Off I went to Strawberry Bank again to get amongst the Marshies. My thinking was that they were probably at peak now and when I got there I was correct. I counted 18 in total and many of them were becoming translucent with age. I also saw 3 Small Blue, 6 Common Blue, 2 faded Dingies, 8 Small Heath, ...

David - Whilst I found PBF's in three places in Siccaridge Woods, by far the best location at the moment is on the main woodland path across the top of the hill. Use the trailhead opposite the gate that leads to Daneway. Eventually the Siccaridge Wood path opens out into a scrubby glade beside a ben...

Wurzel - Yep, that's the one. Amazing isn't it? PBF's one side of the road and Large Blues the other. Unfortunately you'd be extremely lucky to see both the same day. I actually checked and of course, no Large Blues are flying yet! David - I was as surprised as you to find it out as it's not anywher...

Katrina Since you were kind enough to read my diary - I thought I'd take a look at yours. Now THAT pic of the PBF roosting is what I tried to capture today but had no luck and I went early on purpose to do it. And its amazing what you find out about people on this site isn't it? Another Suzanne Vega...

Went back to Siccaridge Wood for an hour today for the Pearl-bordered Frits. I have to down-size my count. I said yesterday there were 6 but in fact I had double-counted one - so there are in fact only 5 at the moment and they are showing signs of wear and tear by now. P1220710.JPG P1220724.JPG P122...

Hi, Katrina Thanks for reading my diary. I shall reciprocate. I haven't ready many peoples diaries recently as you probably know by now I have moved into a new house and there is a lot to do. Its not easy to get an hour here and there to go butterflying and write my own accounts but I like to keep m...

Siccaridge Wood Nature Reserve is a 15 minute drive away from me. It harbours a butterfly that in the past, to see would have taken me a two hour round trip from my old house in Alton to their haunt in Bentely Wood on the border of Wiltshire - but it's now a local butterfly for me. Hooray! The Pearl...

Wurzel - When the Large Blues start to appear - you'll be the first to know!
David - Is it this area or am I just being lucky at the moment?

Another Nature Reserve just a few miles away from my new house. This one is called Swifts Hill. I chose to walk along the lower path on the south slope and was rewarded with one Holly Blue, one BArg, some Small Heath, some Common Blue, a Small White, a clutch of Dingies and my first Large Skipper of...

Otep. It is a fantastic place and the cows just add another dimension. Wurzel. Yes - I know what you mean but I always have difficulty with Butterfly Orchids so it was great to get expert confirmation. David. The wildlife is wonderful. I know there are Dipper and Kingfisher nests along the river at ...

Hi, David

Well, despite the bad weather you saw more Dukes than I have on Rodborough Common which still totals zero for me. My only Duke was at Selsley Common. It may be that I just went to the location you visited a bit late.

Last week I found 8 Marsh Frits at Strawberry Bank. This week they have crept up to 13. Unlucky for some but not for me because this was the first time I witnessed some courting behaviour between a male and female and battles between males. For one exciting moment I thought I was going to witness ma...

Dave - You are right. I am a bit bamboozled by it all really. There are so many places to go it will take me years to get to them all I know. David - I am glad too as I don't think I will see another Duke this year unless I am exceptionally lucky. Wurzel - I have seen the ones at Milton Keynes - gre...

It’s two months now since we moved into our new home and much of the important works have been completed. Still got loads to do, like changing the back door and repairing the back fence but as time wears on in the year I am able to spend more time exploring the area for butterflies. Thanks to Mark f...

Wurzel - Its such a big place. I haven't even covered a fraction of the commons around my place. There must be a Duke somewhere in it all. David - I agree regarding the conservative estimate of Cowslips here. We even have wild ones growing in our front garden that I have to mow around! Mark - Thanks...

Report from The Cotswolds So much rain in the early part of May. Even when it wasn’t raining there was heavy dew which meant soaking trouser bottoms from damp grass wherever I walked. But at least I was able to take a break from doing work on the house from time to time. There was not exactly a glut...

Neil, Dave and David Sorry for the belated thanks for your replies. As you can imagine, even now, after two months there is still a lot to do in the new house but at least I can grab an hour here and there to see the butterflies. And much of the time I don't need transport to see them. It's that kin...

Hello All, I have not been able to get out butterflying much after our move to Gloucestershire. Not only has the weather been the worst I can remember for Spring but there is a lot to do in the house and garden. Nevertheless, I thought I’d do a wildlife summary for the last month we have been here. ...

Thank you Mark, David and Wurzel for your kind words. We moved into our new house without a hitch but there is even more to do to it than we thought. Once the previous owners had removed all their furniture and pictures, etc we discovered more paint jobs that need doing. However in the first few wee...

I am moving house on the 22nd March. Sadly I say goodbye to Brown Hairstreaks, Purple Emperors, Silver-studded blues and Silver-spotted Skippers. No more Noar Hill, Alice Holt Woods or Broxhead Common. But exciting times lie ahead. The clue is in my change of Avatar. Our new house is situated on a s...