There may not have been many opportunities for bird photography over the past couple of days but the butterflies have more than compensated.
As I was up at Iping Common looking for Tree Pipits and Woodlarks I decided to head over the border into Surrey to visit Botany Bay Wood in the hope of seeing Wood Whites. I did not attempt to count them but just along the main ride there must have been thirty to forty of them flying. I was also pleased to find that they are an easy butterfly to photograph. They do not seem to be concerned by a close approach or by the odd bit of gardening to give a better shot.
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| Wood White |
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| Much darker markings on this one |
There were also dozens of a little orange moth flying which I later identified as a Speckled Yellow Moth.
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| Speckled Yellow Moth |
The rides also had lots of Brimstones and for a change they seemed to be settling to feed regularly giving plenty of picture opportunities.
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| Brimstone |
On the way home I called in at Kithurst meadow. I already had lots of shots of the Duke of Burgundys but I wanted a Small Blue and I knew they had been seen there. I struggled to find one at first but then someone suggested that I look outside the meadow on the bank by the side of the road and sure enough there were two specimens out there.
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| Small Blue |
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| Small Blue |
I also found a Dingy Skipper. Not unusual except that that this is the first shot I have taken of one with closed wings.
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| Dingy Skipper |
And a Damselfly which I am reasonably confident in identifying as a
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A couple of other Butterflies spotted the next day. The first is a Speckled Wood at Park Copse Pagham Harbour. Nothing unusual in the butterfly but the lighting is good.
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| Speckled Wood |
And an Orange Tip taken just north of the Black Rabbit.
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| Orange Tip |
The Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary is the next butterfly on the list.
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