracken, waiting, it settled on the bracken fronds in the sunshine.
Only two species of damselfly in Britain have obviously
coloured wings, the Banded, and the one we had found here, the Beautiful
Demoiselle. In this species the wings of
the mature male are very dark blue-black and those of the female are iridescent
brown-green. The body colour is metallic blue-green in the male and green with
a bronze tip in the female.
They are usually found along steams and rivers, something of which were not around here.
Back at the car park once again we debated what to do, should we continue walking up and down the main path, or do we walk through to the Straits Inclosure and try our luck there. We came down in favour of walking through to the Straits. The footpath took us through and open field where again Meadow Browns were everywhere. I had hoped for a Marbled White, but it was not to be. We came across this pair of Meadow Browns coupled together mating on a stem of grass.
Clearly the footpath is not used that often as it was overgrown with only a trace of a path. Finally it came out by the deer tower. The bramble bush was covered yet again with Meadow Browns and Ringlets, while up to four Silver Washed Fritillaries buzzed around.
A feature of looking for Purple Emperors is staring at tree tops in hope, and once again we adopted this approach but with no luck at all. We did see Purple Hairstreak, and the occasional White Admiral, plus a single Holly Blue.
Eventually we had to give up, and decided to walk back down the main ride, still watching the trees, but while also keeping watch at eye level. A Red Admiral raised the hopes until it settled on the ground and gave up its identity.
Then at last a Marbled White, it settled on the flower head of a thistle with the dark background of the trees behind it.
A challenge of exposure, but the end result was worth it.
At the end of the track there is a large patch of bramble and extensive grasses, a rather worn Common Blue flew around the grasses. The bramble was still to come into full flower, they seem to be two to three weeks behind where they were this time last year.
Crossing the open meadow the Meadow Browns were still coupled on the grass stem, and there was no sign of any other butterfly species.
Back in the car park we came across a Comma.
Once again a decision to make, what to do next, and we decided to head south, to Browndown. It was a shame giving up on the Purple Emperor, but some of the reasons for the poor showing did not bode well for the year. Apparently dry weather in the autumn last year had an impact on the availability of the Sallow leaves for the caterpillars with starvation the result. If that was not enough the cold weather in June may have delayed them in the chrysalis form, and many could have been predated by Blue Tits or just washed away.
We must remain positive though, back in 2015 and 2016 we managed to see them mid July so there remains some hope. In fact on returning home there was a report of two seen in Abbots wood in the afternoon. We though had made our decision and our next stop was Browndown South. As we got out of the car we could hear gun shots, but fortunately the area was open. Walking to the beach there was a pleasant breeze that took the edge off the temperatures.
The flowers were out along the main path, the most dominant Viper's Bugloss, a lovely spiked plant with stunning blue flowers. It was also an attraction to the insects with bees attending the flowers, and also another Painted Lady.
A little faded in colour, and with a tattered hind wing probably as a result of its migration north through France and across the Channel.
Our main reason for being here was to find the Purple Hairstreak colony in the stunted oak trees. The low height of the trees means that you could shake the tree to find the butterflies, then get in close to photograph them when they settled.
They always appear much larger than I think they are, and in flight could almost be mistaken for a "blue". However at rest they are unmistakable.
They were not to be found on all the oaks, but on the majority, counting was difficult but a single tree would hold at least four.
Having had enough of the Purple Hairstreaks we went to look for Grayling. This was maybe a little early, but we headed to the area behind the rifle range, and walked around the heather and shingle. There was no sign of any Grayling but we did have the bonus of disturbing a Nightjar. As it flew off you could see the white spots on the wings. Having surprised us there were no flight shots, it headed away from us and disappeared in amongst the bracken and heather. We searched again for it but with no luck.
We continued the trawl for the Grayling but with no luck, it is still early, they will probably be around in a couple of weeks time. We headed back encountering more Painted Ladies along the way.
Our next stop was to be Browndown North. The habitat here is a little more heath than than the shingle beach of Browndown south. As we came through the gate we stopped for butterflies. Small Skippers were in the surrounding grass, on a closer look we found an Essex Skipper. The dark black clubs on the end of the antenna.
Yet again a White Admiral eluded us, flying in and out of the trees. Walking out onto the heath there were plenty of Small and Large Skippers. Here a Small Skipper and you can see the difference in the antenna.
The search was for Silver-studded Blue, and we walked across a patch of Bell Heather in hope rather than expectation. We didn't find the blue, but did manage a smart Small Copper.
As we walked back a butterfly in the heather was a nice surprise and unexpected as these days they are becoming hard to find, a Small Tortoiseshell. Unfortunately it didn't stay long enough for a photograph, and was off over the heath.
Back at the entrance we found the White Admiral again that still wouldn't stop, and a Comma that was happy to oblige us.
The main objective of today was to find the Purple Emperor, and we failed, but we were not alone in that. The hope is that the season is delayed and we get another chance. The days butterfly total failed to beat the record with only 20 species seen. On the positive side though it was a great day for photography with some wonderful shots of some spectacular butterflies. Throw in a Nightjar sighting and the day is quite special after all.
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