19th June - Abbotts Wood, Alice Holt Forest, Hampshire

The forecast was for hot sunny weather today, so I decided to head back to Abbotts Wood, arriving this time a little earlier.  Too hot and the butterflies either dry up or just zip past and never stop, so hopefully I had got it right.

But before I got to Abbotts Wood there was a surprise for me as I started the car, on the wall in front of me a Small Tortoiseshell, a butterfly that is becoming quite scarce now

From the wall to one of our bushes.

The morning started well, but hit a snag as I came through Bentley.  An articulated truck with a container suddenly realised that it would not get under the railway bridge, so it had to reverse, which held the traffic up as it tried to do so.

Eventually made it to Abbotts Wood and headed off down the path, that is a bit of a struggle when coming back.

The Oak trees were looking wonderful in the morning sunshine.

At the bottom of the hill is a crossroads of footpaths with a Stone Roman urn close by.  Above are Oaks and below bramble that is a big attraction.

There were Meadow Browns and both Large and Small skippers on the bramble, but the stars were the larger butterflies, the Silver-washed Fritillary:

And a superb Red Admiral.

Walking on there was activity in the grass on either side of the path.  A Large Skipper delicately settled on a blade of grass.

Ad a Speckled Wood on a bracken frond.

As well as the grass alongside the path there were tall spindly thistles that were an attraction for the Silver-washed Fritillaries.

I reached the 'T' junction which has tall Oaks and a very tall Scots Pine.

The Broad-leaved Helleborine is on the edge of the path in the shaded area.

The area from which I took the photo above has quite a bit of bramble and consequently a few butterflies.  The pick of which were a couple of Painted Ladies

Love this one with the black background.

The Marbled White is not a butterfly you would expect to see in the forest, but this area is very open and there were at least three present, this one nectaring on a thistle head.

Several Small Skippers in the grass.

I walked to the next open area and the meeting of several footpaths.  This area is also well known for the Purple Emperors that can usually be seen oak edging around the tall trees and sometimes if you are lucky they will ground and show off that beautiful purple sheen.

A Large Skipper on the grasses was new, there were several Silver-washed Fritillaries and White Admiral about, but no sign of any Purple Emperors.

I tried the area further on down the path and came across a Firecrest singing in the lower branches.

Walking back to the open area I came across a female Beautiful Demoiselle, the sun light catching the metallic colour on the wings while there being a lovely black background.

Not just one but two, this time on a bracken frond.

Back at the open area there was a fallen Sallow tree.  A dragonfly settled on it and again there was a nice black background.  I wasn't sure what it was so tried the app and it announced a 97% probability that it was a Vagrant Darter a new dragonfly for me.

The Vagrant Darter is very similar to the Common Darter, but both sexes have a 'moustache' which gives it its European name of Moustached Darter.  There is a black line that extends down the sides of the fronds which gives the impression of a mexican moustache.

A rare migrant presumably from Eastern Europe.  This one being a female.

I walked back to the 'T' junction and on the way back had a very confiding White Admiral.

I went back to the open area where I always believe is the best place to see Purple Emperor.  As I turned up I was told there had been two males about, and it wasn't long before I saw both flying around at the top of the Oaks.  This was the are and if you look closely you will see one of the males on an oak leaf.

This is a better view.

I was reliably told that it was unusual at this time of year to see males establishing and protecting territory with a figure of eight flight around the oak and then battles with the other male.  This would mean that maybe these two emerged at least seven to ten days earlier.

There was a breeze so it was probably cooler at he top of the tree.

Some flight shots of the two males, mostly a record shot.

Flying back to the oak after yet another battle.

As we went past noon the Purple Emperor activity dried up, and my time in the car park was coming to an end, so I decided to walk back, happy with the Purple Emperor show, but would have always liked one to ground.

One butterfly has eluded me this week, the Ringlet.  I have seen them floating through the grasses, but never settling.  This one did though.

At the 'T' junction there were two Silver-washed Fritillaries mating, not something I have witnessed before.

So some a worthwhile visit, the Purple Emperors showing good enough to get a photograph.  There is though plenty of time over the next week to try and see if they will come down.

23rd June - Abbotts Wood, Alice Holt Forest, Hampshire

 It was a hot morning, last week of June and the sun might be a demon. The sun closed its eyes as it climbed in the sky, it might start to swelter.  So I made my way to Abbotts Wood as I seem to do every year at this time.  Last year though it was cold and there were hardly any butterflies, but this morning as I walked from, what is now a pay and display car park, the Meadow Browns and Ringlets danced in the bracken, a good sign.

On reaching the open area with the Roman Vase, a Red Admiral flew past and settled on the bracken.

Then one of the hardest butterflies to see last year, the Silver-washed Fritillary appeared at just after 9.00am and was nectaring on the bramble flowers.  They are the largest fritillary and look striking in their tangerine orange and black markings.

A duller individual, probably a female.

The other specialty of this wood at this time of the year is the White Admiral and they too were sonn on the scene and attracted by the bramble flowers.

This one behaved more like today's target species, the Purple Emperor, settled on the path, imbibing for salts and moisture.

But it was the bramble flowers that held the most attention.

Sometimes mistaken for the Purple Emperor, it is much smaller and has a solid white bar on the upper wings, the Purple Emperor has white spots.

Other butterflies on the bramble were several Commas

And a few Large Skippers.

As I walked along the path there were both male and female Beautiful Demoiselles in the trees.

The main assembly point is along the path, where three paths join the main path.  There is a good amount of Sallow, Oak and Pine trees, while below is a good amount of bramble.

Last year it took me four visits before I found a Purple Emperor, but that was then, this is now and I was hoping that the warm and dry weather has been kind to them and they will be about.

It was the bramble though to start with that was the attraction.  As I arrived there were six Silver-washed Fritillaries nectaring on the bramble.

There were good numbers of Comma, but for some reason I didn't photograph any.  I walked along the ride  and came across more White Admiral, this one had me very interested until I realised what it was, another White Admiral.

I thought I saw one Purple Emperor, flying above the trees, but couldn't be sure.  I waited, but no other sightings so I set off back along the path towards the car park.  Another Beautiful Demoiselle on the bracken.

Last year I had found a Broad-leaved Helleborine by the side of the path at the bend, I had looked earlier, but couldn't find it, coming back I found it almost straight away.  It isn't flowering yet, the flower heads curling down as they develop.

I turned the corner and a large butterfly flew past me, it came back and then circled around me several times, flashing the purple wings, it then flew off towards the bend flying low and checking the ground.  I had some squash with me and I poured this on the ground, but it took no notice and flew away from me before turning back and finally settling on the ground.  I edged slowly forward, but shouldn't have worried as it was busy imbibing.

Showing the eye on the under wing, this confused the camera!

Every so often it would open the wings and show a flash of the metallic purple on the upper wing.

I never tire of watching these lovely insects.

I tried to get around it for a full wing shot, but the light changed and this lost the purple colour, the wings appearing black now.

I tried to get as much as possible.

It turned and closed the wings, showing the eye spot once again.

Then it took off, circled around me and zipped away, I chased after it and watched as it settled on the bracken.

And then it was gone, flying strongly down the path and away from me.

I walked back to the assembly point once again, I wanted to see if there were any emperors about there.  I settled in and it didn't take too long before two were chasing each other around the tops of the Oak trees.  This was the best shot I could get.

As well as the emperors there were a few Purple Hairstreak around the oaks, but they stayed high and almost out of sight.

I have never managed to see Purple Emperor on my first visit to Alice Holt ever, so to see one today, the first visit and have it settle on the ground was a big achievement for me.  Completely satisfied I decided to head home.  Walking back along the path a Ringlet finally stopped for me, no closed wing, but an open wing shot with the chocolate brown colouring and the fine white edging to the wings.

Just before the car park, a Small White on the bracken.

On the way home I popped in to Swelling Hill to see if the Violet Helleborines were there this year.  Last year I couldn't find them, but I may have gone too late and they had flowered and were then cut down.  Today they were showing and were marked, there were two, both yet to flower, probably about a week away, very good to see them though as they are now quite a rare orchid.

A great day, not often I get everything I hope for.  Seeing the Emperor is always a special time.