Just managed to get my transect in at High Elms LNR , near Bromley this morning , before the sun went in .
Still very poor numbers , I'm sure due to the weather and last year's ' management ' of the site , but I did get my first two Common Blues of the year .

Spent yesterday's sunshine with fellow member MrSpOck , visiting firstly Noar Hill , looking for Duke of Burgundy . Although the breeze held a chill , _MG_2386.JPG _MG_2389.JPG 10/15 specimens were found amongst the shelter of the gulleys on the site , along with the odd Brimstone , Holly Blue and P...

First transect of the year at High Elms LNR near Bromley , in perfect conditions , dissappointed with just 10 specimens , 3 Peacock , 2 Red Admiral 3 Brimstone and 2 Comma . I saw the 2 Comma at a distance , with the female ' ballet dancing ' over a nettle patch . By the time I reached her , she was...

A quick look on Hayes Common late afternoon , rewarded me with my first Comma of the year .

Before the blue skies returned to cloud in the afternoon , 4 male Brimstone .

2 up on Hayes Common ( and a Com.Lizard ) and the other 2 in our West Wickham , Kent back garden , some couple of miles away .

After seeing a Peacock during the early days of January , managed a second species today , a male Brimstone just before noon

below Keston village , Kent .

The High Elms transect ( two and a half hours ) still fails to produce . Just 2 SWF again , Marbled White up to 42 , Small Skipper 27 , but best of the bunch were 6 very fresh Gatekeeper , my first of the year .
Thanks to Philzoid for answer to previous post .

Amongst the Heath Fritillaries seen during the week at East Blean Wood in Kent , were these two individuals .
Wondering if they would be classed as abs. ?
No such problem with a pristine White Admiral which came down for minerals .
On the way back home , Norfolk Hawker showed well at Westbere Lakes .

After yesterday's SIlver-washed Fritillaries , I made a morning visit to Lullingstone CP , finding 25+ Dark Green Fritillary , all freshly emerged , including one female . Most numerous species , Marbled White , with a 250+ count .

Another poor transect result at High Elms LNR , near Bromley was only lifted by 8 Small Skipper and two pristine male Silver-washed Fritillary .

Hi Pauline ,

I think your ladybird could be an Eyed Ladybird - Anatis ocellata .

Cheers Greenie

Large Skipper , male , topside shot at Hutchinsons Bank yesterday .
Managed underside on transect , and first Meadow Brown at High Elms LNR today .
Two mating pairs of Small Blue at Hutchinsons Bank this afternoon .

A visit to Hutchinsons Bank this afternoon ended with a sighting of the second ab., having photographed the first last week .
On the way home , found just two WLH larvae on the Elm , but one was a brown specimen . I believe this indicates that it is about to pupate .

On my way to enjoy the Glanville Fritillaries at Hutchinsons Bank , I stopped a short distance away and found two White-letter Hairstreak larvae on a known Elm .

Amongst all the excitement of an ab. male Glanville Fritillary and a wild pupa with MrSpOck at Hutchinsons Bank this afternoon ,
there were a good few 'ordinary' Glanvilles about .

Spent 10 minutes following this female Orange Tip around the garden as she visited every Cuckoo Flower , several times , and every Garlic Mustard plant , several times , before she decided to lay on Honesty !

Spent the afternoon looking and only finding Peacocks and Brimstones . When I returned home , a male Orange Tip on wallflowers in the back garden .

Just managed an hour on West Wickham Common late afternoon , with the sun showing occasionally , but still very windy . I was hoping for Purple Hairstreak , but had to settle on 10/15 very active Holly Blue , about evenly split male and female . I found them on an area of heathland surrounded by tal...

The White-letter Hairstreaks finally started coming down from the master tree this week . A couple gave the Kent BC members plenty of photographic opportunities on their visit last Sunday . It wasn't until this morning that I got my chance . Both were nectaring on Canadian Golden Rod , their favouri...

Went to High Elms LNR yesterday morning on another recce for next weekend's visit by Kent BC . 15+ Silver-washed Fritillary seen , including 3 females and a courting pair . Still no positive White-letter Hairstreak sightings . Whilst searching a pristine male Purple Emperor dropped onto the path bes...