Hairstreaks and Skippers......

31 July - Brown Hairstreaks and Silver-spotted Skippers that is...... firstly, good views of male Hairstreaks at Shipton Bellinger, in warm sunny spells, always an exciting butterfly to see...... then on to Aston Rowant and a lot of one of my real favourites, Silver-spotted Skippers on the wing, easier to photograph with some cloud cover as they buzzed around rapidly as soon as the sun reappeared. They have so much character!. Also lots of Chalkhill Blues on the wing.

Ravensroost

13 Jul - a fine warm summer day during the current heatwave, and a most productive morning walk at Ravensroost - no less than 18 species seen, including the Ravensroost specials Silver-washed Fritillary and White Admiral but also the highlight, a White-letter Hairstreak at eye level- my best ever sighting of this species, I've only seen them flitting around the treetops previously. Also Purple Hairstreaks near the car park.

Lower Moor Dragonflies

21 May - A productive couple of hours at Lower Moor in CWP. I'm aware that this is a good site for Downy Emerald, and I saw at least 8, quite active in the warm sun - but I'd read recently that Hairy Dragonfly can also be seen here,

and I saw a male hawking actively and not settling - my first of these quite scarce dragonflies that I've seen in the Water Park.

Hawkers at Otmoor

26 Aug - A trip to Otmoor primarily for birds, but nice views of Hawkers perching including a bright Southern Hawker. Migrant Hawker also seen well.

Silver-spotted Skippers

17 Aug - The sun appeared as forecast late morning, more or less as I arrived at Aston Rowant. Windy but some warm sun. A couple of fairly obliging Adonis Blues at the bottom of the slope, and the usual scattering of Silver-spotted Skippers across the slopes - buzzing around fairly actively, but also on occasions allowing close scrutiny while perched, especially of the diagnostic spotted underwings. One of my favourites, and I make the annual pilgrimage every year. The usual Red Kites keeping a beady eye from above.

Brown Hairstreaks

6 Aug - Very good views of Brown Hairstreaks, both male and female, at Shipton Bellinger (at the well-known site for this species, see www.purple-emperor.co.uk). The sunny morning brought out a few other observers, which aided in finding this small and fairly elusive butterfly along the fairly dense hedgerow. Quite obliging for the camera, and always striking to see.

Daneway Banks

26 June - A sunny window of weather and a quick look at Daneway before heading to work, being a Monday....... 5 Large Blues seen, not landing much in the warm conditions but a view of one settled, and several others in flight - also Large Skippers, and many Marbled Whites.