Yesterday I saw my first gatekeeper of the year, at Hazelbury. With (numerically) common species, I am always struck by how attractive they are when I first see them each year, and this gatekeeper was no exception. Beautiful deep colours, and I'd forgotton all the spots. I guess later in the season ...

The forecasts have often been worse than the weather this month

Not sure the folks in Sheffield will agree.

Yup.

Lord's Wood, near Pensford.

Does this help you make your mind up?

It's not a Silver Washed Fritillary either.

It's on the wing at present. Photo taken on Saturday.

Nope!

Starting last week I've been seeing large numbers of Tortoiseshell -relatively speaking, of course. At least a dozen when walking between Stantonbury Hill and Weston on Saturday.

Still outnumbered by Commas, mind, which seems a recent thing around here.

Simon

Anyone want to chance a guess at this?



Simon

I will be in Ambleside around July 8 - does anyone know if there is any chance of seeing a mountain ringlet anywhere nearby? I don't mind if involves a fair hike - that's what I'm going for!

Thanks.

Simon

Simon

I was at Collard Hill on Saturday - thanks to accuweather, whose better take on the weather was enough for me to chance it. The BBC on Friday were predicting rain throughout the day whereas accuweather reckoned it would be broken cloud with a shower just after mid-day, and were spot on. Collard Hill...

Hi eccles,

I'm sure your right about the machete, but a battery-powered garden strimmer won't fit in my rucksack

Great to hear about the small blues. I'll definitely give them a go.

Simon

I've updated my plot of the earliest sightings data from the Butterfly Conservation list. It clearly shows how things ground to a halt around the start of May, but that they have picked up again since and we're still a couple of weeks ahead of last year. On that basis it must be worth a trip to Warl...

Went to Ruttersleigh Common looking for Wood Whites on Saturday [train to Taunton, Taxi to Castle Neroche, an impressive Norman motte and bailey castle, then walk]. This site is described in the Somerset Butterfly walks book, but I got the impression not many people have been there. Staple Common is...

A couple of Marbled Whites today in the Bath Golf Course quarry - one male, one female. My first of the year. Also lots of Common Blues and Small Heaths, plus Large Skipper, Red Admiral, Small White, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown and Dingy Skipper in varying numbers.

Simon C

Good numbers of Marsh Fritillaries are still on the wing at Morgan's Hill. Also saw plenty (30-40) below the Lansdown Monument, on the slope extending west of Oldbury Hill fort reaching down to the edge of the National Trust land. Mixture of worn and surprisingly fresh looking individuals. Dingy ski...

I guess you get used to it when you look like a leaf!

Simon

Here's my entry. A Large Skipper snapped near Bath, on May 20th. In 2003, 04, 05 or 06 this would have qualified as the earliest sighting on the Butterfly Conservation list, but in this crazy year is 3 weeks later than the first reported sighting! Simon http://www.bath.ac.uk/~pyssc/butterflies/ls_b....

Hi Matsukaze,

Certainly not a MF yesterday. Too big, wrong markings, and flew too high.

Simon

Here's a first hand report of small blue near Lansdown, I came across on the web:

http://www.brerc.org.uk/groups/abp/small_blue.htm

So it looks like there are some somewhere thereabouts.

Simon