Search found 2497 matches
- Fri Aug 23, 2024 10:38 pm
- Forum: Personal Diaries
- Topic: essex buzzard
- Replies: 2627
- Views: 1898881
Re: essex buzzard
By late July, the Chalkhill Blues were emerging. It is not found in Essex, as there is no suitable habitat, so my nearest colony is at the Fleam Dyke, just over the border in Cambridgeshire. This excellent chalk Dyke runs across the low flat arable farmland here, a great place to spot hares! Chalkhi...
- Thu Aug 22, 2024 9:48 pm
- Forum: Personal Diaries
- Topic: Jason Sargerson
- Replies: 260
- Views: 36052
Re: Jason Sargerson
A tale of woe, by the sounds of it Jason. Very similar to many peoples observations here this year. Truth be told, it hasn’t rained here in East Anglia for a month. But the good weather has come to late for our beloved insects. Couple of years ago, butterfly numbers dropped due to the foodplants shr...
- Thu Aug 22, 2024 9:40 pm
- Forum: Personal Diaries
- Topic: Goldie M
- Replies: 4395
- Views: 3035418
Re: Goldie M
Hi Goldie, Chalkhill Blues have been scarce at all the sites I have visited this year, certainly well below normal numbers. I was at Lydden Temple Ewell last Sunday Chalkhill Blues were present, but far fewer than most years and many were past their best, though there were a few fresh ones. Silver S...
- Thu Aug 22, 2024 9:23 pm
- Forum: General
- Topic: Lowland Chalk Grassland
- Replies: 4
- Views: 178
Re: Lowland Chalk Grassland
An interesting question. I’m not scientist but, to my knowledge, chalk downland, like all the best butterfly habitats ( lowland Heath, woodland clearings, etc), is entirely man-made. This is why, if not intensively managed, chalk downland will quickly revert to scrub, then woodland. When this countr...
- Tue Aug 20, 2024 7:25 pm
- Forum: Personal Diaries
- Topic: essex buzzard
- Replies: 2627
- Views: 1898881
Re: essex buzzard
By mid July, a few Small Tortoiseshell had emerged. Not high numbers, by any means, but better than nothing. A very welcome sight. FA02A2B0-8768-4911-B6E1-5FBF2AEE1DA0.jpeg Meanwhile, the Hutchinsoni Commas continued to be present. I didn’t get many chances to see them, with very few warm sunny even...
- Sat Aug 17, 2024 5:19 pm
- Forum: Personal Diaries
- Topic: essex buzzard
- Replies: 2627
- Views: 1898881
Re: essex buzzard
In early July, I headed off to Silchester Common, to find my only Silver Studded Blues of the year. Numbers were modest, with about a dozen seen. But I’ve never been to this site before, so I left happy.
- Fri Aug 16, 2024 11:09 pm
- Forum: Personal Diaries
- Topic: Neil Freeman
- Replies: 4397
- Views: 2342030
Re: Neil Freeman
Hi Neil, cracking report as always.
Although west Cornwall has a fairly wet, mild climate, it also receives more sunshine hours than most parts of the country. I suspect this may be responsible,at least in part,for a reliable second generation of SPBF.
Although west Cornwall has a fairly wet, mild climate, it also receives more sunshine hours than most parts of the country. I suspect this may be responsible,at least in part,for a reliable second generation of SPBF.
- Tue Aug 13, 2024 10:16 pm
- Forum: Sightings
- Topic: August 2024
- Replies: 99
- Views: 3432
Re: August 2024
Plenty of butterflies at Aston Rowant this afternoon. Mostly Meadow Browns, but a sprinkle of Common Blues, Chalkhill Blues, Brown Argus, Small Skippers and Silver Spotted Skippers. Not a single white! With a couple of weeks of warm sunshine, most Peacocks and Brimstones are probably fully fed, and ...
- Thu Aug 01, 2024 10:36 pm
- Forum: Personal Diaries
- Topic: essex buzzard
- Replies: 2627
- Views: 1898881
Re: essex buzzard
So it does, Wurzel. Can’t say I’d noticed that! The Ringlets had a spectacular crash last year, due to the previous years hot dry summer. However, equally spectacular has been its recovery this year, following the wet summer in 2023. They emerged from late June and, for a few short weeks, this lovel...
Re: July 2024
First Silver Spotted Skippers at Lydden, with 3 seen. Reasonable numbers Common Blues, but fewer Chalkhill Blues than normal, mostly at the Lydden end of this expansive site. More in my PD...eventually!
- Sat Jul 27, 2024 9:49 pm
- Forum: Personal Diaries
- Topic: essex buzzard
- Replies: 2627
- Views: 1898881
Re: essex buzzard
Thanks everyone. Never seen a Heath Fritillary remotely like it. Only managed 3 shots, before it was off, lost among the multitude of normal adults. The other two pictures were rather blurry, perhaps due to the excitement! By early July, the Marbled Whites had emerged. This new colony on the common ...
Re: July 2024
Hi Charles, could be a white version of the clustered bellflower, Campanula glomerata.
Lovely images of Scotch Argus, Berti. Don’t see many of those on the forums...
Lovely images of Scotch Argus, Berti. Don’t see many of those on the forums...
- Thu Jul 11, 2024 8:54 pm
- Forum: Personal Diaries
- Topic: essex buzzard
- Replies: 2627
- Views: 1898881
Re: essex buzzard
The June gap was clear to see round my way. However, Small Heath continued to emerge on my local common, they’ve had a good first brood here. 5EB7A171-3FAE-43CF-A6B5-97F5AA606C03.jpeg Large Skippers started to appear early in the month. The poor weather has given me few opportunities to see them, bu...
- Wed Jul 10, 2024 10:09 pm
- Forum: Personal Diaries
- Topic: Trevor
- Replies: 5129
- Views: 978286
Re: Trevor
I can, Trevor. Last year!
Glorious shots recently of the purple one...
Glorious shots recently of the purple one...
- Sat Jun 29, 2024 9:59 pm
- Forum: Personal Diaries
- Topic: Goldie M
- Replies: 4395
- Views: 3035418
Re: Goldie M
That last one looks like an Essex Skipper, Goldie. Well done!
- Fri Jun 14, 2024 9:53 pm
- Forum: Personal Diaries
- Topic: millerd
- Replies: 5895
- Views: 788914
Re: millerd
I think Bugboy is right. That looks good for wild candytuft, though it is early. I didn’t think it would be out yet. The purple one is clustered bellflower, Campanula glomerata. Chiltern gentians don’t flower until August, and are a lighter shade.
- Fri Jun 14, 2024 9:42 pm
- Forum: Personal Diaries
- Topic: Katrina
- Replies: 1584
- Views: 147998
Re: Katrina
That looks good for a Southern Hawker to me, Katrina. I haven’t seen any yet, some well done. I think!
- Fri Jun 14, 2024 9:12 pm
- Forum: Trip Reports
- Topic: Istrian Peninsula 21st May - 28th May 2024
- Replies: 18
- Views: 489
Re: Istrian Peninsula 21st May - 28th May 2024
That’s a really nice report, Stevie, with a good blend of wildlife, culture and relaxation.
Glad you had such a nice time. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you had such a nice time. Thanks for sharing.
- Wed Jun 12, 2024 9:47 pm
- Forum: Personal Diaries
- Topic: Wurzel
- Replies: 5882
- Views: 2877007
Re: Wurzel
Lovely pictures from Martin Down, Wurzel. We were hoping to go the other week, but the weather had other ideas!
What a shame I don’t live a bit nearer...
What a shame I don’t live a bit nearer...
- Wed Jun 05, 2024 9:40 pm
- Forum: Personal Diaries
- Topic: essex buzzard
- Replies: 2627
- Views: 1898881
Re: essex buzzard
Then onto Mill Hill, near Shoreham in Sussex. Normally the turf here is yellow with glorious horseshoe vetch blooms, but this year the flowers were a bit sparse. E5B427E9-655C-4C4A-A01C-D78993EDF575.jpeg Again, butterflies were not plentiful, but there were a few nice ones, including Common Blues, 9...